Monthly Archives: January 2010

Matinée Grand Prix – a label compilation from Matinée recordings

Posted on January 30, 2010 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Tweet Label compilations are either a good way of getting to know great bands that has something similar to another band on the label that you like, OR a few good songs and a lot of boring stuff you’re absolutely not interested in. The label-compilations from Matinée Recordings are usually of the first category, and since I like most of the music this quality-label releases, I often love their label compilations… Matinée is a very style focused label. All their … →

Northern Portrait – Criminal Art Lovers

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Tweet Matinée Recordings have some very interesting releases this spring, and one of them is from Denmark’s Northern Portrait. This trio is by many called “Denmark’s The Smiths”, and although it may be a cliché, it’s an accurate description of the band (I guess the band themselves aren’t too happy about this constant comparison…). Northern Portrait have so far released to stunning EPs, “The Fallen Aristocracy” and “Napoleon Sweetheart”, and now their debut album “Criminal Art Lovers” is available in … →

Hexicon – “Something strange beneath the stars” – finally!

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Tweet Hexicon is a wonderful (please add 7 more superlatives here) band from London, UK. Ever since I heard the beautiful (add at least 7 new superlatives here) song “Narissa, I won’t” that we featured on our own “Birdsongs, Beesongs” compilation, I have been addicted to Hexicon’s music. There has been one problem, though, – there hasn’t much music available to buy by this band, – until now! Hexicon’s new single is called “Something Strange Beneath The Stars”, and it’s … →

Inlets, finally ready with debut-album

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Knut in Bandprofile, Recommended Releases, Songs | Comments Off

Tweet A long time ago, in 2006, Sebastian Krueger released a free ep under the name Inlets, and I have been waiting for more music from him ever since. In 2010, my waiting is at an end, – Inlets will release his debut “Inter Arbiter“ on the 20th April.  When I said “..more music from…” in the above sentence, that’s actually not very precise. Krueger has delivered music through all these years, but mostly as a musician for other artists, … →

Pascal – “Orkanen närmar sig”

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Tweet The third album from Sweden’s Pascal is called “Orkanen närmar sig” (which in English should be “The Hurricane is approaching”), and it definitely is a  hurricane of an album. It’s rough, it’s loud, it’s sharp, it’s straight-forward rock’n’roll and full of power.  The music of Pascal says a lot with very few words, – it creates a lot of feelings with very few effects. Impressingly fine-tuned and to the point, and at the same time as jangly, dark and … →

New video from The Very Most – Autumn Air (+ some words about the album)

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Tweet In the end of last week, The Very Most released their new album, “A year with The Very Most” on Indiecater Records. This is a collection of the 4 EPs the band have released through 2009, “Spring”, “summer”, “autumn” and “winter”, – all wonderful releases. You could expect that 4 eps put together like this would give a fragmented feeling on the album, but it works remarkably well as an album too. The Very Most make beautiful and warm … →

Monzano – By This Time Last Year Everything Will Seem Younger

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Recommended Releases, Reviews | Comments Off

Tweet The Norwegian quartet Monzano have been one of my favourites for many years. They have been around for a very long time (almost 10 years now?), and I think my first listen to their music was in 2005, just before they released their first ep “The Window Was Open But The Smoke Wasn’t Moving”. Their debut-album “High Horses & One Trick Ponies” was released in 2007, an album I gave full score in my review. Since then, vocalist and … →

New mini-album from Transmittens on WeePop! records

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Knut in Recommended Releases | Comments Off

Tweet Regular readers know I’m a fan of the tiny 3″ cds from WeePop! records. Their first release in 2010 is from the Kansas-duo Transmittens, who will release a 10 track mini-album called “We disappear” on January 29th. This will be Transmittens second release on Weepop!, and it can be pre-ordered already now from the label’s website. From the press release, the music is described as “catchy synth-pop songs laced with jangly guitars and some very clever lyrics”, and I … →

Oh, Harry – New project from former Hellsongs singer Harriet Ohlsson

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Knut in Bandprofile, Nordic music | 3 Comments

Tweet Harriet Ohlsson spent the years from 2004 to 2009 making jazzy lounge-interpretations of Heavy Metal classics in the Swedish band Hellsongs. In 2010, she’s on her own in her solo-project OH, HARRY, and I’m getting that wonderful wow-feeling again. Her debut-album “Arena Rock” will be released in March/April this year, and it’s indeed a solo-project. She has written all the songs herself, except her very special cover of The O’Jays “Now that we found love”, and she plays piano, … →

New free ep from The Argyle Wishlist – “all details”

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Knut in Recommended Releases, Reviews, Songs | Comments Off

Tweet The fine indiepop-trio The Argyle Wishlist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin have recently released a new 5 track ep called “All details”, and they are giving it away as a free download on their website. I’ve only listened through this ep one time, but I’m already in love, and I’m starting my second listen as we speak. It’s all clearly 60s inspired, with soft drums, lovely melodies and a warm, clean guitar-sound. A really pleasant listen. Vocalist Jesse Bell is also … →

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