Another Nation’s National Anthem is back again with a new EP, “Conscious Castle”. Compared to the single “Save Them From Sorrow”, which they released in spring, it feels bigger, more dreamy and deeper, both when it comes to the lyrics as well as the music. And there is a theme to it all, which they describe like this:

Imagine going fifty years back in time; Sweden is the wondrous “folkhemmet” (the people’s home), a welfare state driven by bureaucrats redistributing the wealth so that all may enjoy equal opportunity and prosperity. Imagine then that this welfare state is eroded through the mechanism of globalization; imagine these bureaucrats seeing their means of power no longer working. Imagine the powerless bureaucrat.

Visit their site, their Myspace or Facebook pages for more. The EP is also available on Spotify.

About Your Fathers

Since we wrote about Streets of Mars two years ago, a lot of positive things have happened around the band. Most important now is that they have started a collaboration with the label Adore Music and through them released their debut album “Breathe In Breathe Out”.

The album was released the 27th of October and contains 10 strong tracks of fascinating indie rock. I also hear som vibes from Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins and a young Elvis Costello. Coupled with a great sense of choruses I gather that there will be quite some bouncing and singing in front of the stage in the time to come.

You can find Streets of Mars on their site where you can listen to the album. It’s also available on Spotify. Here’s “Farewell and Goodbye” for you to download:

Farewell and Goodbye

About a decade ago Charlie Persson hit the wall. He decided to focus of what’s important to him and took a number of decisions. One of these decisions was to release at least eight albums before quitting his music career. And this October he relased number eight, “Lejon och Lamm” (“Lions and lambs”), though it’s only number six since 2000.

It’s high speed ahead from the first beats with a root rock with storytelling lyrics. The saxophone and the rock party atmosphere make me think of  Springsteen’s first albums, but Charlie’s own description works fine for me as well: “a mix of Mink DeVille, Wilmer X and a moped-burnout”.

If you like the song here below, the single “Nattåg till Arkadien” (“Night Train to Arcadia”) you should definitely head over to Charlie’s site to listen to the other tracks. You can also listen on Spotify.

Nattåg till Arkadien

I find it interesting to listen to voices in completely new contexts. If it’s a skilled singer he usually manages to produce new layers of emotions that you couldn’t feel in the other genre. It’s like viewing a person from a new angle, the entire picture changes and becomes more complete, and this also affects the way you listen to the former work.

I’ve written about Makkan Johansson and his band Saigon Sickness before, and he has moved here from an alternative, darker rock to americana, as the singer in the band The Medicine Show. It’s about well-trodden paths which moves from country rock to a more rootsy american folk and country.

And they do this really well. Makkan shows a different register and personality here, and the band delivers a row of inviting melodies and songs.
I’ve been listening to their debut album, which is not out yet though, and if you like to be updated about this, you can follow the band on Facebook or on Myspace. Here are two songs from the album:

Paper Love (The Tide Will Turn)
Happy When I’m Drinking

It’s been quiet here on Meadowmusic this week, since I’ve been away on a trip a few days. I hope I can restore your interest by presenting Mono Stereo’s new single “Me and My Machine”, to be released on Monday. But you can of course listen to it here already today, and download it.

I wrote about Mono Stereo the first time almost exactly a year ago, and since then a lot of things have happened around the band; tours, recordings and other events. They seem to have a continuous positive flow around them, which feels very nice to see.

I think that the single more clearly than before points out a direction towards classic psychadelia, refined in their own way. Really great song this.

Tonight they start a two-week intense tour in England, with a first gig at Ducie Bridge in Manchester.

Read more on Mono Stereo’s site.

Me and My Machine

Me and My Machine:

Mono Stereo – Me and My Machine from Adam Bruneau on Vimeo.