Friska Viljor relased their fourth album “The Beginning of the Beginning of the End” during spring. If I felt that the last album “New Beginnings” was a little more restrained than the previous “Tour de Hearts”, they are pretty much unleashed this time. Armed with horns and a range of instruments, it’s full speed ahead from the start.

It’s party, it’s sing-a-long, it’s dancing in the streets (yes, there’s even waltz), but also space for reflection and variation. Overall a positive album which touches my impression that this is their best album so far.

You can listen more on Spotify or on Soundcloud. You’ll also find them on Facebook. Here’s the starting track “Larionov”:

Larionov

Ninja Crusade, hailing from Malmö, has released the concept album “Peace Through Superior Firepower”, an album with the war in Iraq as a theme:

We wanted to write about something that was important for us, but couldn’t come up with anything from our own lives that felt relevant. In a way you could say that the album is about the emotions of guilt, from us being spoilt by living in a stable industrial country while people in other countries are being killed by someone who says that he’s “liberating them from their chains” (and then calls it “collateral damage”).

About the music Kristoffer Knutsson from Ninja Crusade continues:

Mars Volta and Sigur Rós are two bands that have influenced us the most. The feeling we’d like to convey on a live gig is the same as we felt ourselves, the fist time we saw these bands; the feeling about how one’s concept of music is being expanded. Other bands that inspire us are Khoma and Mono.

In the songwriting we are inspired by many things, as long as it fits in a whole. You should be able to hear “that was a part of a Pink Floyd-vibe”, but it shouldn’t be more than a vibe.

You can download the album if you’d like. Ninja Crusade can be followed on Myspace. Here’s “Sonic Boom”:

Sonic Boom

Riff Knives is back with a new EP, “Ape Flip”. And their own mix of  funk, rock and hip hop continues to impress me. It feels like an obvious step forward; like a wine that’s maturing into something exquisite.

To point out something specific that has happened, I feel that the harder gangsta-vibes has been replaced with more rock- and funk warmth, which I think is positive; it feels closer and more “us” than “you”.

They have a special ability of coming up with efficient hooks in guitar riffs, bridges and chorus melodies and to make it all work together with a really nice drive. From that perspective “Put Me On the Ride” is a pleasure to listen to; the song has everything and they even find space for blues harmonicas and a funky guitar solo. “I Miss You (Honestly?)”, which you can listen to here below is another brilliant example.

You can listen to their music on Spotify, Deezer or Grooveshark. You can also find them on their site.

I Miss You (Honestly?)

The first thing that strikes me, as I listen to Frida Selander’s new album “Try Again Baby”, is her dark, warm voice. Almost like a young Chrissie Hynde or Patti Smith and reminds a little of Birgit Bidder too.

And The Pretenders-vibes is what I hear as I continue to listen, but it’s more about rock and blues than pop, and the guitars are more distorted than clean. The sound feels retro, lots of the seventies, which gets most obvious when she get into country areas as well, like in the  Zuma-sounding “Way to love”.

Overall an even and good album with a nice groove. The songs grows with each listen as I discover the variation and find new favourites.

Listen more on Spotify or on Frida’s site or Facebook page.

Forever On Your Team
Good One

The first time I listened to Riddarna, it felt like I was run over by a steamroller. I wasn’t really prepared for the furious rock energy that poured out of my speakers. But after I got up again and recovered it felt liberating to listen to this garage-stoner-rock in Swedish. Rock that also radiates classic punk rock in the energy, frustration and sweat.

Riddarna has recently released their debut album which is available  on Spotify and you can also listen some more at their site. You can find them on Facebook too. Here are a couple of tracks:

Känner du som jag
Förbrukad