Swede Sunday - Swedish Love

Welcome to Swede Sunday! Swedish Looove.

Sweden just has that sound to be desired. Christmas on a warm day, an oxymoron that becomes a reality through these gems.

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The Shout Out Louds - Tonight I have to Leave it
(Kleerup Remix)

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The following Mp3s and descriptions come from a site that features Swedish music to the brim-- SwedesPlease

Montt Mardie isn't the only swede obsessed with the past. Today we get two songs from Peter Nilsson someone as caught up in the past as Montt. Here's his own account of the meaning behind these songs:

Sometimes I make stuff on my own. Sometimes I hear something so good I want to incorporate it with my compositions. Sometimes I feel a little lost in my music and need to sense the presence of someone or something else in there. Sounds from the 70s, words from the 60s, machines from the 80s, things I’ve done and places I want to go. Roughly sketched out in these two songs.

Get Nowhere
Song For Stina

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Tor and Leo make up this dup who met at a rhetorics class and quickly discovered their shared interest in electronic music. Their first single, "Fasit", has received support and play by dj's around the world, Swedish National Radio and by stations in Austrailia, the Uk, Estonia and South Africa. Here' are two more tracks from 2007 that should appear on their Adrian Recordings debut sometime in the fall.

Norad

Spectre

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For The Eardrums has already written up the new debut ep by Norma. He's gone ahead and used all the good adjectives (like "hypnotic", "panoramic", "ambient", "magnificent", and "warmth") leaving me with little else to say. "The Storm" is the first track off the ep and it builds like any big storm moving across the plains states. This is pretty EPIC stuff, the stuff of legends really. The single is over 8 minutes so these guys aren't going for teenybopper radio. You lucky Europeans can buy this Novoton release here through Klicktrack.

Storm

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from 'Said the Gramaphone'

Säkert!'s a band with an exclamation mark and "Sanningsdan"'s the kind of song that makes you stamp your foot in exclamation marks, each toe-tap leaving an aspirate gasp in the air. "Safe!" the band-name means, like safety is something awesome and amazing, which I guess it is, or like you're playing hide-and-seek and you totally just won. It's a new project by Annika Norlin, aka Hello Saferide, aka a voice who is dear to Said the Gramophone, but here singing in Swedish. And at 1:19 she squawks like a buzzard and at 1:43 the drums start playing fast enough to turn the worlds' oceans to ice, and the chorus is horns and ahhs and drums and harmonies and the certainty of new splendours always just around the bend.

Säkert! - Sanningsdan

Thoughts and Impressions from a Beginner Blogger Turned Novice

It's been about 45 days since I started this blog, and I've learned an unsurmountable amount of skills and information embodied in the the fact that knowledge is gained through experience. I've dabbled in just about every type of blogging production; citizen journalism (when I showed up to a DJ set and was the only person in the room, busy taking gratuitously framed pictures of the performers), commentary (which I'm displaying now), self-produced materials (my Rawdio Show and the post shown below), features (Swede Sundays & Mix-Tape Wednesdays), and critiques (album reviews).

Promotions and networking are modes of the 'behind-the-scenes' nature of blogging that can be so ambiguous that it can rack the brain. How weird was it just a handful of years ago, talking to strangers online? The internet, back then was a realm for simple information sharing and casual contact with friends and family. Today, big media business has reluctantly stumbled onto the net where communication is preferred to occur online on both the sender and receivers' time. Where once blogs existed for personal use, they are increasingly commercialized drawing that line between professional and amateur in an area not even looked at or even cared about. The line does exist though.

My experience blogging has shown me exactly what it takes to be successful. The casual internet user doesn't have enough time to look at a website with original content when there is so much more 'relevant' news making headlines out there, in what seems, updated every minute. I chose my blog to be about music, and I couldn't have chose a more difficult topic because of it's subjectiveness and current saturation. I had to choose how I was going to go about my posts. Was I going to post what I've discovered online or create my own? Were those posts going to be the most popular occurances on the web (rewarding me hits), or were they going to be posts that I thought were cool (giving me gatekeeper power instead of reporting others' gatekept material)?

As you can see, there's a dilemma between how popular your site will be and what material is posted. My radio show, to toot my own horn, is more well produced than other blog oriented radio shows featured on much higher platforms (sirius). How frustrating is it to put material online and have 80% of your visitors spend less than 5 seconds looking at it or those who intend to hear it, but just don't have enough time. I am full aware that it is a rather large request to have someone listen to such a long show. This obviously shows that it takes a great amount of time and continuous effort to gain 'subscribers' to your site.

