The Sweet Serenades are the next in a long line Swedish pop-smiths who craft bouncy catchy tunes that are sure to make you forget your wintertime woes. Check out their video for their single “Mona Lee”.
January 8, 2009
Music For Swedish Lumberjacks! The Sweet Serenades!
December 2, 2008
The Boy Least Likely to Release Holiday Single "The First Snowflake"!
The Boy Least Likely To are back with a Holiday single entitled The First Snowflake. Enjoy its twinkling holiday glory below.
October 31, 2008
Achat avec Boo Hoo au Hypermarché! Sublime Electro/Chamber Pop!
The musical artist known as “Boo Hoo” is a 24 year old man named Bernhard Karakoulakis from Frankfurt Germany. He describes his music as “an antifolkish indietronic version of Simon and Garfunkel”. That’s not far off, his music is full of charming melodies and introspective lyrics. On his second release “Hypermarché”, Synths wash over glockenspiel and lo fi drum beats carry the whole affair like cartoon ants at a picnic. The songs featured here were recorded at his home and are mostly about shopping save for one song about robots. This song, called “Gakutensoku”, is “is partly inspired by the japanese robot Gakutensoku, partly by the movie “Brave Little Toaster” and partly by the “Wesley the Robot” strips” created by me, AZLTRON!
Gosh, I feel all important! But don’t think that I’m bias due to flattery, although I am honored that a man this talented would look to Wesley for inspiration, “Hypermarché” is the most complete crossover of two of my favorite genres that I’ve heard to date. Those two genres being lo-fi electro pop and melodic chamber pop. Boo Hoo glides effortlessly between the two. My only complaint is that the song “Nothing” really is nothing, two minutes and ten seconds of nothing. Other than that, this is an album of compelling beauty that is entertaining and insightful.
September 20, 2008
Edwin Van Cleef Remixes Data’s Rapture (ft. Sebastien Grainger)
Edwin Van Cleef has remixed the newest single from the up and coming French producer Data, “Rapture”. The song features Sebastien Grainger from Death From Above 1979 and some sublime retro synths and guitar work and if it’s possible, Van Cleef has injected the song with even more ideal 80′s nostalgia.
Data – Rapture (ft Sebastien Grainger)
September 2, 2008
I Turn My Camera On
So I’ve been saving up all summer to buy a new DLSR camera to use for my enjoyment and also the advance my graphics capabilities. After reviewing a lot of different cameras, weighing the pros and cons of an older model versus getting a newer model, system lens quality, special features etc., I’ve settled on two cameras that could be good buys.
First there’s the new Nikon D60:
This is what the market wants you to believe is the more utilitarian camera amongst a sea of entry level DSLRS. As it costs about 50 dollars less. All the reviews on it are glowing, saying it can stand up to the punishment that many photographers will put it through. It’s got a stop motion capability built right into the camera which is neat.
Then there’s the Canon Rebel XSi.
I used my friend’s Rebel XTi last semester for some of my photo projets and I loved it. This year I was seriously thinking of just picking up an XTi and using that, but then I thought, “Why get an older model when I can get the super cool new model?” So I checked out the XSi and review places like Cnet seem to think it’s an improvement over the previous model and that the Canon outshines the Nikon in image quality. Which is really why you get a bigger camera like this in the first place. For serious. Plus I like to buy American.
So I’m submitting this to you my readers to give me your opinions on the matter, if you know even less than I do, well, just look at the two cameras and tell me which one you think looks cooler. In the meantime I will upload a few camera and photography related songs for you to enjoy.
Spoon – I Turn My Camera on (John McEnentire Remix)
Editors – Camera (SebastiAn Remix)
Air – Photograph
Action Action – Photograph
Good Shoes – Photos on My Wall
Depeche Mode – Photographic [Some Bizzare Version]
August 22, 2008
Dieter Schöön
Some artists like to stay safely within a sound, to work with what they’re comfortable with to create songs. Dieter Schöön from Sweden is not one of those artists. On his latest release “Lablaza” he combines classical sounding horns, accordian, strings and guitar with lo-fi blips, beats and beeps that sometimes shoot past you so fast they give you whiplash. His sound is something like if Beck and Peter Bjorn & John collaborated on an album with Clor producing. His songs don’t always hit the sweet spot but you’ve got to hand it to him, there’s not anything else out there that sounds exactly like him and that’s admirable.
August 8, 2008
This Is Ivy League
It’s hard to believe that the members of This Is Ivy League are from the emo/rock band Cobra Starship. It’s like a tractor trailer transforming into an economic hybrid, except more like emo transforming into twee. Has the Salvation Army ever even been a competitor with Hot Topic? Regardless, This is Ivy League deliver some gentle timeless pop that is certain to find a spot in your collection in between Kings of Convenience and Belle and Sebastian.
This Is Ivy League – The Richest Kids
This Is Ivy League – London Bridges
This Is Ivy League – Crown of Love (Arcade Fire Cover)
July 16, 2008
Klas
Klas is a musician from Sweden signed to Series 2 records who is compared to Jens Lekman due to his sense of humor and heartfelt delivery. I know I say this whenever I write about an artist from Sweden, but 9 times out of 10 I am always impressed with whatever Sweden has to offer.
Albeit simple and to the point, the young man from Malmo, Sweden uses his hushed voice and engaging simple arrangemets to create soothing atmospheres that are the perfect vehicle for his sometimes ironic, sarcastic, but always heartfelt lyrics. Klas is everything you would want Swedish indie pop to be.
June 15, 2008
Oppenheimer Boosts the Midrange
Imagine for a second that someone gave Belle & Sebastian some crack and keyboards, that’s what The Belfast, North Ireland band Oppenheimer sounds like, power Pop pushed to its limits by good songwriting and ample electronics. Here’s a sample of their album “Take the Whole Midrange and Boost it”.
Oppenheimer – Only Goal & Winner
Oppenheimer – I Don’t Care What Anybody Says About You, I Think You’re Alright
July 24, 2007
Clever Girls Like Clever Boys…
I wrote about the pop-smithery of Pelle Carlberg a while back, citing his pastoral pop sound as something of a cross between Jarvis Cocker and Belle and Sebastian, while the sound and the feeling is something unique to itself. The heartfelt ballads and folk tunes are sure to put a smile on your face, whether he sings about endless love or just scraping by to make ends meet. I know that the first few times I listened to opener “Pamplona” the hair on my arms stood on end. It’s like a Springsteen rally call to the downtrodden indie kids. “I Love You, You Imbecile” is about the most fun you can have with witty lyrics and gentle Swedish Pop and “Clever Girls like Clever Boys…” sprawls into the catchiest song on the album. If “In a Nutshell” is just a light snack for Pelle, I look forward to the day that he prepares a full meal.
MP3 – Clever Girls Like Clever Boys – Pelle Carlsberg
MP3 – I Love You, You Imbecile – Pelle Carlsberg
MP3 – Pamplona – Pelle Carlsberg
