Celebration time...

Denmark just qualified for next year's soccer World Cup by beating Sweden 1-0 tonight. South Africa beware! A horde of vikings will invade your country next summer! And right now I can't think of a better way to celebrate it than having (yet another) Russian beer, thus keeping yesterday's thread alive. I've been told that this one's called "Old Mill", but Anders do please correct me if I'm wrong. It's actually my daughter's 4 years birthday today as well, but I'm not quite sure if it's really possible to get the rest of Denmark to be equally excited about this. So let's stick to celebrating the soccer win instead!

Sticking to the theme (sort of), so here's some Russian dance music. I expect it to be rather easily forgotten, but should nonetheless get a few feet moving. The track was mailed to me last night and the mail appropriately included verification that yesterday's beer is indeed called "White Bear".
+ Xuman - Panic

Russian beer and some music...

Thought it smarter to start a new post rather than continuing today's previous post. Not sure what tonight will bring, but the kids are sleeping, the wife's out and I've just opened this Russian beer (you tell me what it's called), so a good bet should be that I will spend the evening at the computer checking mails, reading blogs, listening to some music etc.

I mentioned UltraChorus earlier today and a few hours later the band mailed a download link for the Ultra-Def album. Other bands please read and learn!
+ Scarlet Eyes

Blaa Vinyl has a nice post up on Bodebrixen including an interview with Andreas Brixen of the band.

It's time to check a few mails. There are more than +500 unread ones in the inbox. Actually the number is closer to 600!

I somehow doubt that major supermarket chains are willing to stock the debut album Blew It Again by Electric Tickle Machine. It's a nice album cover, though perhaps a tad bit...well you know! The music is some kind of psychedelic garage rock of decent quality, which is quite surprising taking the album wrapping into consideration.
+ Blew It Again

Just stumbled upon a US five-piece with the gorgeous name The Most Powerful Telescope In The Universe, who has just put out their debut full length album named The Moonlight's Fair Tonight. The 11-track album is a free download via Datawaslost (which is not a label, but more like a "close-knit group of musicians ... making records") and this is something I absolutely have to explore further really soon. Appealingly sounding like some mysterious blend of everything from Pink Floyd to shoegaze.
+ The Last of the Incas

I won't mention any names, but some of the stuff found in promo mails is really bad. Seriously bad. Really, seriously bad in an utter crap kind of way....Who's actually paying for this?

Hey cool! Just found the self-titled debut album by nice electro pop duo (?) Letting Up Despite Great Falls in the mailbox. This is good stuff and certainly should be mentioned in the same breath, as the many garbage bands I just complained about. But don't tell anyone that the mail was sent September 2 and I didn't read it until now! In due time, as the album will be out on Tuesday...
+ In Steps

Proud Simon will release a 5-track EP named Anchors Aweigh on November 10. I'm new to this americana inspired duo, but the promo track really makes me want to hear more! Awesomely it seems like the EP is free to download at Bandcamp?
+ Rock Unturned

Indeed it helped complaining! Everything I've checked out since has been pretty good...

Rounding out today's post is brilliant new track Don't Let The Nightlight Dance by Track a Tiger. Taken from new album I Felt The Bullet Hit My Heart.
+ Don't Let The Nightlight Dance

Assembly line...

Spleen United has re-launched their webpage. I cannot really figure out if there's supposed to be a deeper meaning to it, except showing a few short and rather fuzzy video clips and providing us with some external links. Reload the page (press VIII) and a new clip will pop up (I believe there’s a total of 5 different ones). I know complaining has sort of become my trademark, but I’d much rather have a less fancy and more informative site instead (obviously) including a few free downloads (remixes, covers or something like that)! The band will soon be playing a few dates in the US (check their Myspace for exact dates), and just like the previous time the band spent some time “over there”, I strongly recommend that you go see them.
+ Running Up That Hill (Kath Bush cover with The William Blakes)

I've heard some rather trustworthy rumors that Northern Portrait has finished the recordings of their debut album Criminal Art Lovers. But still, these are just rumors; nothing more!
+ Crazy

Obscure Sound has posted a lengthy review, probably containing more words than I’d write in a month, of the soon to be released UltraChorus debut album Ultra-Def. First promo track of the album Words Kept Talking was an instant favorite way back in March, so nice to learn that the rest should be equally great. If Mike’s review is to be trusted of course!
+ Words Kept Talking

BandBase.dk track of the day is Robin Parts by As In RebekkaMaria. The song is based upon Symphony No. 2 by Danish composer Carl Nielsen and is this month's featured remix at mixtoverdener.dk.
+ Robin Parts

Chris is doing a great job getting his blog Music Of The Moment back up and running. Today's post on Scottish trio AirSpiel is well worth reading.

