While Giants Sleep started out a year ago and this summer they released their self-titled debut EP. They have their base in Eslöv, Sweden, but the five members have also roots in Norway, Iceland, Finland and Chile.

Musically I find the roots, though, on the other side of The Atlantic Ocean; in post rock,  progressive rock and indie rock. It’s a collection of five well built songs where they paint a rather dark ambience together with the fateful lyrics. A very interesting debut that promises a lot for the future.

You can find While Giants Sleep on their site, on Facebook and on their Bandcamp page you can both listen and download the EP for free.

Wyatt Earp

Pokerface, aka Staffan Heidevik, released his new album “Transeo” a little while ago. It’s an exciting album full of experimentation and if I attempt to describe it I’d say it’s about a dense and dramatic mix of  jazz-electronica and progressive rock , largely instrumental. Sometimes I hear something that reminds me of David Bowie and his experimental music from the nineties.

Interestingly half of the songs are recordings from concerts, which I really like as it brings out the depth and the grandness in the music and a sensation of a massive live experience.

The album is a collaboration between Staffan, guitarist Mattis Karlsson, drummer Olle Prim and multi-instrumentalist Per Ericsson plus a number of guest musicians, among them Mike Lloyd and jazz virtuoso Bryan Baker.

Listen more on Spotify and visit Pokerface on Facebook.

Krtek Ve Snu
Beginnings and Endings

Wraptors say that they don’t follow any rules. Of course that’s impossible, which they realize themselves as they add: “Well…maybe a few. But not on purpose…”

When I listen I’m beginning to understand what they mean. The sound in itself is not the odd thing about them, neither the riffs, but the songs, the melodies, the harmonies and how all this is arranged. In a way it feels like a post grunge rocker has joined a couple of progressive rockers, a Zappa fan and a metal guitarist, but they twist it, making it hard to make any direct genre-comparisons, even if I somewhere hear the influences.

Many times it feels kind of backwards, and sometimes when I think I just have gotten into a chord-melody sequence that feels “normal”, they make a hard turn and lure me away.

It’s their album “Held High” I’m listening to, a challenging album that requires attention and quite a few listens. I like challenges and I also liked this album, which was both fun and interesting to listen to. And I’m starting to get a hang of it now…

The albumet “Held High” is available on Spotify (and other services) and you can find Wraptors on Facebook.

Stoked On Stakes
To Beat a Beast

I’ve been listening to Reform‘s album “Reformed”, an album that was released in 2009. It feels like progressive rock, jazz-fusion and the seventies close to Björn J:son Lindh, Bo Hansson in style, but more based on guitars and with some blues vibes.

“Reformed” is the band’s fifth album since they started, and is maybe more of a music collective than a band, with members coming and going. The only members that have been with the band the entire journey are bass player Jesper Bergman and drummer Anders Bergman. And after having listened to the the other albums I note that the style and sound change a bit between albums.

You can listen to their music on Spotify or on Myspace. Reform also has a Facebook page and on their blog you can listen to some new upcoming tracks. Here’s “Happy Landing” from “Reformed”:

Happy Landing

Here’s a band from Gothenburg that I think many people might like. Their music sounds heavy and groovy, sounds of the seventies. Until the vocals enter, in Swedish and all of a sudden it feels like Swedish progg. The songs have catchy melodies and you will happily listen more than once. A band that I would like to see at a local pub while I’m drinking a beer or two. A pretty high grade in other words.

As all of you know the climate is really harsh among bands that want to be heard, unfortunaetly Ett Rop På Hjälp just has a myspace-page, which you can find here. Myspace has totally bailed out and they don’t have as many users anymore. I really hope that this band will get a proper site plus other services where they can show their music. Ett Rop På Hjälp is an awesome band that I’m afraid will drown if they don’t promote themself in more ways soon.

Josef K

/Stuff