On October 14th, my new favorite female vocalist Melissa Horn is releasing her second album Säg ingenting till mig [Say nothing to me]. Im really looking forward to it and the Sweden tour later this year. See you there?
Pssst! You can listen to the new song Lät du henne komma närmre and check out the tour dates on her Myspace.
Busy times in my part of the world. In less than two weeks Im featured as one of five Photographers in an exhibition here in Gothenburg. I don't have much time to listen to new music before the opening, so i turn to my old favorites when my head is crowded with creative worries.
Although...
If you should listen to something new this week, you should listen to Taken by Trees new album East of Eden that was recorded in Pakistan under adventurous circumstances [read the press release on the official website]. The album has clear eastern influences that we aren't used to take part of in pop music. Taken by Trees [Victoria] is known for her special singing voice in The Concretes and the big hit Young Folks with Peter, Björn and John.
--- Find out more about Taken by Trees on the official website, and listen to the new album at Spotify. ---
Check out the band Nom de Guerre, a energetic Stockholm based pop group that mixes genres on their album Love thy Neighbour. The song Everybody Knows feels inspired by Queens but George [see mini interview below] didn't mention them as one of their influences :) One thing is true, you can find influences from most genres on their album. Check them out and make up your own mind!
When did the band start to make music together, and how did you meet? We met through our shared love of distorted electric bass about ten years ago, and ever since we wanted to form a band based around that wonderfully exhilarating sound. In 2005 we finally got round to forming Nom de Guerre, a band with an intense, close-knit feel, kind of like of a brotherhood, which is why we decided to take the same surname. We stand united against the use of guitars in pop music - our records and gigs are proudly guitar-free but always brimming with lovely fuzzed-up bass.
Which bands are your main influences? I think I can truthfully say our tastes cover just about every genre of music. But I can't think of a single band or artist that all three of us likes!
Do you have any Swedish influences and who might they be? Personally, I [George] am less into Swedish music than Hector and Louis. But I do like a bit of Eggstone and Nationalteatern.
Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world? Because with the winters being so long, dark and cold here it's no wonder musicians love to hang out in their warm, cosy rehearsal rooms so much. Plus I think the climate makes Swedes rather melancholy, which always makes for good music.
Nom de Guerre - So Long Sister
Nom de Guerre - Slick vs Lame
Press Photo Matilda Rahm
--- Check out their Myspace for more information ---
The man behind the hit Jag är en Vampyr, Markus Krunegård is back with not one, but two new albums on October 14th. The two new albums Prinsen av Peking and Lev som en gris dö som en hund is yet another proof of the ambitious work from the former singer in the band Laakso. Markus has the ability to make great pop songs in three different languages [Swedish, Finnish, English]. In the past Markus has collaborated with other artists like Säkert! [on the song Det kommer bara leda till något ont] and Andreas Kleerup. He also collaborated with the Swedish musical star Peter Jöback in the song Italy vs Helsinki.
Markus Krunegård - Hela livet var ett disco
Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
Markus Krunegård - Det är ett idogt jobb att driva ungdomen
Markus Krunegård - Italy vs Helsinki
--- Find out more about Markus Krunegård on his Myspace. ---
Music is constantly pouring into my inbox and its sometimes hard to keep up with all the talent in this country. Today's inbox news is a band called Kate and After and comes from Gothenburg. I know a few of the members from back in the days when went to the university and all the university parties :)
Kate and After were finalists in the GP Scen [GP Stage] competition last month with Pop icon Messiah, a songwith distinct Soundtrack of our lives influences. The competition is one of the biggest competition for unsigned bands in the city.
When did the band start to make music together, and how did you meet? The band was formed on Valentines day 2008. Carl [Hammond Organ] and Jonas [Guitar] founded the band and shortly after recruited their old companion Jocke [Drums] from their former band The Milestone Corporation. In October 2008 Magnus [Lead Vocals], who the guys knew from university, joined the band. In mid December the band was finally complete when bass guitar player Kristoffer [Previously in Combat Rock] joined the band. In some way or another all the guys know each other from University.
