Monthly Archives: September 2009

Firefly Effect, retro-futuristic sunshine pop

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Knut in Bandprofile, Nordic music | Comments Off

The Oslo-quartet Firefly Effect is a band I’ve had on my to-blog-about list for some time now. They recently released their brilliant debutalbum “Everything is beautiful and you are the reason” on Perfect pop/Solerød records, full of charming indiepop-songs with organs, boy/girl harmonies and jangly guitars. I’m sometimes slightly reminded by older, perfect Perfect Pop-acts like The Tables and The Blind Bats when I listen to Firefly Effect, – other times I get a feeling of Je Suis Animal or … →

Princeton – “Cocoon of love” – highly recommended!

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews | 3 Comments

Los Angeles-based quartet Princeton will release their debut album “Cocoon of Love” on the fine Kanine Records this Tuesday, the 29th of September. I first heard the band on their wonderful, self-released “Bloomsbury EP” from 2008, and soon after, I invited them to be a part of our own “Summer’s here!”  compilation. Their music is warm, charming, intelligent pop, with the classic pop- melodies that make you smile and lyrics that makes you think “ah, well said”. “Cocoon of love” … →

New video and song from Tvärvägen

Posted on September 26, 2009 by Knut in Nordic music | 2 Comments

The Swedish One-Man Orchestra Tvärvägen, a.k.a. Henrik Öhberg, has made a video for a new song called  “Pingvinvärmen”. As always, Tvärvägen’s music is stunningly beautiful, and I am even more looking forward to his new album after hearing this. Enjoy!

Julie Peel – “Near the sun”

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Knut in Bandprofile, Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Julie Peel is a Canadian folk artist I have enjoyed on several tribute compilations for some old favourites of mine. She has done a wonderful version of “A night like this” by the Cure, The Pixies’ “The Happening”, The Breeders’  “Fortunately gone” and “Divine Hammer” and “I believe in you” by Neil Young. Now, she is here again with her own songs, and they are good! Her music must not be compared by the bands she has covered, – they … →

New “Picture Perfect” EP from Strawberry Whiplash

Posted on September 18, 2009 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Songs | Comments Off

Matinée Recordings has released a new EP from Glasgow indie pop duo Strawberry Whiplash, “Picture Perfect”. This is their second release, after last year’s wonderful “who’s in your dreams”. Strawberry Whiplash is Sandra and Laz, – the latter is also the man behind Bubblegum Lemonade, also on Matinée. When I listen to the wonderful title-track on this new EP, I get back the good feeling that I once had, driving around in my hometown on a sunny day, playing The … →

Music Alliance Pact, September edition, 33 songs by 33 bands from 33 countries presented by 33 blogs…

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Knut in Other | 4 Comments

(music alliance pact logo created by eardrums, based on a stock photo from stock.xchng user coscurro) It’s that time of the month again, Music Alliance Pact-time. Every month on the 15th, music blogs from all over the world work together to create a huge blog-post with music from all the MAP-members’ countries. Each blog present a favourite from their own country, and all the band-presentations are presented in one big post in all the MAP-blogs on the same day, – … →

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher than the stars EP (- again)

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews, Songs | 1 Comment

I have written about this ep earlier here on Eardrums, but now I have heard it, and you really have something to look forward to. I loved their album, but this is even more my style. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart sound less fuzzy and even more pop than before on the “Higher than the stars” EP.  Don’t get me wrong, – this is very much the same The Pains of Being Pure at Heart that we know … →

Get everything out of [Nothing]!

Posted on September 12, 2009 by Knut in Bandprofile, Recommended Releases | 2 Comments

There are some bands that I love too much to destroy them with words. Writing long posts about a band, – analyzing their music -, may take away the pure joy of JUST listening and enjoying the music as it is. I would never write a review or a long, analytic post about Sweden’s [Ingenting] (Labrador records), that’s why I will stop now. I’m just writing this to share my love for this band, their new album and their old … →

Katsen – It Hertz!

Posted on September 12, 2009 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

“It Hertz!” is the name of an upcoming album from UK-electro pop duo Katsen, a band I ALWAYS manage to spell with a z, but I hope I do it right this time. Their playful synth-pop has been on several compilations, like the brilliant “Bot Pop” album from Happy Robots recordings and “Electronically Yours Vol.1” (Undo/ EMI), but this is the first time we can play an entire album by this band. So, what does it sound like? Old analogue … →

My Little Pony – New song, European tour and a new “Oslo!”-compilation

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Knut in Nordic music, Songs | Comments Off

My Little Pony, the band that once restored my faith in Norwegian indie-pop, has news for us! On wednesday, they will start their European tour, with gigs in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium and Sweden (full gig-list here). The band will also participate on the follow-up to Spoon train Audio’s fine compilation “Oslo!” from 2008, “Oslo 2”, which is set for release on November 2. The list of artists for the “Oslo 2” compilation looks very interesting, – … →

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