» norway

New album from My Little Pony

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Knut in Nordic music | Comments Off

http://vimeo.com/18860039

Breaking the silence with the first post of 2011, and it’s a post that has forced it’s way into the blog. I did not intend to start blogging so soon, and I am absolutely not sure if this will be a very active year for the blog, but I am considering many options. This post had to be written. It’s about an amazing band and an amazing album, and the album is out today.

Norway’s My Little Pony is now called mylittlepony, and their second album “Making Marks” is released today on Spoon Train Audio. It’s a beauty, full of great melodies, charm and wonderful lyrics. I did enjoy their debut a lot, but I like this one better. Don’t ask why, – I don’t want to analyze too much, – I just want to keep on enjoying this one. The album should be available in most good digital shops from today.

The band has made several videos for the songs on the album, and they all show the charming and fun side of the band. Have a look!

http://vimeo.com/18394359

http://vimeo.com/18597128

http://vimeo.com/15236089

You can download the track “A Miracle” on Spoon Train’s Soundcloud page:
Spoon Train – Free Downloads by spoontrain

New song and album news from Casa Murilo

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Knut in Bandprofile, Nordic music, Songs | Comments Off

One of my favourite bands from Norway, Casa Murilo, is just finished recording their debut album with Monzano/The Little Hands Of Asphalt’s Sjur Lyseid as the producer. The album will be released on Spoon Train Audio in January, and I am really looking forward to it. The first single from the album, “Breaking Ranks”, was made available for free today, and it’s even better than I expected (and I expected a lot!). Have a listen:

Casa Murilo – Breaking Ranks (radio edit) (the link takes you to CM’s urört pages)

New single and video from My Little Pony

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music | 1 Comment

“Hard To Be Good” is the new single from Norway’s finest pop-band My Little Pony. The single will be released on October 4th on Spoon Train Audio.

Their second album “Making Marks” will be released early next year. It is produced by Sjur Lyseid (The Little Hands of Asphalt, Monzano), who is responsible for more than the good sound on the album… He had a hard drive-crash on his computer, – lost the entire finished album -, so the band is busy recording the album for the second time these days…

Long live Herr Nilsson!

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Knut in Bandprofile, Nordic music | Comments Off

Do you remember the little monkey that always followed Pippi Longstocking where ever she went? His name was Herr Nilsson, – mr. Nilsson, and that’s also the name of the band I’m going to present for you today. They’re from Bergen, Norway, and have been around for several years. Their music can probably be described as indiepop with jangly guitars, trumpets (you know I love them), violins, banjos and lots of fun. The banjo/violin elements give their music a tiny touch of americana/country, but not more than you will hear on albums by bands like Wilco, who also is a band they name as an inspiration.

Those of you who read this blog (and similar blogs) frequently, may recognize the name Ragnhild Jordahl in the line-up. You’re right, – it’s the woman behind Soda Fountain Rag. She plays violin and keyboards in Herr Nilsson. The two bands are not THAT far away from each other musically either.

Their first album, “I’m no Elvis” was released in 2005, and since then, they have released the album “Downhill Thrill” and the ep “Tuesday is my birthday”. In april 2010, Herr Nilsson released their third album “Long Live Herr Nilsson”, and it’s an album that makes me want the band to live forever.

The album includes 12 really good popsongs, with good lyrics, good storytelling, and with lots of energy and fun. The trumpets (oh, how I love trumpets in popmusic!) are gorgeous! Their lead vocalist Terje Bringsvor Nilsen is perfect for the job, with his characteristic and expressive vocals. My favourites on the album are “Belly Floor”, with its Spaghetti western-feeling, the rough and jangly “Go Tell Your Mother” (where both the lead- and backing-vocals are ace!), the schizofrenic rhythm-pop-tune “The Fox Eats the Rabbit” which has some lovely style changes during the 3 and a half minute it lasts and, last but not least,  the irresistible and warm “Not A Word” – and a bunch of others.

Long live Herr Nilsson, and let’s hope for lots of albums during their long life!

You can buy “Long live Herr Nilsson” in most digital shops (iTunes, emusic etc) or physical from Cd baby (it’s also available digitally from there).

Listen to “Go tell your mother” on Soundcloud:
Herr Nilsson – Tell Your Mother by eardrums

…and here’s “Traffic Jams”:

Silje Nes – Opticks

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Recommended Releases, Reviews | 2 Comments

The Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Silje Nes‘ second album “Opticks” is released today on Fat Cat Records. It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have heard so far this year. “Opticks” sounds both more focussed and more confident than her debut, “Ames room”, which I have to say also was an excellent record.

