Scandinavian Indie Digest Sat Feb 19, 1994 Volume 1 : Issue 03 There are 10 messages totalling 512 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Popsicle and more 2. Good Evening Manchester/Aknestik 3. Popsicle (2) 4. Popsicle, Easy, French Indie & Charlatans (2) 5. Finnish band ? (2) 6. New User presentation 7. Whipped Cream? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 11:02:32 +0000 From: hernande@manitou.ensmp.fr Subject: Popsicle and more Hello guys this is the first time I write to the list so let's briefly introduce myself. I'm probably the only French guy on the list as Scandinavian music is not really popular here in France. In the Indie music context here, it is however possible to get some Finnish or Swedish stuff like for instance 22-Pistepirkko or Easy. My interest for Scandinavian music really grew up thanks to Kimmo Saaskilahti, a Finnish net friend who has already written a couple of times to this list and who made me know lots of Finnish bands and some Swedish ones. About Finnish bands, I must say that I have liked a lot some of them like Good Evening Manchester or Poverty Stinks. But the one that has really impressed me is Aknestik. Of course, the fact that they sing in Finnish makes their music quite exotic to me but I think that their sound is excellent, quite close to English bands like The Smiths, The Wedding Present, etc... even if they don't really sound like them :-) In fact, the most interesting Scandinavian band that I have discovered recently is Popsicle. They use power guitars that remind again Wedding Present, they have brilliant melodies and one of the singers also reminds Paul Heaton, which is a very good thing for me ! I have been able to find in Paris their album Lacquer but their EPs are impossible to find. I'm especially interested in some EP containing the song Wonderful. Could anyone in Sweden tell me more about the EPs they have released and also tell me which ones it is possible to find in the stores ? I would REALLY like to get all those EPs ! Concerning French Indie music, which is not the subject of the list but what I'd like to tell, if anyone is interested in getting stuff or simply discussing about some band, please email me to the adress at the end of the mail. Bye Bruno Hernandez e-mail : hernande@cc.ensmp.fr ----------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 15:26:47 +0200 (EET) From: trkisa@uta.fi (Kimmo S{{skilahti) Subject: Good Evening Manchester/Aknestik According to Bruno Hernandez: * About Finnish bands, I must say that I have liked a lot some of them like * Good Evening Manchester or Poverty Stinks. I gave my 0.02 Fmk worth about Poverty Stinks a while ago, and here's the same for Good Evening Manchester... The band comes originally from Aaland (the island between Finland and Sweden) and like most Aalanders, they belong to the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland (though that doesn't have a lot of importance music-wise, but now you know). Their first release was an EP (four or three tracks probably, never seen it) which they released themselves. At this time they sung in Swedish, but that changed in good time before their debut album "Learning To Sing" on CBS (how un-indie can you get?! :-). The name of the album was a self-ironical reference to the fact that the singer/guitarist/songwriter of the band, Patrik Dahlblom, was not very comfotable with his singing, especially live. On the album his singing is quite OK, in fact I like his voice very much. Although he isn't technically that excellent, his voice is very expressive and he can really reflect the emotions of the lyrics in his vocals. The sound on the debut album is very raw, due to the fact that it was made from the demo tape that they sent the CBS. Apart from the Green On Red cover ("Old Chief") the guitar playing brings to mind Replacements and some traces of Bob Mould at times, but the songs themselves are a bit more pop-oriented. Another interesting thing are Patrik's lyrics with lots of references to literature, other bands and soul singers, one song even being about him seeing Tyrone Davis (an obscure soul man from the 60's) in some program on Finnish TV! In this sense the lyrics remind me of Lloyd Cole. They recorder another album for CBS, but it was never released, thanks to the fact that the first album sold about 100 copies or so, and after a while they were dropped by CBS, which almost led to the break-up of the band. Fortunately Patrik bumped into an Irish guy, Ciaran O'Reilly, in a bar in Turku, and when he heard Ciaran was a singer, the band started again, replacing the original guitarist Anders Korpi with another Aalander, Peter Hagerstrand. Some months passed and the band was signed by EMI (again, not very indie :-) and their eponymous second album was released (in 1991 or 1992, my memory is a bit hazy... the debut, by the way, was released in 1988). Their sound changed considerably on this album (partly against the band's opinion), the producer (whose name escapes me at the moment) adding lots of fiddles, pianos etc. to give it almost a folk-ish feeling. On some songs it works very well, but there are a couple of songs that suffer from the production. Last year they released their third album, "Diana", which was more or less a return to their original (and in their opinion, their "own") sound. The guitars are even heavier than on the first album, but there are some more acoustic numbers to balance the feel of the album, and they are still searching for that perfect pop melody, getting often quite close. Another thing I might mention as well are their excellent vocal harmonies - there being three singers in the band at the moment. I don't know if any of the albums have been released outside Finland (except that the first one was released in Greece, not that it would help anyone...), but as they are on the major label, anything can happen. They have played some gigs in Sweden with a considerable success (according to press reports here in Finland), so there is a fair chance that our Swedish readers might get an opportunity to check them out in future. * But the one that has really * impressed me is Aknestik. Of course, the fact that they sing in Finnish * makes their music quite exotic to me but I think that their sound is * excellent, quite close to English bands like The Smiths, The Wedding * Present, etc... even if they don't really sound like them :-) Yes, the guitar sound of Aknestik bears a resemblance to above mentioned bands (at least to "George Best" -era Wedding Present), and there is maybe a dash of Kitchens of Distinction and Chameleons buried someplace. Their songs aren't, however, as 'epic' as the Kitchens songs often are, but maybe a bit more straightforward and traditional pop songs. One thing that probably makes the band sound exotic (in addition to Finnish lyrics) is that there is a fair amount of Slavic melancholy in their music, like in lot of Finnish music in general. There are of course a lot of happy tunes, but many of them have an underlying sense of sadness... maybe it's due to the long dark winters they have up north (the band comes from a village called Haukipudas, which is near Oulu, check it from your maps). I could go on much longer about them (as you would probably guess :-), but I'll leave that until some other time. A short discography: Toukokuussa 7" Ojat on rajat LP/CD Syvat veet EP Surupusero CD5 Valassaaret LP/CD Maailma on naisia pullollaan CD5 Congratulations if you made it this far, I'll try to be a bit more compact in the future... :-) Kimmo -- Kimmo Saaskilahti * "If music be the food of love, play on" trkisa@uta.fi * - Shakespeare ----------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 15:38:53 +0200 (EET) From: trkisa@uta.fi (Kimmo S{{skilahti) Subject: Re: Popsicle Accoding to Bruno Hernandez: * In fact, the most interesting Scandinavian band that I have discovered * recently is Popsicle. They use power guitars that remind again Wedding * Present, they have brilliant melodies and one of the singers also reminds * Paul Heaton, which is a very good thing for me ! It's a good thing that neither of the Popsicle singers sound like the singer of The Wedding Present! :-) Although I love David Gedge's voice, I am the first to admit that he isn't a very good singer, and it would be a disaster for him to try a Popsicle tune... :-) As I advertised yesterday, there was a broadcast of a Popsicle show on the radio last night. Unfortunately it was only half an hour long, but from what I heard it sounded very good (I didn't listen very carefully, because I was watching ice hockey on the TV at the same time - I am a Scandinavian, see? :-) I also got the show on tape, so if you're interested in a copy, drop me a line. About a half of the set seemed to be from "Lacquer" but there were several tracks that sounded unfamiliar to me, I wonder if they were new songs or older ones, or perhaps from EP's or somewhere else... though I doubt anyone can help me on this... :-) Later, Kimmo -- Kimmo Saaskilahti * "If music be the food of love, play on" trkisa@uta.fi * - Shakespeare ----------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Feb 1994 16:16:51 +0100 (MET) From: "Henrik Sj\vdin" Subject: Re: Popsicle I don't remember what you (=Kimmo) said about the date and origin of the gig they broadcasted, but I wouldn't be surprised if the "unfamiliar" songs you heard, were the same 2-3 *new* songs they played at Gino here in Stockholm a few weeks ago... They were very good in my opinion, though I admit it's hard to tell from one single gig. /Henrik Sjodin (h-sjodin@dsv.su.se) ---------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 00:56:40 +0100 From: chief@lysator.liu.se Subject: Popsicle, Easy, French Indie & Charlatans Some thoughts on yesterday's scan-indie feed.. * Popsicle. You might think it is strange to hear that I don't like them. I just don't see what's so great about their music? Would anyone care to explain this to me? I've been listening, reading and hearing a lot of good things about them since they first started. Good reviews, praise in the music press, people saying they're the greatest thing in Sweden, even NME wrote something like that in an issue last year. Yet, I find their "indie" to be nothing special, more like boring really. I fell into the trap once though, and bought "The Power Ballads E.P.". It is now stashed way back in my CD collection. * More Popsicle - hernande@manitou.ensmp.fr wrote: > I have been able to find in Paris their album Lacquer but their EPs are > impossible to find. I'm especially interested in some EP containing the > song Wonderful. Could anyone