Still here...

The past two days I’ve been listening several times to the new Still Here EP by Swedish duo Kuryakin. The 5 track CDEP and 2 track 7” combines for 7 lovely indie/electronic pop tunes that are as refreshing as the coolest summer breeze. As mentioned yesterday it’s a new release by Shelflife Records, which now are responsible for two of the finest EP releases so far this year (including Downhill by DAYS).
+ Peace of Mind

Crushing Digits by VETO debuts at no. 2 in the Danish album chart this week. For several reasons that’s good news to me. Obviously because I like the album, but primarily because I hope that other smaller bands will be encouraged that success (even commercially) can be achieved through hard work.

I've just received a Myspace friend request from at metal band...now should I approve or deny that one?

Oliver North Boy Choir - Weekender...

Somehow I've managed to completely ignore that a video is available for the excellent Weekender by Oliver North Boy Choir.

On the radio this morning...

...and it sure helped make the start of today a good one!



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 an attempt to make your start a good one as well!

This and that...

The more I check the unknown bands playing at this year's Vesterbro Festival, the better the program looks.

The new fine tracks by Danish post rockers Mimas have already been posted by Frekvens and In a cyclone of stones, but good stuff deserves multiple postings.
+ Cats on Fire
+ Mac, Get Your Gear

I mentioned NY duo This Is Ivy League in a post last week and the more I listen to the self-titled album the more I'm convinced that this will be this year's summer album. Catchy melodies, jangling guitars and lovely harmonies - yummy!

The second single (and another freebie) Poets Dying from the forthcoming Björn Kleinhenz album Quietly Happy and Deep Inside is almost as good as the first single The Quest For Your Heart. Could very well have been the soundtrack of the summer along with This Is Ivy League, but it won't be released until September (on Tomt Recordings)!
+ Poets Dying

Still Here by Kuryakin and Tour De Force by The Ruling Class are the two recent releases by the rejuvenated Shelflife Records. More on those, when I've "chewed" my way through both of them a few more times, but first listen left me impressed.
+ Kuryakin - Take My Hand
+ The Ruling Class - Flowers

Finally. FINALLY! I have a new computer at work. The speakers are crap, but at least I'm able to stream some music now!

Danish label Speed Of Sound has launched their new webpage.

Back in the Highlife Again...

Three days have already gone since I returned from Italy, but mentally I’m still some hundred miles south enjoying the beauty and warmth of Tuscany. Should you ever get the chance to visit Siena, I cannot recommend this lovely city enough. The Piazza del Campo must be one of the most beautiful squares in the world, especially at night! I also met two guys playing in different bands, but I'll get back to that story some other time.

The topic of this post obviously is a reference to the Steve Winwood track of the same name, from the 1986 album Back in the High Life. In the early 90’s I was quite a fan of the former wunderkind, but to be fair I haven’t paid much attention to his work the past 10 years. However last week I received a promo copy of his 9th solo album called Nine Lives, which has given him a small renaissance in my small world, as I’ve been listening to it several times today (and yesterday as well). But as much as I’m trying to like the album, it has so far failed to impress me. It’s a well known fact (to me it is) that my music taste has underwent quite a change in recent years, so I probably would have enjoyed this album tremendously had it been released in 1991. But in 2008 it sounds very nice and well produced – and that’s it!
+ Dirty City (featuring Eric Clapton on guitar)

Received my brand new Matinée Recordings t-shirt yesterday (the green logo)!

One Weekly Gun informs Mrs. Clinton that it's over, but probably to no avail.
+ Addicted to Holes

On July 1 Interpol will be playing at Train in Aarhus. I'm one ticket richer and 450 DKK poorer.

Shorties...

One hour to go before I am heading for Bella Italia - so why not spend it on something useful like posting a few songs?

