The Aislers Set - The Red Door

I sometimes wish that I could really love The Aislers Set. Tonight's song The Red Door is taken from The Aislers Set's second album The Last Match. The opening tracks The Way to the Market Station, Hit the Snow, and Chicago New York are enough to warrant further listening of curiosity for what lies ahead. The eleventh track The Red Door is a lovely upbeat indie pop hit which makes you want to dance.

The Aislers Set - The Red Door

The Aislers Set are talented and I should love their entire discography, but their music does not stay long in my memory. The Red Door is the brilliant exception.

No starlet in your eyes

I forgot to tell you a funny thing about the Friday night. A girl in the closet queue started to talk to me. It lead to the following dialogue:

- Which title do you have?
- I am with the band booking committee.
- The bandy committee?!?

She wanted to know if I was active at the student nation in some way, and formulated both the question and the answer in a way that few others would do. She was actually very sweet in her drunkenness. I also mishear things occasionally. My interpretations of songs by the The Cardigans are finer than the real lyrics. Sometimes naivism is a beautiful thing.


no starlet in your eyes

Put on something pretty
Go back to the city
In town the sky's just space
No star light in your face
(The Cardigans - Good Morning Joan)


you're handsome in the thought

Well it's been a long slow collision,
I'm a pitbull, you're a dog,
Baby you're foul in clear conditions
But you're handsome in the fog
(The Cardigans - I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need to Be Nicer)
 

Anna Ternheim - Malmö October 28

In some strange way, I had confused the service fee of 20.00 SEK with the time 20.00. I arrived at the concert house in Malmö at 19:50 and the disaster was a fact. I showed my ticket and was then lead to the right door by a young boy in stylish clothes who told me to wait outside until the applause. I entered the concert hall and temporarily sat down at the very far end of the first row. The support act consisted of a bald man. I did not care about his music but I had not come to see him anyway.

I had seen Anna Ternheim play live once before. It was a January might and I sat centrally on the second row in the City Hall in Lund. I had fallen for her debut album but only scratched the surface. Wedding Song opened the show and set the tune for the entire evening. Ternheim sang I won't let you down this time, and she lived up to it. Ternheim did absolutely everything right until she sat at a piano and finished To Be Gone in Fench. It was one of my two fondest concert memories of last year.

Yesterday, I made a single mistake, but was severly punished. The bald man finally stopped playing his songs and I was thinking good, now I can go to my real seat. I did not even get up from the chair before the evening was ruined. Instead of the natural pause between the support act and the main act, Anna Ternheim was introduced immediately. The hall got dark to the Girl Laying Down intro. Within seconds, I disappointedly walked upstairs and watched my seat on row eleven turn into a blank ticket on row twenty-something. Sure, I could have asked 30 people to stand up to make way for me, but that is not my style. Anna Ternheim's show had already started and you have to show a little respect when others also have paid much for the tickets. After all, it was not their fault that I could not read a damn ticket yesterday.

I knew in advance that Girl Laying Down would open yesterday's concert. Anything else would had been very strange. Wedding Song is in every way a better song, but this tour is built on Separation Road. I was concerned before the show and my worry would later turn out to be justified. I like Ternheim the most when she is alone on stage. Yesterday, she was the center of attention, but her band still impaired the experience. Several times. And that was Ternheim's own fault. An overly ambitious arrangement with drums smashed the finest parts of Tribute to Linn. Such things can make anyone lose hope and interest. For long times I had the thoughts elsewhere and for a while it was just the dazzling light that brought my eyes back to the scene. It was as if Ternheim and her band went at half speed and compensated with a flashy framework.

I still remember the end of Anna Ternheim's concert in the city hall in Lund in January 2005. The audience stood up and applauded after the last song. She looked genuinely surprised and she deserved all the appreciation that evening.
Yesterday's audience had a collective stroke. As expected, Halfway to Five Points concluded the regular set. Then something very strange happened. Ternheim and her band went off the stage to the audience's applause. When they were gone the crowd stood up and continued to applaud. I thought that a standing ovation was a way to show appreciation while the band and the audience still had eye contact with each other. But apparently that is not how they do it in Malmö. Idiots.