in Sweden tell me more about the EPs they have > released and also tell me which ones it is possible to find in the stores ? > I would REALLY like to get all those EPs ! Do you have the discography? I think Ludde (the guy who makes it) should update it, now that they have released a new album (or was it a single?). I thought I saw something somewhere. I do know that there are at least two different versions of Lacquer out there. The covers are different but I'm not sure about the contents. Their 1992 and 1993 EP's wouldn't be so hard to find over here though. I can post the discography here if you want. * Even more Popsicle - h-sjodin@dsv.su.se wrote: > I don't remember what you (=Kimmo) said about the date and origin of the gig > they broadcasted, but I wouldn't be surprised if the "unfamiliar" songs > you heard, were the same 2-3 *new* songs they played at Gino here in > Stockholm a few weeks ago... You were there? It was that "show swedish music to international labels" night wasn't it? Who else played? I'd like to hear more about that event as I missed it completely myself. :( * Easy. Well, that's a different thing, because I have only heard a couple of songs, and I'm really not sure what I think. I still have to listen some more to be able to say something worth saying. :) * French Indie - hernande@manitou.ensmp.fr wrote: > Concerning French Indie music, which is not the subject of the list but > what I'd like to tell, if anyone is interested in getting stuff or simply > discussing about some band, please email me to the adress at the end of the > mail. I would like to take this opportunity to continue what someone wrote at the start of the list about a tape-chain. There would probably be enough to make at least two or three tapes with bands from Norway, Finland and Sweden. (I don't think we have any Danish or Icelandic people on here yet, do we?) But I would also like to hear indie music from, say France and so on. Is it a good idea perhaps to make a tape with Non-UK and US indie instead of just a scandinavian tape? Comments please! * Side Note Non-Scan-Indie: Who : CHARLATANS Where: Gino, Stockholm, Sweden When : 26-Feb-94 (next saturday) Time : Be there before 10pm I will (of course :)) be there. Anyone else? Would be fun to meet if possible, if we can arrange something. Quick question also: anyone know when their album will be released in europe? The U.S. release date is on the 22nd of March, and I hope that this doesn't apply for europe as well. ------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 09:31:23 +0000 From: hernande@manitou.ensmp.fr Subject: Finnish band ? Hello I've recently got a compilation of some demos of a French label which includes a song from a band called Alivaltiosihteeri. The song is called "Nasta kaupunki". I was wondering if this was a Finnish band (because of the name, of course :-) and, in this case, if anyone could provide more information about it, please. To answer to our "chief" who was asking what we find so great about Popsicle isn't very easy to me because my english is not great but I'll try to make a first explanation... I hope Kimmo will develop this later :-) Of course, there is nothing really original in the Popsicle sound but in the field of power pop there are not a lot of bands who are able to combine fast guitars and rhythm with good singing and brilliant pop melodies. The first time you hear a song like "Hey princess", you know that you are not going to forget it the minute after, it follows your mind everywhere ! When comparing this band to some other British similar bands, you realise that Popsicle succeeds where some others fail. Take the example of Mega City 4 or Senseless Things : their sound is good but there are not really good songs and for MC4, the voice is awfully boring ! That's a band that I never find myself humming a song from ! I'm sure that all these explanations are of no help when you don't catch all this in Popsicle songs. It's all a question of feeling, isn't it ? Bye Bruno --------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 10:27:01 +0100 (MET) From: Petter Tiilikainen Subject: New User presentation Hi! I am a 19 (soon 20) year old student, living in Lulea. I am a huge fan of the swedish groups the Bear Quartet and Bob Hund. The Bear Quartet comes from Lulea aswell and I've seen them perform a couple of times and I think they are excellent. According to Matti Alkberg, the singer of Bear Quartet there is going to be a new EP released in March or April. (He told me this on new-year's eve, and both of us were very drunk, so this info isn't 100% reliable.) l8er! /Petter -------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Feb 1994 16:32:31 +0200 (EET) From: trkisa@uta.fi (Kimmo S{{skilahti) Subject: Re: Finnish band ? Bruno Hernandez writes: * I've recently got a compilation of some demos of a French label which * includes a song from a band called Alivaltiosihteeri. The song is called * "Nasta kaupunki". Yes, they are a Finnish band indeed. Here's some info: The band is from Tampere (the city where I live, incidentally) and they are signed to Hiljaiset Levyt (based in Tampere as well). The band started as a half-joke band (their name meaning literally 'vice secretary of state' ie. some kind of a bureaucrat of a lesser status), being a parody of civil servants, other