Scandanavia is the New Canada

It was over a year ago when I wrote that Canada was kicking our proverbial ass in churning out hit after hit. First of all, can you believe it's been over year since I posted about Montreal's Pony Up! as my very first entry into the annals of Backfield in Motion (and now the girls have just released their debut album Make Love to the Judges with Your Eyes)? I woulda made big hub-bub over it but if you haven't noticed I've been rather MIA recently and frankly, I don't deserve the celebration.



However back to the matter at hand, as the Arcade Fires and the Wolf Parades float on to indie rock stardom, there is a region that is consistantly exporting great pop music. Yes, France. No, wait... why aren't there more French imports? They're stylish, they're with it... they must think we can only handle Phoenix. We're not ready. Perhaps. Perhaps, I am babbling. Perhaps, I've sat down to write my online music journal (for a certain someone who despises the "B" word) far too sleepy and with absolutely no purpose.

NO! Scandanavia, specifically Sweden, aren't as stingy. They are down to share. I mean ABBA, Ace of Base and The Caridgans (man, they REALLY don't quit) are models for pop perfection. They are legendary. We celebrate them by playing the one song from a popular soundtrack in every context available in every possible moment, singing them in karaoke horribly, sampling them and making our own hits and making musicals based on them. Sure, we need to give credit where credit where credit is due.

But c'mon, we live in the now. We should open the window and get a breath of fresh air. Those Swedes are fuckin' bringing it super hard right now. Dungen. Jens Lekman. The Raveonettes. Jose Gonzalez (actually to be honest, I think he's a little "m'eh"). The list goes on with bands that I'll be embarassed I forgot... except for these four albums that dropped in '06. They comprise the tape mix in my car that was practically (but not literally) jammed in there for the last couple months (only recently set free). Now let me share with you.

Side A:

Love Is All (pictured above)- Gothenburg's cutest might have created my favorite album of the year so far (ummm... Bitter Tea, anyone?). Nine Times the Same Song is a pop explosion with an uncontainable vibrance. It's rough edges and imperfections make it even more endearing. While a ballad like "Turn the Radio Off" is a perfect example of what makes the album as a whole a bit of a rollercoaster ride, its clunkiness and awkwardness harnesses a naivete and innocence like teenage love. It's might not be the right way but it feels right. Meanwhile, their fast songs bounce along recklessly, footloose and fancy free, and are undeniably some of best pop-punk songs written since... ever. I would cite examples here but I don't feel like typing out five songs titles. Okay fine: "Aging Has Never Been His Friend", "Spinnning and Scratching", "Busy Doing Nothing", "Talk Talk Talk Talk", "Used Goods"... to name a five.



Figurines - Okay, Copenhagen isn't exactly in Sweden but Figurines isn't your typical fast punk band either. Together with Love Is All, Figurines officially makes Side A of the Scandanvian Mix the "air drumming" side. Skeleton is nothing new for sure, but its impeccable songwriting, angular guitars and caffeine fueled tempos are executed with precision. Christian Hjelm does a very good Doug Martsch impression, which makes Figurines that much more interesting; would Doug Martsch write a bunch of pop-punk tunes? Who cares? Songs like "All Night" and "The Wonder" are guns ablazing, while more introspective tunes like "Silver Ponds" showcase a real knack for melody. Then there is "Other Plans" which is the perfect marriage between the rollicking guitars and nuanced melodies. I don't even want to talk about how that works. It's like coffee and cigarettes, baby.

Side B:



The Concretes - The fact that the 8-piece shedded the "Velvets meets Motown" skin on In Colour actually saddened me quite a bit. Then I realized that though songs like "Diana Ross" and "You Can't Hurry Love" were great and all, it was "Warm Night" which was my favorite song on their eponymous album. Its warm and fuzzy, "Que Sera Sera"-vibe is the main melodic theme for In Colour, and The Concretes set themselves free of any chains of old comparisons. They can be as twee as they wanna be. And if you didn't know already, I'm twee as fuck.


Audrey of Envelopes... I think. Could just be a random girl.

Envelopes - Finally, Envelopes are the most bizarre of the bunch. Demons is collection of zany, off the wall pop songs, complete with silly singing, frenetic mood swings and weird guitar parts. "My Fren" executes your standard boy/girl singing with hooks galore, while "Sister in Love" is a raucous romp. Demons isn't flawless but neither was of Montreal's Cherry Peel, and that good album spawned one our best pysch-pop phenoms today. Of course, I say that with absolutely no bias.

Alright kids, have a great holiday weekend. I'll get back atcha when I get the beach smell out my hair.

