coloring car: March 2012

The love letter...

Stream the new single Kærestebrevet ("The Lover Letter") by Danish duo Stoffer & Maskinen. Getting the impression that the duo (on this recording at least) has decided to make a "conversion" from electronic rock to a more mainstream electronic pop sound. Which definitely isn't meant as a complaint, because the end result is brilliant; stunningly brilliant!

Kærestebrevet by Stoffer & Maskinen

Crybaby...

Here's a really lovely one posted by Torr on Facebook... the melancholic and beautiful I Cherish The Heartbreak More Than The Love That I Lost is the debut single from Crybaby and sounds exactly like something that will immediately appeal to all fans of Richard Hawley.

Crybaby - I Cherish The Heartbreak More Than The Love Lost by The Vinyl District

Temperance...

From what I often refer to as ”the department of good news” comes word that young Danish trio Tetris=Therapy will release a new EP entitled The Temperance EP on April 23. Track list, art work, stories behind the songs etc. have all been revealed, but since no track has been made available for streaming (at least not yet), I (or anyone else for the matter) haven’t got the faintest idea if the EP will be anywhere as terrific as the debut album Acquaintances. Or even in the same genre! Who knows? Perhaps they’ve come to the conclusion that hip-hop or disco is the fast track to prominence? Time will tell of course, but if the Jesper Lundager remix of Seasick, which has been labeled an advance bonus track from the EP, is any indication, I really don’t think we should expect or fear any major changes or experiments...
+ Seasick (Jesper Lundager Remix)
+ Seasick (album version)

Are we ok...?

Stream two new tracks from the forthcoming From Sarah debut album Are We OK? that will be out on March 26. Still think the band sounds an awful lot like Kashmir (it's tedious I know that I keep stating this again and again, but simply impossible to ignore when listening), but since they write some really fine songs, I guess I can live with that!

Fake a Smile by From Sarah

Are We OK by From Sarah

The finger in the strawberry park...

Has to be match-up post title of the year? Anyway...three real interesting albums (one of them as a CD, which is pretty rare these days) arrived in the mailbox this weekend and it's my intention to spend some time (a lot of time actually) today, and probably tomorrow as well, giving them quite a few listens. I sort of expect all three of them to be worth the time and effort. In case you're wondering or interested these are the albums (will add some thoughts on each album during the day):

Emerald Park - Absolute Zero
They still write some pretty damn fine pop songs. But the sound is a little more "indie" and less "polished" than on the debut. I like that!

The Finger - I Don't Believe My Eyes
Expecting an album worth of energetic pop songs...this band reminds me a lot of Garbage...in a real positive way!

Strawberry Whiplash - Hits In The Car
Been told that I should prepare myself for "treat". Will be interesting!

"Appetizers":

Emerald Park - Things by afmusic

I Don't Believe My Eyes by the finger

Another April by Strawberry Whiplash

SXSW vs. Rome...

Not exactly breaking news that I won't be going to SXSW this year...either! I really wish I was (like I always do), because that way the hundreds of emails coming my way promotion various showcases at said festival could perhaps be of some use. Instead I've spent the past 6 months preparing for a Marathon, so on Friday March 16 I'll be flying to Rome (that's the capital of Italy, if you somehow ignorantly thought I was thinking of any of the American equivalents) instead of Austin, where we on Sunday March 18 will run the 42.195 kms (or 26 miles 385 yards) in hopefully less than 4 hours. As stupid as you may think I am, I actually prefer the Marathon to the SXSW, as it's probably better for your general health with far less junkfood and beers being consumed. But if (and that's quite a big IF to be honest) I was going to the festival, I would probably try to catch shows by these artists (or at least by some of them)...

+ Bear in Heaven - The Reflection Of You
+ The Drums - Money
+ I Got You On Tape - Chuch of the Real

People will probably have a ball no matter what, but so far I'm slightly underwhelmed by the line-up/schedule...will give it another look!

+ A Classic Education - Baby, It's Fine

...

Shorts...

Just a couple of quick ones...

Check the line-up for this year's NYC Popfest and start drooling...looks pretty good don't you think!?

