Drum of Glass...

Here we go...another day and another favorite tune. J.A. has sent a mail recommending Drum of Glass by Norwegian new wave/electronica quartet Monomen and after two listens I knew exactly why he was so eager that we should listen to this. The four youngsters (the lead singer is 18 years old) have clearly been snooping around in their dads' record collections and been listening to bands like Joy Division, New Order, Depeche Mode, Devo etc. So very clearly a track that finds its inspiration in the 80's, but at the same time still manages to sound like fresh breath of air. And a track that is so energetic, so wonderful and has this "it will get into your head and stay there" catchiness that I feel almost certain that Editors would give away their entire back catalogue for just this one song.
+ Drum of Glass
MP3 found via Insound, where lots of other interesting and free downloads are available.

Northern Portrait...

It's almost surreal. Monday morning I had never heard of Northern Portrait, but 48 hours and 2 songs later I'm in complete awe. The first output Crazy blew me away and the second track by the band I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me almost did the same. It's difficult to imagine that this "trend" will continue, though we should find out soon, as more songs are on the way. Labeled by the band itself as "sophisticated guitar pop" - so true! I've asked (or call it beg if you prefer) for more info on the band, because I simply refuse to accept that something so genuinely incredible like this can emerge out of nothing!
+ I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me

Should I wear pink or purple?...

As a small tribute US electronica/shoegaze band Purplespace has recorded two really nice versions of The Psychedelic Furs classic Pretty in Pink. At first the two versions sounded very much alike, but after a few listen it became pretty clear that the first one takes a shoegaze approach, while the second one is a bit more electronica inspired (especially in the opening seconds it's rather easy to spot the difference). The National has also recorded a really fine version of the song, which can be found here. Finally I think I should add that the soundtrack for the movie named after the song remains one of the best ever.
+ Pretty in Pink (The Psychedelic Furs cover) - Electronica
+ Pretty in Pink (The Psychedelic Furs cover) - Shoegaze

Dilemma...

US synth pop duo Cause and Effect has been one of my favorite bands for the past 10 years (more and less) and the other day I sent them a message asking if it was OK to post a few of the band's songs in the blog. The first reason for asking was (the obvious) that I'd really like to introduce this brilliant but almost unknown band to a string of new people. The second reason was that I realized that it's no longer possible to buy any of the band's three albums (unless you want a 2nd hand copy). So by posting it wouldn't really be like I was violating any copy rights, but I still thought I should ask. So I did and I expected my chances of getting permission were pretty good, because posting a few songs wouldn't exactly be as if I was stealing the food from their mouths. The band quickly replied and this is the answer I received:

"If we had the option to sell the BMG/Zoo albums we would... Unfortunately, we don't own the rights or have permission to release those albums... Will they (BMG) ever re-release them? I wish I knew.. I've tried to contact them several times over the last few years and was told that our back catalog in the process of being re-released digitally through iTunes and other services, but we're still waiting.. Anyway, it's completely out of our hands..."

I guess you can say that the matter is undecided? So what do you think? Should I just post a few tracks, because it seems to me that those who own the rights to the albums don't really care?

It's possible to stream 4 tracks from the band's 1990 self-titled debut album (re-released as Another Minute in 1991/1992) here, but unfortunately the downloads aren't working.

Northern Portrait...

Northern Portrait from Copenhagen was (according to the info available) founded earlier this month (July 2007), but despite the recent birth, the band has still managed to record a song and post it at Myspace. And what a song it is. The band lists a few 80's bands among the influences (The Smiths, Echo And The Bunnymen and The Housemartins) and on the first track recorded/published Northern Portrait simply blends all the best from those artists (as well as from a few lesser known artists - think Sarah Records) to create one fantastic guitar pop song.
+ Crazy

A black cat crossed the street...

How was the Grand Avenue concert Friday evening? Oh well - thanks for asking. You see - the thing is that Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park with rides and stuff. And since boys will forever be boys we simply couldn't resist trying this, this, this, this (for the second time) and finally this (which just seemed to be going on and on and...). So when we finally had had enough of twist and turns and started heading for the open air stage, Grand Avenue had already been playing for 45 minutes. But despite hearing less than 30 minutes of the concert it only added to the impression I got two years ago (the first time I saw them live) that the band sounds much better live than on record.

Do you like Jeff Buckley? If you do I strongly recommend that you listen to the gorgeous Black Cat by Danish youngsters The Imaginary Orchestra of Mr. Kite (I think the average age of the band members must be close to 19). These guys must have been listening a lot to Grace when growing up?
+ Black Cat

J.A. recommends Nothingness by Swedish indie pop (and somewhat shoegaze inspired) band Signed Papercuts. This is the title track of the 3 track EP to be released on Cloudberry Records on Wednesday. The band hails from the indie pop capital of Sweden (or perhaps even the world) - Gothenburg - and as always this is nothing but excellent! Swedesplease has more.
+ Nothingness

Tickets are still available for the Kent concert.