Which bands are your main influences? Franz Ferdinand, Band of Horses, Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles, Led Zeppelin, Jakob Hellman, The Soundtrack of our lives, Stone Roses etc.
Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world? Beautiful women/men, music and booze have throughout time been main objectives for pleasure. The first and last we have plenty of in Sweden, so why not music? Jokes aside, we believe that success breeds success, so the music pioneers of Sweden should have a lot of cred.
Kate and After - Wrong Intentions [live]
Press photo John Sjölander
--- Find more information about the band on their official website and listen to their music at Myspace. ---
The sisters Klara Söderberg, 15, and Johanna Söderberg, 17 is the duo First Aid Kit. And what a duo! Despite the fact that they hate being called sweet - that's just what they are. They are singing sweet folk-pop and you wouldn't guess their early age from their lyrics. They were discovered by Karin Dreijer from The Knife and Fever Ray and that's why their debut EP Drunken Trees is released on her label Rabid Records. The EP was named Drunken Trees after watching Al Gore'sAn Inconvenient Truth that mentions how trees lean and look drunken when the permafrost is melting. Insightful title!
The story of First Aid Kit gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I feel proud when two young girls with a lot of creative joy can put together such a great debut EP on their own. It can only go one way from here and that's forward! This is two young women that takes their music seriously, so don't let their sweetness fool you ;-)
As you might tell, Im already a fan of First Aid Kit, and i think you should be too. So check out their music at Spotify, and the videos below, the Fleet Foxes cover is wonderful! And if you like it, buy it!
Pssst! They are doing a UK tour at the moment, make sure to check out the tour dates on their official website.
First Aid Kit - Hard Believer
First Aid Kit - Summer Session no 1: Universal Soldier [Buffy Saint-Marie]
First Aid Kit - Summer Session no 2: Simple Man [Graham Nash]
First Aid Kit - Cover: Fleet Foxes Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
If you are in the mood for something different and experimental this week, you should listen to Wildbirds & Peacedrums. Its been called experimental folk, freak folk, psychedelic and jazz and the reason why is that you never know what's coming next. I feel hints from bands like Cocorosie, Mars Volta and others. Both sweet and hard at the same time [just like their name].
I have a feeling that Wildbirds & Peacedrums work really well as a live band, and that's why they keep on touring successfully over the world. Have you seen them live? Let us know what you thought of it! Also, check out the videos below, the track [and video] My Heart is great!
You can listen to Wildbirds & Peacedrums at Spotify and you can also buy their music at iTunes music store!
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - My Heart
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - There is No Light
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Doubt/Hope
Press Picture
--- If you want to find out more about Wildbirds & Peacedrums, check out their Myspace. ---
Recently i fell in love with Melissa Horn. Her sweet voice in combination with those sad lyrics of love speaks to the melancholic and romantic part of me that seems to take over my mood on rainy days like this. I think she's wonderful and is amazed that i didn't hear that much about her before. She has talent, and hopefully she will be one of our great female vocalists in the future.
Melissa sound to me like the female version of Lars Winnerbäck, so it seems only natural that she has recorded the duet Som jag hade dig förut with him. She released her debut album Långa Nätter in 2008 and the song by the same name is one of her best known songs. Melissa is also the daughter of the Swedish folk/jazz Maritza Horn.
You can listen to Melissa at Spotify and at Youtube [embedding is disabled...] and buy her music at iTunes music store.
Swedish music is so much more than ABBA, Roxette and Ace of Base! I started this blog when my friends asked me to educated them and write about Swedish music. Im a music nerd living in Gothenburg, Sweden. I listen to music most of my awake hours [and some of the non-awake] and is always intrested in knowing more about it.
If you are like me - stay tuned and find out more about the music that is produced in the cold, small country of the north!
This blog is not connected to any commercial company or organization. My pure interest is in the music and the artist's that creates it. This blog reflects my thoughts and opinions about music and should not be used as the only source of information.
If nothing else is stated I only use press images or screen shots from websites of the artists themselves.
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