bands and pop stars etc. On stage and interviews (and maybe in their private lives as well?) they are dressed up like average men from some anonymous office in a ministry or whatever. The comedy aspect in their music has remained there, but it has given way to musical values along the years. They have released about 4 albums and a number of singles during their life-span, gaining gradually larger attention from both critics and the buying public, partly thanks to their weekly one-hour comedy programme on the Finnish radio. In their earlier days they couldn't play their instruments very well, but now they are a 'proper' band, who have no problems with covering a number of various styles. Especially the guitar player, Pasi Heikura, knows what he is doing. An important part of their appeal to the masses are their witty lyrics, making fun of various subjects - especially they like to mock other bands. The song "Nasta kaupunki" ('a nice city') which Bruno mentioned, is a parody of a quite well-known Kauko Royhka song "Paska kaupunki" ('shit city'), making Royhka's 'angry young man' lyrics sound quite ridiculous. Musically, I wouldn't call them an 'indie' band (though they are on an indie label...it's quite complicated issue, as you see :-), more like a regular mainstream rock band. They sure enough aren't the hippest name to drop in the indie circles around here... I think... I'm rather surprised to hear that they appear on a French label, though, as at least in my opinion, one of the most important part of their act are the Finnish lyrics, but it's a strange world, y'know. Kimmo -- Kimmo Saaskilahti * "I never met chocolate trkisa@uta.fi * I didn't like" * - Deanna Troi ----------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 08:51:43 +0100 (MET) From: Henrik Sjodin Subject: Re: Popsicle, Easy, French Indie & Charlatans On Thu, 17 Feb 1994 chief@lysator.liu.se wrote: > Some thoughts on yesterday's scan-indie feed.. > > * Popsicle. You might think it is strange to hear that I don't like them. > I just don't see what's so great about their music? Would anyone care > to explain this to me? I've been listening, reading and hearing a lot > of good things about them since they first started. Good reviews, praise > in the music press, people saying they're the greatest thing in Sweden, > even NME wrote something like that in an issue last year. Yet, I find > their "indie" to be nothing special, more like boring really. I fell > into the trap once though, and bought "The Power Ballads E.P.". It is > now stashed way back in my CD collection. What's great? As the cliche goes: "Wonderful tunes and harmonies, woven into a mess of barbed wire of screaming guitars.". (Freely translated from Swedish). Now, I'd be the first one to admit that in itself doesn't make them a good band. What makes them great is rather something like this: * Very good lyrics * Good songs (seriously!) * First Swedish guitar indie pop band * Interesting attitude Or something like that....:) > * Even more Popsicle - h-sjodin@dsv.su.se wrote: > > > I don't remember what you (=Kimmo) said about the date and origin of the gig > > they broadcasted, but I wouldn't be surprised if the "unfamiliar" songs > > you heard, were the same 2-3 *new* songs they played at Gino here in > > Stockholm a few weeks ago... > > You were there? It was that "show swedish music to international labels" > night wasn't it? Who else played? I'd like to hear more about that event > as I missed it completely myself. :( Yes, the "Warner International Showcase"! :) The only other band was the Flesh Quartet, and I missed that since the stupid bouncer enjoyed taking his time letting people in. Ok, I know you're supposed to be there in time, but I actually enjoy getting to gigs in the last minute. I hate waiting. Popsicle played 5-6 songs, and as you may know, their songs aren't that long, so the show was over in maybe little over 15 minutes. It was good though. > * Easy. Well, that's a different thing, because I have only heard a couple > of songs, and I'm really not sure what I think. I still have to listen > some more to be able to say something worth saying. :) I haven't heard anything from their new album. I liked their debut album, but I didn't find it that great. By the way, is the Fortran 5 remix of the new single ("Listen to the bells" or something, right?) as good as people say? Henrik --------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 11:56:56 +0200 (EET) From: trkisa@uta.fi (Kimmo S{{skilahti) Subject: Whipped Cream? Hello everybody in the Scan-Land! A Whipped Cream (who are Swedish, I assume? If not, apologies for this post...) CD has been sitting still in a local used CD shop for a couple of months, so I guess nobody else in this town is going to grab it (so I might make the owner of the shop an offer he can't refuse and get it for a bargain price). But, I don't know a lot about them, having only seen an OK-ish video by them in the 120 Minutes on MTV a couple of times about 5-6 months ago. So, I lay my trust in you - what are they like? Should I go and get the CD (the name of which escapes me, alas)? Anything else? Thanks, Kimmo -- Kimmo Saaskilahti * "Everything's cool because nothing is dull" trkisa@uta.fi * - Rosa Liksom -------------------------- End of SI Digest #1.03 **********************