Love Is All: http://www.myspace.com/loveisall8
Figurines: http://www.figurines.dk
The Concretes: http://www.theconcretes.com/
Envelopes: http://www.envelopes.se/

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Fambly Comes First (Not a Grandaddy Review)

Now before you say breakfast comes before anything and that it's the most important thing, let me just tell you, it's family. Today, I head to LA for the weekend for my lil' sis' college graduation brimming with great pride and armed with mixed CDs (along with new albums by The Walkmen, Sufjan Stevens, The Futureheads, to name a few).

Since the AD picture I put up to head this entry isn't a brother/sister (can I get a Lindsay/Michael pic or what?) dealio, I will attach this one below which is (ca. 1979). I doubt I need to say who is it. Seriously folks, this might be the most adorable picture ever.


Eleanor, put your mask back on.

Huzzah! "Ingratualations" sister!

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New Noise Pop

As Divisadero Street becomes "New Valencia" (or "Valencia II" if you prefer), the first week of May is officially anointed "New Noise Pop". The end of April brought a couple shows leading up to this week of aural hedonism (check out my extremely streamlined design, put together by the most sought after artistic minds). Here's a quick rundown so far.

Dungen - Great. Just great. They didn't play either of my favorite songs, "Lipsill" or "Du E För Fin För Mig" but I don't mind that much. I found out Ta Det Lungt means "take it easy" and that made a lot of sense, seeing that they were pretty fucking rockin'. Whatever. That might a different Swedish point of view. Nonetheless, all I wanted to do sit back, take the button-down down a few notches, slip on my Risky Business shades and sip on a Bartles and James. Or just nap. In a total good way though.

The Go! Team - I had seen the Brighton group before and thought they were awesome. They still are. Unfotunately I fell a little out of love with Ninja, their peppy ringleader, who's grating rap was far too forefront to make it enjoyable. She's a great leader and a fantastic dancer, but the emphasis should be on the instruments... or the chirp of the sweet-voiced Japanese guitar player.

Viva Voce - To be quite honest I found myself twidling my thumbs. I was really jazzed the last time I saw the husband-wife duo but this time, despite the double necked guitar and cutesy (but understated) enthusiasm they had, I was kinda bored. Weird mood, I guess.

Mates of State - I've come to the realization that I like probably 92% of their music which is a pretty high percentage. You could say I celebrate their whole catalog and it's nice to know they do too. They covered all they could in a regular sized set, from all albums, and though I've seen them play and make puppy dog eyes at each other a handful of times now. I'd do it again. Just try me.

Celebration - Though slightly off-kilter, I completely love these guys. They have my full devotion forever and ever. Slightly dissonant and rhythmic to the max, they just had this unabashed emotion, culminated in the jarring and reckless dancing of singer Katrina Ford. Her vocals can rub people the wrong way a bit and she's a bit liberal with her use of shrieks and gutteral noises but as I've said before, love is blinding and I let it slide. Along with a sort of primitive drumming and eerily enchanting organ sounds, Celebration had my heart from the first tambourine shake.


Celebration: There was another pic with quasi-nippleage, so I chose this one.

TV on the Radio - I have to hand it to them. They know their hits. TVOTR put together a great setlist with old faves of mine like "Dreams", "The Wrong Way" and "Young Liars" while mixing in new songs from the forthcoming Return to Cookie Mountain (amazing title, I must admit) like "Dirty Whirlwind" an "Wolf Like Me". All together, this was a fantastic show

Okay - I've "seen" them (him?) twice and neither time I could tell you what the hell was going on because I was hanging out on the patio or spacing out at the weird crap they play on the TVs at Bottom of the Hill. That's about all I have on that one.

Sunset Rubdown - I took me a while to really love Shut Up I Am Dreaming (which was released this past Tuesday), so the expectations for the show were not super high. But then I remembered, it's not like I have to reacclimate myself with these songs. I already like them. So the show was excellent. Spencer Krug's weirdo warble is like a sonic panty remover for the ladies, but though seemingly simple, Krug's songwriting and arrangements are surprisingly sophisticated, complete with keyboard delicacies and non-intrusive guitar riffage. There was sweating, Danny Devito stories and Camilla of Pony Up! (which any BIM afficianado can tell you was the subject of the first post ever), throw in some PBRs and laughing with friends and you have a pretty excellent night.


Yeah, this is the one with the nippleage.

New Noise Pop '06 continues with Islands and Why? (@ Slim's) on Saturday and concludes with Destroyer on Monday (@ Cafe Du Nord).

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