A lovely new track by UK indie pop band Play People is available over at Myspace. In their own words; "They were formed in a dark German factory. They are committed to playing the finest pop." Finest pop indeed!
+ Meet Me Saturday
+ Oh What A Life (in case you missed it the first time round)

More pop magic - this time it's from NY duo This Is Ivy League. Their cover of Crown of Love (Arcade Fire) will most likely secure them some attention, but the band's other songs (taken from the self-titled debut) easily hold their own, as they are gorgeous pop gems. Especially the irresistible The Richest Kids has summer written all over it and the album has been added to the wishlist!
+ The Richest Kids
+ London Bridges
+ Crown of Love

Just like this one by US indie rock act Everest and would really love to hear the rest of the debut album Ghost Notes.
+ Rebels In The Roses

Finally two tracks by The Atomica Project (formerly Atomica) from the sophomore album Grayscale. Beautiful and dreamy sounds that "isn't simple trip hop, isn't sterile downtempo, it isn't even orchestral or lo-fi", but probably somewhere in between. The third album in this post I need to get my hands on!
+ Gravity
+ Forecast

Off to Italy…

For the third (and last) time this spring, I’m going abroad for a few days. Tomorrow me and a bunch of friends are heading for Siena in Italy, where we’ll be staying until Sunday morning. The weather forecast promises fairly decent weather and the city is very picturesque (at least so I’m told, and the picture certainly indicates that it could very well be the case), so the stage is hopefully set for a nice trip.

Have spent even more hard earned cash on a few CD’s and among the recent purchases is the new album The Hungry Saw by Tindersticks. Despite the band’s popularity through the years and fairly extensive back catalogue, this is my first encounter with the band. And a pleasant one so far, I should add, as this is album is crammed with lovely melancholic chamber pop.
+ The Flicker of a Little Girl

Electronically Yours is the perfect webpage for all of you (us) who spent our teenage years listening to bands likes Yazoo, Depeche Mode and OMD, and stubbornly refuse to understand that those days ended almost 20 years ago. Lots of news, tour dates etc. can be found there, but the true gem is the fine download section on the left (scroll down).
+ Yazoo - Nobody's Diary (The Tenth Stage Remix)

Decorate.Decorate. lead singer Asbjørn has launched his side project named Well, where he records lo-fi folk songs "that does not fit into the band".
+ If Now's The Time Tomorrows

VETO power…

So far I've been listening to the new VETO album Crushing Digits 5 times today, and to be honest, I’m really surprised how much I’m enjoying it. Cannot say that I was all that impressed by the debut and on their sophomore effort the band remains devoted to the indie rock/electronica sound of There’s A Beat In All Machines. However I still thought it was worth the gamble spending some hard earned cash on their new baby, and I’m happy I did, as (I’ll keep this simple) the individual songs on Digits are so much better than those on Machines, where the only song making a lasting impact (on me), was You Are A Knife. No sample MP3’s or video are available, but it’s possible to stream the first single Built To Fail at Myspace.

In a cyclone of stones has posted songs by Klaus & Kinski and Bakers At Dawn.

This week's song by One Weekly Gun comments the "The Amstetten Horror".
+ When The Lights Are Coming Back

Seems like Venice is Sinking by Passtime Poets is quite a hit on The Faroe Islands!
+ Venice Is Sinking

This and that...

Yesterday's newsletter from Matinée Recordings promises another EP as well as a debut album from Northern Portrait. In the near term they say, whatever that means?

I'm not overly impressed by that new track by Coldplay. Are you? Grab it.

But I do like the new song by The Radio Dept. at lot. The new album will be out in September and hopefully I'll finally be able to catch them live some time later this year.
+ Freddie and the Trojan horse

If the Danish album chart is to be trusted The Storm has now sold (at least) 15,000 copies of the debut, which was thrashed by the press. However it seems glaringly obvious that no one really cares about those reviews, as the two highly appraised debut albums by BREUMM and The William Blakes never managed to crack the top 40.

Death Valley Sleepers – New Song…

Danish one man project Death Valley Sleepers has published a new track called Heartbreaking Sound of Joy and once again the music has been made free to download from Myspace. It has almost become a bit tedious constantly comparing the band to The Raveonettes, but listen to it and you'll understand that it’s quite difficult not to. And as long as the Tobias (the man behind) is capable of writing songs like this (Sune Wagner would or should at least be proud if he had written this tune), I see absolutely no point in him changing anything.
+ Heartbreaking Sound of Joy