How do you even get people to subscribe to your site and actually care?

A vast amount of blog-surfers are resorting to viewing them in readers giving them the power to scan all posts of their favorite blogs consolidated in one frame. I just subscribed to google reader, and it certainly saves a lot of time, but can be an overload of watered down information as posts are shortened. It's just too easy to keep scrolling to the next item as they can be endless. Google reader gives a new meaning to the 'information age'.

Nielson ratings recently came out showing that prime time television is at an all-time low, obviously citing the internets influence. I predict that the HD move in February '09 will be a massive bust as nobody will want to pay for television. At this point, almost anything is free online, pending copyright laws. It's hard to say what will happen. (what you need to know)

Back to my blog. I've learned that nobody really cares about 'your' blog. This isn't a self-deprecating comment. There is always the blog out there that is better and has more information. The blueprint to good blogging occurs in networking with other blogs in the same genre, even if it means sucking up and raving about how good they are. The rule of thumb is, "I scratch your back if you scratch mine". There is definitely a tier system involved as well. Indicators about how good your blog is aren't necessarily how well your layout is. Its more about how many posts you have and how many alternate links you have. Some of the best blogs in the music scene sometimes post every other day despite having the luxury of having musicians sending them massive amounts of material. The work is done for these bloggers. This obviously occurs after the site has a fair amount of subscribers, where advertisers then link themselves, and then BAM, an amateur making money off of a blog (does that then make them a professional?)

I caught myself in a fraud act when a few artists caught posts of mine about them and figured I had readership. They emailed me very nicely with thanks and even some exclusive material. I was super excited and flattered, but felt strange as they may not have known that I was getting less than 20 hits on any given day (*remember* 60% leave within 5 seconds). These kinds of connections were actually blessings unfulfilled as they did not give me a boost in hits.

I feel that 15 years ago, in order to get recognition in an artist circle was to literally be an insider. Blogging is the nerds way of getting 'inside' as artists would be 100% compliant in sending exclusive press releases their way provided readership were sufficient. My prediction presents a huge contradiction in the artistic process. (Just look at the newest media brands sweeping the net: Google, Youtube, the word 'blog', Joost, Yahoo!) Do you think the creative minds of old came up with these? Nope, nerds. That's right. I said it.)

The music scene is getting bastardized 20 times over. Need I even mention: Low sound quality, pirating, 20 second listen-and-go's, myspace hypes. Along with the impersonal qualities of the internet, promotions are abuzz about crap and hype is non-deserved quite often. The 'Ad Wizards' are getting smarter and their skills are getting honed in on the daily. The days of pop-ups may be over, but more wise, professional ads can be just as fake.

Routines and preferences are being made on the daily by the 'consumers' of the net, giving blogs like mine a smaller and smaller window to be successful, albeit, this is just a pessimistic prediction on my part. If you've read this far, you may be the only one.

LCD Soundystem vs. Beastie Boys - A Raw Steel Original MP3 Mash Up

The Beasties have released what they've got for now. It's been awhile since an update from them, so I took matters into my own hands. You may remember Leo Nevolis remixes from a few weeks back, if not, check 'em out. After that's done, check out my killer mixed track of LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great and The Beastie Boys - Triple Trouble. It has it's moments for sure.

Don't forget about my 'Beastie Boys Biography' show on Saturday, June 23rd 8pm EDT, only on WIUX.ORG.

here it is:

LCD Soundystem vs. The Beastie Boys - Raw Steel original
'Thank you' to anonymous for commenting so quickly on my mix, I'm not a producer/mixer/turntablist by any means.

Matthew Dear - Asa Breed - Raw Steel Album Review Mp3

Artist: Matthew Dear
Album: Asa Breed
Label: Ghostly International

Rating: A-

Spawning from a 'breed' of producers and DJ’s from Southern Michigan (Ann Arbor, Detroit), Matthew Dear isn’t as completely micro-house on this album as his biography suggests. A more accessible Matthew Dear smells of success.