The new album Whatsinsideswhatsoutside by Bodebrixen will be released on Monday. According to this newspaper article, the album will be free to download from the band's webpage in an attempt to attract more listeners.

...paused...

The everlasting...

I cannot say that I’ve cared much about my once favorite band Manic Street Preachers the past decade, and though I stubbornly continued buying their albums, I never gave any release more than perhaps a few spins. This year’s release Journal for Plague Lovers I brutally ignored as I decided that it was time to store the band in the box “dinosaurs of the past”. You know; that archived box you only open, when melancholy smacks you in the face and you simply need to get verified that “everything was so much better back then”. Thus filed and (almost) forgotten, but suddenly this weekend Frank started sharing his excitement about the band’s recent concert in Toronto and once I glanced through the setlist, I got the most irritating nostalgic itch. Annoying to such an extent that I began wondering if my decision of “parting ways” with The Manics had been a tad premature! So as much as I hate admitting “I was wrong”, I have a strong feeling that time has come to re-open the files and have another go with the band! Attic! Here I fucking come!

Since I’m already in the “confessing I was wrong” mood, I might as well add that the new single by Kent is a whole lot better than I gave it credit for. I will continue my silent prayers for a return to Hagnesta Hill form and never stop rooting for them to trash their love for electronic pop, but Töntarna is still a pretty good song in its own right!

The assembly line has stopped running...no point in checking back later...

Shorties...

Despite my initial disappointment with the new Kent single, I’m still planning to buy tickets for the band’s concert on March 13 next year at Copenhagen’s new venue Tap1. Tickets go on sale on Monday.

Four new tracks by The Electric Pop Group are now streaming at Myspace. Seems like the band’s second album Seconds will be out come November, but as usual the Matinée Recordings webpage hasn’t been updated for a while.

The soon to be released Whatsinsidewhatsoutside album by Danish indie-popsters Bodebrixen can be streamed in its entirety at Bandbase.dk.
+ Keychain

Now that the Turboweekend album Ghost of a Chance is being released abroad, the promo mails suddenly start arriving. I hate the way music is promoted in Denmark, because why didn’t I hear anything in March, when the album was released here?
+ After Hours
+ Something or Nothing

7" single How To Look Imploring by Horowitz will be out some time late November on Cloudberry Records.
+ How To Look Imploring

From the Labrador Records twitter account: "Sambassadeur just finished their upcoming single "Days". It definitely different from their previous work, but I'm sure you'll love it.". This is awesome news!

The jerks...

New single Töntarna by my favorite band Kent is released digitally today (visit the homepage to find a link for purchasing the track) and though it’s not bad at all (of course it isn't), it’s not exactly overwhelming either. Especially since it gives you the impression that the band hasn’t moved an inch (musically) since their (fine, but easily forgotten) previous album Tillbaka Till Samtiden, which perhaps has something to do with Joshua once again being the producer? I know I'm spoiled and I know I shouldn't be disappointed, but unfortunately I cannot help being just that, as I was (once again) hoping that they’d return to the sound of their masterpiece Hagnesta Hill. Tönterna is the first single off forthcoming album Röd, which will be out November 6.

Played like a record...

The Camera Obscura concert Wednesday evening was lovely. Of course it was. How could it not be, even though one reviewer thought it was yawningly boring? But I (and since this is my blog and my life, my opinion is what matters the most around here) did enjoy the evening thoroughly, which, some great music aside, also included the chance to finally say hello to a few people as well as spending some hard-earned cash on a t-shirt plus the Underachievers Please Try Harder album. I even took a few pictures, but the quality of the snapshots is the lowest of low, so I doubt very much that one or more will end up here.