The new Sleep Party People track Chin is doing terribly on the Hypem Popular chart. Go heart it please! Musically I think they've move on quite a bit since the debut (A Dark Good Heart was a nice first step), but the (trademark?) vocals make the band very recognizable...perhaps a little too recognizable?

Sleep Party People - Chin

The new Blue Foundation single Lost is pretty nice, though it does sound as if they are returning to their trip-hop roots. Not exactly a fan of that!

Blue Foundation - Lost F. Sara Savery (Prefix Premiere)

Into My Mind, the debut single from Death Valley Sleepers is now available through iTunes! Not sure if this ended up being the final version (anyone?)...

Death Valley Sleepers - Into My Mind

Le Clé...

Currently listening a great deal to young Danish trio (a quartet when playing live) Le Clé. The 4 track debut EP is free to download from the band's webpage in return for a Facebook post (though I couldn't make it work) and three of the tracks on it are the charming energetic indie pop party type of songs that probably will make quite a few people think of Ginger Ninja. They'll be at Rust tomorrow where they'll be joined by blog favorite (hero) Michael Møller. Check out the video for Green Gold below (or just stream the track)...bet they had a good time shooting it!

Le Clé - Green Gold from Kristoffer Engholm Aabo on Vimeo.

Green Gold by Le Clé

Hits in the car - part two...

Seems like I beat the promo mail by a few hours, as later yesterday Matinée Recordings mailed out a few more details (including the sleeve) about that highly anticipated Strawberry Whiplash debut Hits In The Car; with the best part being that the super lovely Now I Know It's You has been made available as a free download!
+ Now I Know It's You

Hits in the car...

On March 27 the debut album from noise pop (or so they are labeled) Scottish act Strawberry Whiplash is finally being released by Matinée Recordings, but preorders are already gladly accepted via the Matinée Shop. As mentioned in a few older posts, the album will be entitled Hits In The Car, thus now and forever securing that it will top the list of “the best album titles ever”! New track Now I Know It’s You was uploaded for streaming yesterday and sounds absolutely sweet; not very noisy, just wonderfully sweet. And so does first single Stop, Look and Listen, so odds seem pretty good that this will be more (a lot more) than just a great titled album!

Now I Know It's You by Strawberry Whiplash

Stop, Look And Listen by Strawberry Whiplash

+ Stop, Look and Listen

Time...

Stream/download new track Time by Danish indie pop/Sarah Records inspired one man project Athletes...totally brilliant stuff!

Time by Athletes

Fjendemin...

Watch the video for first single Fjendemin from the forthcoming Jonas Breum solo album. The song is brilliant; the video is...don't really know what it is...

Consistency...

Here’s one of those little gems I always dream of finding every time I optimistically begin scrolling through the pile of promo mails. Rarely happens, but it sure makes my day when it does! Debut(?) track Consistency by US duo Stagnant Pools is energetic, pounding, noisy (not too noisy) and catchy, which I personally believe are some of the essential ingredients needed to make great songs!

Consistency by Stagnant Pools

REM...

J.A. recommends the new single REM by Sweden's The Pale Corners (no clue if the song title has anything to do with a certain band?)...and it is a very nice pop song indeed, though perhaps not quite as catchy as previous single Fireflies...what do you think?

The Pale Corners - REM by Since Records

The Pale Corners - Fireflies by Since Records

C.P.H.L. ...

Stream rough mix of new track C.P.H.L (what the abbreviation stands for seems to be a secret) by The Boombox Hearts. Will be the opening track of the band's forthcoming album (when, where, how etc. are still secrets I believe) and is "distilled sadness and hate mixed with noise, lo-fi, spacepop and a beat"...whatever that means exactly, except perhaps that sadness can sound incredibly cool? The rest of the album promises to "include sadness...and a few (slightly) happy pop songs". Should be interesting and am very much looking forward to it...despite all sadness...

C.P.H.L. by The Boombox Hearts

Blue Foundation...

Via Facebook comes news that Blue Foundation will release a new album on May 22. If there is such a thing as good news...this definitely IS good news!

Blue Foundation - New Album Out May 22nd 2012! from DPC on Vimeo.

+ Enemy