Prior to the encore, only A French Love was amazing. The setlist was very impressive on paper but it did not help much when the songs could had been performed so much better. After the slaughter of Tribute to Linn, Calling Love remained my hope but unfortunately also came to be wasted. I do not remember what went wrong but it just did not feel magical. Ternheim then sat down at the piano and I wondered what she would play. I thought she had played all of her piano songs, and she had indeed done that. Instead, she played Shoreline. Brother Daniel's Shoreline. Completely meaningless in Ternheim's version. I did not believe a word of what she was singing and she might as well had humming through the whole song. The audience had probably not noticed the difference anyway.

An applause later, Ternheim finally did something different. She came in alone on stage and said she would sing A Voice to Calm You Down. Someone on the front row shouted a song request. Ternheim was annoyed but still managed to joke it away in a charming way. Then she got serious and took a step to the side, away from the microphone and sang for us. No instruments, just a voice. Between verses just the fans were heard. Naked Version Deluxe. Finally I heard my favourite song from the first album. I have called A Tribute to Linn Anna Ternheim's best song, but last night I realised I was wrong. A Tribute to Linn is so fragile that it could break. My Secret in contrast resists everything. Significant enough for the show, it was hacked apart by too many instruments at the end but you can not fail with My Secret. The audience stood up and applauded. This time, even I applauded sincerely.


I want to clarify a few things. Do not believe by any means that I begrudge Anna Ternheim success. I once called her our future and although it may not be true anymore I want her no harm. I am however annoyed when people get undeserved appreciation. Ternheim was incredibly much better in the city hall in Lund one and a half year ago, and she can perform much better than last night. Everyone can have a bad day but I paid 320 SEK, and I am thus entitled to make demands. As of this writing I have read in Ternheim's guestbook and people over there speak of an "unreal night." It might be cruel to deprive people their experiences but Ternheim has been better than this. This was probably the last time I went to a concert with numbered seats. I can not be at a show where I hate the audience.


Seven out of Ten

Setlist (or at least something that will remind you of one, I do not remember everything but I will edit it if I find a real list)

Girl Laying Down
Today Is a Good Day
You Better Be
I Follow You Tonight
Feels Like Sand
Words of Love
A French Love
Such a Lonely Soul
To Be Gone
Bring Down Like I
One to Blame
Tribute to Linn
Halfway to Five Points

First encore
Calling Love
Nights in Goodville
Shoreline

Second encore
A Voice to Calm You Down
Lovers Dream
My Secret

Acid House Kings - Sunday Morning

So nice to get to sleep properly. Everyone wakes up so early!

Acid House Kings - Sunday Morning

Laurel Music - Dreams and Lies

It took an extra day, but it was understandable. I killed a dream with one click on send. I hope that she does not hate me. She does not have a reason to do that, but sometimes I get so emotional and overreact. I have not done anything wrong, but I still feel guilty. It is neither about love nor about money, if anyone wonders.

Laurel Music - Dreams and Lies

Dreams and lies. It sounds like my life. When all else is lost only Laurel Music remains. It is October 2006 and Laurel Music helps me to get through my life's most difficult challenge.

Laurel Music - No One Wants Forever #1

Laurel Music - No One Wants Forever #1

The autumn leaves now have the same colours as on the cover of Laurel Music's debut album!

Unfortunately, this fall will not get any more beautiful to me. I have taken decisions which will affect my life. I do not know if I am completely happy with the decisions, but I can not go on pretending that everything is fine when I five days a week feel sad when I wake up just because it is a new day.

There are still a few pleasures left which no one can take away from me. I have ordered a couple of records from Fraction Discs and I will see Anna Ternheim live for the second time on Saturday. The records may arrive on Friday, but that feels far away. First I have to do some important things. Tonight I will write an email which could had decided my life if it was written a few weeks earlier. Now it is just an end of a time that was. We make our choices and we have to live with them. I do not care as much as I should, and it is frightening that things you dreamed of no longer means anything. Tomorrow I will terminate my rental agreement.