Anyone remember Le Chevre, which I featured a few years back? The electro pop one-man project of Crispin Glover look-a-like Michael Barksdale? Probably not! But to refresh your (and my) memory, an 8 track self-titled EP/album was released (apparently as far back as) in 2004, which included some rather infectious stuff. So today’s good news (to me at least) out of Myspace is that Le Chevre is still alive and that a new EP is being recorded (a few new tracks can be streamed). If your memory needs to be refreshed further, do check out the three Last.fm freebies below.
+ Everything Reminds Me
+ The Woods Never Ended
+ Played Like A Record

Shorties...

Can't help myself, so here's one last reminder. Do remember the Camera Obscura concert tonight! Check (and listen to) the setlist of the concert at The Musician, Leicester on September 25. If the band repeats this setlist, we're in for a treat!

This Must Be It is probably my favorite track on the Junior album by Röyksopp, so obviously I was pretty excited to see that the LehtMoJoe Remix of said track is a free download at Last.fm. But why do I continue being this blue-eyed optimistic, 'cause (once again) it's business as usual, as a remix of an otherwise brilliant song leaves no lasting impression whatsoever.
+ This Must Be It (LehtMoJoe Remix)

I’ve probably been sleeping or something 'cause I didn't see this one coming, but Tap Tap has just put out a brand new album named On My Way on Stolen Recordings. There seems to be no promo track to share, but a few song clips are streaming at Myspace. I loved the previous album Lanzafame to death, so I probably "have" no other option than ordering the new album as well.

Grand new single Sea of Regrets by I Like Trains is now streaming at Myspace.

Shame on me, but I still haven't found the time to listen to my promo copy of the new T. H. White album Company Book, which was released yesterday.
+ Earth is on Fire
+ The Darkest Horse

The brilliant A Classic Education has recorded a lovely cover of Spanish Harlem and shares it via the MBV blog.

Ready to be heartbroken...

Only one day to go and tickets are still available for the Camera Obscura concert tomorrow night at Loppen in Copenhagen. Rather surprised by this, as the capacity of the venue is 400 and tickets cost a mere DKK 120. Hopefully it has more to do with it being Wednesday night (just read that the music won't start until10pm), rather than one of the world’s finest indie pop bands having this few fans in Copenhagen (and pretty much the rest of Zealand as well). For anyone still needing to be convinced that it might be a brilliant idea going, please download the songs below and then read Thomas Ladegaard’s nice little write-up (in Danish) about the band.
+ Suspended From Class
+ Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken
+ French Navy
+ My Maudlin Career

Mixed bag...

Why is it that I always find it so incredibly difficult to get anything going on Mondays? Be it work, be it blogging or be it even life in general. Probably caused by the waking up early, getting kids to school plus kindergarten, rushing to get to work on time and the general lack of excitement about work; somewhat amazing how it only takes two days to get used to not going to work, but at least three or four to get used to be back “in action” again. And by then it’s almost weekend. A vicious cycle if there ever was one!

So time to do something about the bad habit of taking Mondays off from blogging, so here we go with something (as always) old, something (very little) new, something (definitely) borrowed, something (doubt it) blue.

Danish industrial/goth inspired rock band Demons Are Real has a new band name and is now called We Are Real. The change of name was included in the unwelcomed announcement that the band has decided to part ways and leaving singer/songwriter Kenni Møller as the only continuing band member under the new alias. The split happened primarily due to musical differences, as Mr. Møller wants to focus on a more “softy melodic sound”. Since the split up seems inevitable, one can at least hope that it will lead to a return to the sound of the brilliant 2006 EP Hum Speed On/Off.
+ Burning Oil

German label Tapete Records shares the track Nothing But Clues from the brand new album Take It by Danes The Elephants. Lovely indie pop to cheer you up, if your Monday resembles mine!
+ Nothing But Clues

Finding myself humming along to this nice pop piece by Sweden's Friska Viljor. A tribute to a street (and the people living there) in Hamburg named Wohlwill Strasse. Check out the really lovely horns! On the track of course and not on the street! Whatever that would have meant anyway?
+ Wohlwill Strasse

Next Danish band in line to part ways is Decorate Decorate. Never fun to learn about those breaking ups, but my relationship with the band was somewhat strained, as I had been impatiently waiting (the past three years) for them to just once again reach the level of the grand and ever so promising Surname of Copenhagen.