Dear may be an accomplished booty-shaker maker, but his songs on his third album, Asa Breed, are composed as slower tempo-ed dance tracks sung (figuratively), not on a stage, but from the corner of a room. Dear holds attention despite his unique deep, guttural ‘air-voice’ (analogous with ‘air-guitar’). As exclaimed from the press release, Dear has decided to use more organic sounds on this album, and it shows. International sounds are prevalent, including the Caribbean track, Elementary Lover.

Lyrically, Dear lives in his own world... a world that is synonymous with everyday life but has a tinge of wisdom and 'tried and failed' experience with those who he’s close to. Dear doesn’t seem as if his life is a wreck as his lyric sheet may suggest though as this album is sung more on a bad day, than a bad year. The day when one stops and takes a look around to discover that nothing makes sense the way it should.

Dear seems to know more about life than he should which leaves him paralyzed to making music. Communicating with his audience, his lyrics are rather straightforward-- “There’s a big hole in my life”. Pretty straightforward. These types of lyrics can open up ears. We all can either relate, or just take enjoyment in hearing others break down.

Finding love is hard for Dear, but it sounds like his standards are quite high. He’s looking for the ever evasive girl with the right personality and not the girl who can be bought, as he sings, “I’ve got to figure out love, it’s such a tricky thing, can’t include diamond rings, will make you scream and shout, if there is no way out”.

M.D. brings a well rounded album and leaves room for a sequel. Refreshing for the mid-20 year old. The first 3 tracks provide a thesis statement for the rest of the album. His sounds and influences are too numerous to mention, as are many coming from a DJ background. Beyond track 3, Deserter (highlight of the album), Dear lets his hair down, as the album slowly gets less danceable and more personal.

-Raw Steel

Rawdio Show, Like a Raw Needle on a Steel Record

What a show! This one could be one of my best. It's got everything really. If you're just stumbling across my page. I highly recommend putting my show on and sittin' back. There really is no down time. The tracklisting can be found below, pretty self-explanatory how it works.

As always, I recommend every single song to the casual listener. My show airs on Saturdays 8-10 pm EDT wiux.org.

1
Calvin Harris - Girls
Feist - Sealion
Roisin Murphy - Overpowered
2
Ghostland Observatory - Sad Sad City
Parts & Labor - Fractured Skies
Spoon - Don't You Evah (*NEW*)
Matthew Dear - Pom Pom
3
Dr. Octagon - Earth People
Glass Candy - Rolling Down Them Hils
Handsome Furs - Dead + Rural
Cut Copy - Going Nowhere
4
Professor Murder - Free Stress Test
Totally Michal - Cheerleaders vs. Drill Team
Tiny Whales - Same Shoes
5
Of Montreal - Oslo in the Summertime
Architecture in Helsinki - Heart it Races (Dr. Dog version)
Mix Master Mike - Bangzilla
6
Vicarious Bliss - Limousine
Subtle - Middleclass Kill
Yoko Ono - Everyman Everywoman
I Am the World Trade Center - Love Tragedy
7
Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80's
Ghostland Observatory - Silver City
Dan Deacon - Pink Batman
Pootie Tang


Welcome to Swede Sunday! Swedish Looove

Last week I caught you up on what's going on in Sweden that probably already know about, and if you don't. Why don'tcha catch up?

This week, Swede Sunday is featured by The Tough Alliance. Their short bio says it all:

The Tough Alliance is a music duo from Gotenburg, Sweden, that plays electronic pop. The duo first came
together in 2003 and consists of the childhood friends Henning Fürst and Eric Berglund. They used to be on
Swedish record label Service but have now started their own, Sincerely Yours.

With two EP's out, Make It Happen and Holiday, and one full-length studio album, The New School, they have been given much critical acclaim and have established themselves on the Swedish indie-scene. Their live shows have also been given much attention in the Swedish media when they often swing baseball bats on stage and sing to recorded music. Their critics claim they glorify violence in general and hooliganism in particular, something The Tough Alliance denies. During a show in Stockholm, Sweden, the two band members were thrown off stage after swinging a baseball bat.

"Never Mind the BuzzCocks", a Wonderful Show Chalk Full of British Jibba Jabba

I was introduced to this show, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, recently and I love it! I don't know anyone on this show, but it appears they're famous across the pond. The guy on the far right is quite funny in his own comedic act, The Mighty Boosh.