This time, her songs are more accessible and “pop” than on earlier releases, and it suits her. The melodies are more in front this time, and the structures of the songs are easier to “get” than on “Ames room”. Everything I loved about her debut is still present here, – the fragile, hushed vocals of Silje Nes, the playful experimentations, the simple-but-complex arrangements, the sounds, the beautiful calmness…

The beauty comes hand in hand with elements that some may describe as “ugly”. Silje Nes’ music is hi-fi lo-fi. The sound is perfect, but her arrangements, her sounds and the way it is performed also have some kind of “imperfection” attached to it. I know that Silje on purpose plays more instruments than she actually knows how to play. Sometimes elements that sound like “errors” add so much beauty to the songs.
“Opticks” is, like “Ames room”, a stunningly beautiful album, – an album I KNOW I will love for years. It’s, like “Ames room”, an album it’s not easy to get tired of, because new discoveries are waiting for you every time you listen to it. I doubt that I will hear a better album in this genre in 2010.

Here’s a song we featured last month on Music Alliance Pact, “The Card House”

Silje Nes – The Card House

You can buy Silje Nes’ album in most online music shops, as well as directly from the label (both physical and digital).

Here’s Silje Nes on the Take Away show:

http://vimeo.com/14401529

New single from Cold Mailman – “Time is of the essence”

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Songs | Comments Off

Cold Mailman has released their new single “Time is of the essence” today on Kråkesølv records. Those of you who have followed Eardrums for a while, may have heard a demo version of the song earlier, but this is the finished and final version of the song. This is the last single the band drops before the release of their second album “Relax; the mountain will come to you” on October 4.

You can buy the single on iTunes or on Platekompaniet.
Highly recommended!

More from Cold Mailman

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Songs | Comments Off

I’ve mentioned this song before, so I’ll let the music and the new video speak for itself here. Lovely!

http://www.myspace.com/coldmailman

Soda Fountain Rag – Reel Around Me – new 10″ album

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Recommended Releases, Reviews | 2 Comments

Soda Fountain Rag is back, now stronger than ever, with a new 10″ vinyl album coming up on Yesboyicecream records July 5th.
“Reel around me” is the title, and this time Ragnhild Hostad Jordahl is joined by her live band for the first time on a recording. Anders Kaasen (known from The April Skies) plays guitars and Princess Niko plays bass. Ragnhild Hostad Jordahl herself plays the rest, – drums, keyboards and vocals.

Soda Fountain Rag’s music is easy to put in the indiepop-genre,- it definitely belongs there -,  but instead of the traditional indiepop references, I am reminded of the Swedish musician Annika Norlin from Hello Saferide and Säkert!. Their voices sound not too far from each other, and both Ragnhild and Annika share the ability to observe, and to write intelligent, sharp and bittersweet lyrics for songs that rarely last over 3 minutes.

The energetic and catchy “Dogwalkin’ Summer” is the perfect opener, with an irresistible easy-to-learn chorus and a beat that makes it impossible not to do some rhythmic body movements. “Are Philosophers Lonely” is another really good song, with clever lyrics and a great melody. I also love the powerful “You can’t stop me”, the super-optimistic “Give yourself a break” and “Pirate Love”, with it’s lovely, almost psychedelic chorus. Oh, – to be honest, I like all of the songs, but these more than the others.

This new release by Soda Fountain Rag is a big step up for the band, and it has made me love them even more. Highly recommended!

Soda Fountain Rag – Are Philosophers lonely (from Nrk Urört)

…and here are some streamable goodies from the new Soda Fountain Rag-release (from Soundcloud)

New single from Cold Mailman, “Pull yourself together and fall in love with me”

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music, Songs | 2 Comments

As a Norwegian and a pop-fan, I have a lot to be proud of today. I have already mentioned Hiawata!‘s gorgeous pop-single in a post here earlier today. One of my absolute favourite Norwegian artists, Cold Mailman, also released his new single today. It is called “Pull yourself together and fall in love with me”, and that’s just what I have done. I have completely fallen in love with the song, and I didn’t have to pull myself together at all. It happened instantly.

It’s too long since the mailman released his almost perfect debut-album “How to escape cause and effect”, and I have waited and waited to hear more from this artist. In 2010, Cold Mailman seems to be more of a full band than Ivar Bowitz‘ solo-project. Now I’m counting the days to the band’s second album is released on May 5th in September. Don’t disappoint me, Mailman!

BTW, This release is out on Kråkesølv records… Yes, it’s the band Kråkesølv who has their own label, and both they and Cold Mailman have their origin in the town of Bodø. There are lots of interesting artists from the city at the moment, so let’s hope we will see more of them released on Kråkesølv’s label.

You can stream the new single on myspace or wimp and buy it on itunes or platekompaniet.

New single from Hiawata!

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Knut in Nordic music | Comments Off

Norwegian indiepopsters Hiawata! has a new single out today,“The Deep End”. It’s catchy as always, and this gives me high hopes for their coming album “Blondes On Blacks: Blacks On Blondes pt.II”, which is planned for release this autumn. The album is seen as a follow-up to their ep “Blacks on blondes” from 2008.

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