Recovering...

I’m still trying to recover from the weekend. Too much to drink combined with various physical activities (go-carting, playing basketball etc.) is a lethal cocktail. So the boys and I have come to the only obvious conclusion that although we are pretending to be, we are no longer 17 years old...or 35 for that matter! What’s my age again?

Did you read the comment posted by Adam Svanell the other day? Would be rather fantastic if a couple of “forgotten” Memoplay tracks suddenly popped up! Crossing my fingers...
+ Songs for no Ears

News found via It’s A Trap. At least another 5 months to go before the third album by The Radio Dept. will be out. My impatience and expectations have if possible reached new heights!
+ David
+ Freddie and the trojan horse

Speaking of expectations, I have to admit that I’m a bit underwhelmed by the new single Puzzles by The Mary Onettes. It’s really nice and all that, but I know it’s all my fault as I’m expecting each new song by the band to (at least) match Explosions. And of course I know it's a longshot, as it’s more than difficult to imagine how the band could possibly write a more perfect pop song than said Explosions (watch the video below and agree!).
+ Puzzles

Shorties...

I’ve learned that IFPI (who else?) was responsible for the complaint I mentioned yesterday. I’ve mailed them, but I seriously doubt that I’ll ever get any explanation.

Today is Bad Lieutenant day, as the band is giving away their new single Sink or Swim for free. You do have to enter your email address, but it's well worth it. In case you've never heard of Bad Lieutenant (well of course you have) it's the new band of ex-New Order frontman Bernard Sumner.

Unfortunately the new single Heavenly by The Storm pretty much destroy all hopes that the band’s sophomore album Black Luck will be any better than the debut.

Coincidence or? I mentioned Bodebrixen exactly two weeks ago and Wednesday a promo mail arrived. Full of the usual "yada yada", but also included the essential information that the album will be out October 12. Lovely new track Suit Your Needs can be streamed at Blaa Vinyl.

Trade a cloud picture for four new songs by Björn Kleinhenz. That's a fairly generous offer, isn't it? However I'm still dreaming that he'll someday reunite with Adam Svanell and record more songs for the really intriguing Memoplay project. But I'm afraid that I'll have to accept that this duo is all but dead. The fabulous 4 track EP is still free to download from Last.fm.
+ Words are Small

Someone please explain...

Bullshit mail of the day comes from Box.net; “We have recently received a complaint regarding the following file(s), which you have been sharing through your Box.net account, and infringe on a previously-held copyright: "MyBox/slaraffenland_ meetandgreet.mp3”. But, but, but? Less than 48 hours ago I received (a second) promo mail (from Team Clermont in case you think I’m making this up) offering this track as well as another track from the forthcoming Slaraffenland album We’re On Your Side as free downloads. So how can I possibly violate anything? Apparently I know shit about how mechanisms work in the music business, but I cannot help thinking that someone is fucking things up really bad somewhere or perhaps my ignorance has just reached new heights? To make sure that the complainers get more to complain about (or in an ideal world realize that there are in fact absolutely nothing to complain about), here’s a repost of Meet and Greet as well as the second (so called "promo") track Open Your Eyes. Both are (as mentioned) taken from the We’re On Your Side album that will be out in the US on September 15 and one week earlier on September 7 in Denmark.
+ Meet and Greet (Team Clermont link) (Hometapes link - the band's US label!)
+ Open Your Eyes (Team Clerrmont link)

Tellus about the Moon...

It’s been a while since we heard anything from great Swedish indiepoppers Tellus about the Moon, but for a good reason, as they have been busy recording their debut album. I had a short chat on the web with one of the band members Saturday night and he informed me that the band is now working intensively on finding an ”attractive” label to release their album, as the band remains unsigned. You might recall that the band released an EP on Letterbox Records last year, but their self-titled EP probably should be considered a “just this once” kind of thing? But the band remains confident that they’ll soon be signed to a label, and I’m definitely going to stay optimistic with the band. And why shouldn’t I, as the three new recordings recently uploaded to Myspace sound excellent? I’ll monitor the situation closely and will obviously keep you posted, when (hopefully soon) news on label signing, release and tour dates etc. will start popping up!
+ Nomore (from last year’s EP)

On the radio this morning...

Was somewhat surprised to learn that this one has been picked up by "our" national radio.



+ The Big Pink - Dominos

Every morning when eating breakfast the radio is on, and from time to time it does happen that some really fine stuff is aired, thus helping to make the start of the day a good one. The “On the radio this morning” posts are my humble attempt to make your start a good one as well!

Saturday evening...

This has a somewhat familiar ring to it I guess? Wife’s out, the kids are sleeping and I’ve just found a cold beer in the fridge. So time to hear some music, read plenty of mails and check a few blogs.

Just found a mail from Song, by Toad Records telling about the release of the Meursault EP Nothing Broke. Released in April, so hardly news anymore, but since this is my blog, who’s there to stop me from mentioning anything that’s new to me? The acoustic EP is said to be “a little on the morose side”, but we all like being a little miserable from time to time. Don’t we? No matter what; promo (and title) track Nothing Broke is an absolute beauty!
+ Nothing Broke

Chris doesn’t seem to think all that highly of Britney Spears and I find it real difficult to blame him. But why does he hate tigers so much that he wants them to meet her (I doubt very much that they'd even bother having her for dinner)?