Here's 5 videos. The top 3 are three parts of one episode of 'NMtBC', and the bottom 2 are from 'The Mighty BOOSH'. It's not all rubbish, mates.
p.s. I realize now why I'd never heard of 'Towers of London '(the band), the video reeks of British rock twatishness.






Don't forget about my show tomorrow night at 8 pm EDT wiux.org

Handsome Furs - Plague Park - Raw Steel Album Review

Artist: Handsome Furs
Album: Plague Park
Label: Polydor

Rating: B+

Handsome Furs consists of Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and his fiancée, Alexei Perry. This is their first album, entitled Plague Park. Boeckner has honed in on his voice, instrumentation, lyrics and has added a few new electronic sounds. Handsome Furs achieve what many bands these days are attempting, maybe they do so well because Boeckner was apart of writing those rules with Wolf Parade.

Listening to Wolf Parades Apologies For The Queen Mary, it’s hard to differentiate between Spencer Krug and Boeckner. Here, it is now revealed as to who is responsible for what sounds. Boeckner reminds us of the unforgettable sporatic keyboards, the lengthy bass synths, and song structure in general.

There are times where their songs can cause a loss of attention, never to redeem themselves, although, power and intensity remain driving factors throughout the album and make for some spine tingling moments. Tell that to Sufjan Stevens.

Lyrically, ‘ghosts, homes and towns’ remain a staple. The lyrics when looked at by themselves create a sense of strong pessimism but only through eyes that have experienced, like those of Boekner.

Notes act as pigeons, and Boeckner shoots/sings each one to pieces with laser blue-blocker glasses equiped. The album dies down near the end, but with as strong an effort given, Handsome Furs deserve much praise.

-Raw Steel

Mix-Tape Wednesdays

Hey, Mix-Tape Wednesdays here. Todays mix concerns people -- pessimistic, cynical, humorous and sarcastic views on people. People have always been a topic in music, but here is a collection of straight up PEOPLE. These are the kind of songs for those who are fed up. Each artist could care less if they sell their music to exactly who they despise. So, these songs are for those of you saying, RawSteel:

I Hate People, But I Love Talkin' Bout 'em

It ends with some hope for man-kind.

The Maccabees Colour It In - Raw Steel Album Review

Artists: The Maccabees
Album: Colour It In
Label: Polydor

Rating: C-

The Maccabees hail from Brighton, England but a musical ear hears an American neo-yelp band trying to sound British. A few years back I made a forgotten wager with a girl that The Arcade Fire sound was going to be the new mainstream. After hearing Interpol, Bloc Party, The Futureheads, Franz Ferdinand, etc get so much attention, it didn’t take long until a band like The Decemberists burst on the scene (thanks to Stephen Colbert). The Maccabees are in the discipline of the former mentioned bands, placing them in limbo between trend-setting and mainstream acts.

Lyrical themes on their new album, Colour It In, suggest; teen angst, ‘new love insecurities’ and a feeling that even going to the supermarket is a struggle, as the song Lego suggests- “So look left and look right, cross the road and hold my hand”.

A band written off as ‘the same of the same’ is a hasty critique. The Maccabees won’t be your favorite band, but they will force you to either rethink some of your favorite bands of the genre or to simple turn them off and put your favorites in.

Orlando Weeks, ironically, can’t seem to get away from conformist lyrics as in the song Latchmere -- “Madames and Monsieurs please return to your cubicles”. He sure loves the ever-present anti-ignorant topic, ANTI-CHRISTIANity, which, must be said, is a beaten horse due to the Internets vast dissemination of atheist/agnostic values. In all, more of a conforming act is to dis on the almighty. Weeks makes one want to believe in God again to keep their statuscool, as he suggests in his own singing-- “Symetricool, hypocriticool, analyticool, so criticool”.

It’s not all bad for bands that come out with identical content to their predecessors. There’s always that person that stumbles upon a band like The Maccabees and gets introduced to a new sound --possible candidates: a tweener, a 52 year old man in a mid-life crisis, and that Geico caveman. The album does indeed sound solid (a positive) despite the review completed before it began.

-Raw Steel

Beastie Boys Remixes by Leo Nevoli

Heres a lil' mix for y'all to peep, it's called L-E-O Nevilo does it again.A few days back I posted some ill remix tracks from Leo Nevilo (myspace). You know, the man who's heralding in our NYC heroes' (Sirs, The Beastie Boys) new instrumental album, The Mix- Up <0-0-0-0-nice>