Friday blurbs (one more time)...

To be honest I was quite affected yesterday by Michael Rasmussen being fired by Rabobank and then pulled from Tour De France. Certainly Michael Rasmussen didn't do things by the book, but I still thought or hoped that you had to be proven guilty, before anything like this could happen. Lots of the things he has said and done do indeed indicate that something could be wrong, but not necessarily that something IS wrong. Please, please. Someone show me some kind of evidence!

Big thanks to Jonas for the info last night that the sales of tickets for the Kent concert on December 8 in Copenhagen had begun. So now I'm the lucky owner of two tickets and looking forward to another encounter with the best band in the world. Peter has asked me for a few tickets as well, so I'm also looking forward to seeing him in Copenhagen :)

I'm going to see Grand Avenue in Tivoli Gardens tonight. I'm the dude in the back with the beer!
+ What's On Your Mind (found this one over at Soundvenue - hope they don't mind me posting it!)

Tower of Foil will release a new 3 track EP Faster Than Your Eye on Friday, August 10. I've been given permission to post the title track a few days prior to the release, so check back on August 6. And you really should, because it's an absolute beauty!
+ Highland Lullabies (title track of the band's 2006 EP)

Like a few other bloggers Peter is hyping Mono in VCF. No wonder - this is great stuff!
+ Spider Rotation

The other day the incomparable blog Indie MP3 recommended Swedish one-man-project Nixon. Wonderful indie pop with an electronic twist that reminds me a bit of Le Chevre (songs). And Indie MP3 has more interesting news today.
+ Her Dreams

UK Nick Drake influenced indie/folk/acoustic trio The Greens has recorded a new tune called Q & A. Quiet and beautiful.
+ Q & A

J.A. recommends the solo track So Wrong So Right by Budapest front man John Garrison. Apparently the band split in 2006, which I probably should have known, but embarrassingly have to admit that I didn't! A few of the band's older tracks are available as free downloads from the band's Myspace profile and especially the wonderful Is This The Best It Gets is an all time favorite (to be more specific I think it's one of the best songs ever written!). And Censored Memories (off to Myspace you go, if you want that one) isn't bad at all either!
+ So Wrong So Right
+ Is This The Best It Gets

Several blogs are recommending/hyping 2080 by US band Yeasayer. And it sure is a fantastic track by a band that has been compared to Midlake and lists Peter Gabriel and Fleetwood Mac among the influences. Released on new label Now We Are Free.
+ 2080

Peter Schallgrenzen recommended The Beauty of o.k. the other day in his blog and today I'm going to do the same. So if you're interested in listening to some really cool stuff (and of course you are) I suggest that you check out this excellent indie rock quartet from Hamburg. This is dark, grand and epic in an Interpol / Radiohead / Kashmir kind of way (with some Kent added to the mix as well).
+ A New Apart
+ Cluster

Pelle Carlberg...

Download the new single Clever Girls Like Clever Boys Much More Than Clever Boys Like Clever Girls by Pelle Carlberg. It's the second single from the album In A Nutshell released earlier this year on Labrador. I love this label and its policy of giving away the single title tracks for free! The track itself is up-tempo, catchy and utterly charming and should be the perfect fit on any summer soundtrack with the trumpets, handclaps and absolutely irresistible tune! The sun isn't shining right now, but I really feel like going to the beach!
+ Clever Girls Like Clever Boys Much More Than Clever Boys Like Clever Girls

Swedish Dew...

Amazingly I'm still catching up from the holiday break. Yesterday I learned that Swedish indie pop trio Dew had uploaded 4 tracks to the band's Myspace profile during my holiday (please don't ever do that again!). Again is a brand new track and the first recorded as a trio (the bass player Lars Kvarnström has been added to the line-up) and the other 3 tracks are from the 2005 album Somewhere Else (which I'm still trying to get my hands on). If the new recording somehow means that more productive days are ahead I don't know, but it is great to know that the band is very much alive. The first time I wrote about the band I compared Dew to The River Detectives and the new songs certainly haven't made me change my mind!
+ Again (new track)
+ Cheat and Lie
+ Lady of Mine

And two more from Somewhere Else
+ All That I'm Leaving Behind
+ Still Looking

Figurines - The Air We Breathe...

Morningside Records gives away another track from the new album by Figurines - When The Deer Wore Blue. Some Beach Boys influences here? Will be back with my comments/thoughts on the album whenever I get my copy of it (my local CD shop isn't very realiable these days).
+ The Air We Breathe
+ Hey Girl (first single)