Note to self. Need to listen more to Brooklyn band The Library! If you want to beat me to it, the band's 7 track debut album The Life and Times of Rosa Lee is a free download.
+ TomKat
+ The Life and Times of Rosa Lee

Chromewaves has once again cost me a few quid. This time I was somehow convinced that the only proper decision would be to order the debut album xx by UK quartet The xx.
+ Basic Space

Hmmm. Most of the music I've downloaded today has been not just good, but real quality stuff. That's quite nice for a change. But great songs often get extensive listens, which then detracts your attention from potential thing to feature in a post. (Probably my backward way of saying that today's post is a lot shorter than I hoped it would be, thanks to the fine things I've come across.)

New Aerial single All Refrain is the next in line of great things tonight. It's catchy, haunting and a little bit noisy, which to me is a close to perfect combination. From the band's third album Put it this way in headlines that will be out on Nomethod Records some time this fall.
+ All Refrain

That was it I'm afraid. Have a great Sunday!

Ginger Ninja - Sunshine video...

BandBase.dk has just premiered the video for the superb Ginger Ninja single Sunshine.

2 EP’s and an album...

That’s been my menu so far today, and a both diverse and most enjoyable one.

The Thoughts Like Bombs EP by Houston quartet The Watermarks is a fine pick as the starter, as it immediately makes sure that all senses are alert and ready right from the beginning. Described like "if Phil Spector made an album with Jesus and Mary Chain and New Order, it would sound like The Watermarks.”, and the magnitude of noise, distortion, synths and guitars make this description a fairly accurate one. The EP has been out for more than a year now, but to me it’s still a new and absolutely pleasant acquaintance. The entire EP is free to download from the band’s webpage or at Last.fm.
+ Face the Wall
+ Remember to Forget

Ghosts is the third album by Danish alt-country (or nordicana as preferred by the band) quartet Homesick Hank, and a really perfect choice for the main course. The album features 11 gorgeous tracks relying primarily on their own beauty and the strength of the songwriting, but a judicious dose of spices (strings, piano etc.) has been added, thus helping to turn this album into a truly glorious experience.
+ Gasoline Skies

The Imperial School EP by US duo Horse Shoes rounds up today’s “culinary” experience and I’ll be hard pressed to find a better choice for dessert than this. The purest of indie pop so sweet (think the best of Sweden) and of such sheer quality that Shelflife, a name that equals quality, sees no problem in releasing this as part of their CD+7” 1000 series. I’m still no fan of the whole concept of including a 7” vinyl as part of the release, as my turntable is determinedly stored away (that one too – see yesterday's post) in the attic.
+ Changing Winds
+ The Imperial School

Promos CD's...

Don’t think I had received a promo CD in maybe 6 months or more, and then suddenly two in two days? I’m an old fashioned guy in many ways. I pay the restaurant bill on a date (or used to before I got married), open doors for the ladies, give compliments etc. And when it comes to music things are no different, as I prefer music on CD’s and not as something stored away on a computer. OK; I promise not to re-open that tangible vs. intangible discussion (once) again, but I’m certain you get my point. So I’m quite thrilled that I've seemingly been added to those mailing lists again and am seriously looking forward to receiving more CD’s in the near future. Only problem is storage, which is a rather delicate issue, when you happen to be married to someone, who thinks CD’s have no decorative value whatsoever and should be stored in boxes in the attic, far, far out of reach. But I’m not going to let that ruin my current state of joy! So to show my honest appreciation I’ve been listening to From Sumi To Japan by Brian Bonz & the Dot Hongs and Visitation by Division Day a few times each today, and although both of them show serious potential, it’s still far too early to state, whether or not you should spend some of your weekly allowance on either, or perhaps even both, album(s).
+ Division Day – Devil Light
+ Brian Bonz & the Dot Hongs – Kid Shit

Posting for the sake of posting...

I’m having a tough time today trying to find anything of interest to post and at some point I was thinking about turning today’s post into a plea to my favorite artists that they should start posting news, music, tour dates, whatever, just to give me something to write about. I even considered suggesting that some of them should split up, but in an afterthought I reckoned it probably wasn’t such a brilliant idea after all! I'm obviously well aware that one shouldn’t just post for the sake of posting without having a least something slightly relevant to say, but as I’ve recently (sort of) re-found my blogging enthusiasm and am back at posting at a fairly regular pace, I really, really want to post “something” today. So basically this means that I won’t give a damn about this “rule” today, and the contents of this post will simply be a handful of tracks found during my most recent mailbox "cleaning", without any words accompanying them. Well I suppose I could add that they are indeed all well worth a listen.
+ Plus49 – Naive Brother
+ The Postmarks – My Lucky Charm
+ Keegan DeWitt – Telephone
+ Anna Ternheim – What Have I Done