Saint Etienne - He's on the Phone

There are days when life surprises me. My Saturday was such a day. I woke up very lately, and felt sick and worn in the evening. I should had stayed at home. I was, however, invited to a pre party and went there against my better judgement. I arrived lately with no real expectations on the night out. I did not know what would happen more than that we would stay in Lund.

We came to the night club at Småland's nation shortly after midnight. I had only been there twice before and both times felt lost, despite being in good company. This night would change that.
Once inside, we found a room with the video game Supar Mario Bros. projected on one of the walls. Super Mario Bros. was one of the favourite games of my childhood and I had not played it in ages. In my first attempt, I died on course 1-2 and said that something was wrong with the controller. That is a common excuse, but I would prove with my second attempt that this was true. I changed controller and managed to get to course 8-4, despite playing after I had drunken a couple of beers and another couple of drinks. A nice acquaintance of mine sat on my right side together with his friend. They were likeable and cheered me on. On my left, a short blonde girl sat and criticized everything I did. She insinuated that I was sober when I went through the difficult sections. That was not really true, but I let her get away with it. She said she had drunken a drink in every room in her student corridor at the pre party and I believed her. I should had hated her digs at me because I got nervous when I advanced to the more difficult courses, but she was rather cute as she lisped while pretending to be cool and arrogant. An audience had gathered inside the room towards the end. To their joy, I managed to finally put Bowser in the lava on the last level with only two lives left. I celebrated a triumph I had not experienced since I was a kid.

After that, we wanted to celebrate and moved to the dance floor where we were welcomed by He's on the Phone. The female DJs were actually quite bad, but to put on that particular song at exactly that time was a hit.

What an intro. Sylvie is probably even better, but I never understood the music video of that song. I do not really understand why I am posting a Saint Etienne song on a Monday night which has become Tuesday, but I suppose I just need to. Like some kind of therapy. I want to be reminded of what life is like when I am happy.

Right now, my student corridor is extremely boring. Some nice people live here, but it is sad that the fruit flies are most living things on weekends. One more month and then I will be spared this shit.

Aerospace - Tenderness Is the Plight of the Weakerthen

Sometimes when I am out on Friday nights, I get to hear wonderful songs that I never heard before. I then go to the DJ booth and ask what the band is called. If there are a lot of people in the way, I come to the DJ booth a little later and ask about the name of the band that made the song played ten minutes ago. The DJ then looks strangely at me. You mean this? No? Okay, how about this one?

I felt that I wanted to go to the DJ booth and ask about the artists and song titles many times when Fraction Discs were DJs at Blekingska a couple of weeks ago. Fraction Discs' truly wonderful pop may have been difficult to dance to, but the songs were still very good. I was told that one of the bands was named Aerospace.

Aerospace - Tenderness Is the Plight of the Weakerthen

The Undertones - Teenage Kicks

Friday is finally here!

I pick a song that always reminds me of the wonderful life and see what happens tonight. I will, however, not go to Blekingska. We will soon find out if I can get through this Friday without booze as well, but I do not think so. To drop the two things I appreciate the most with a Friday night would be too much. Cheers, everyone!

My record collection and wishlist

I had waited far too many days and become equally disappointed every time. My physical mailbox had not gotten any lettered food for a long time and was just as empty as my life. Well aware it was the time of the month when bills soon would drop in, I thought about putting up a note to the postman with the text "Fragile, Don't Crush" but decided not to do that as he never would understand anyway. Another useless day had passed. I was tired of people who pretended, those who acted as puppets in the drama of life. On the way home I realised summer was over and my body was too thinly dressed. I should had been used to it, but I was still not prepared for the cold. I missed something warm and genuine. The most concrete thing I found was lying on my desk - a phone bill for calls I did not remember I had called.

I miss the time when a new record could save my life. To check the mail and discover that the CDs I dreamt of had finally reached their new home. Material happiness which for a moment was the most important thing in life. Although it was bought with money. Although it lasted only a few seconds. It was only a few years ago, but that time feels infinitely far away.

To explain an extreme interest in music to an outsider is difficult. I have never really tried. I discussed pop music in general with a fellow pop nerd on the way home from the Camera Obscura concert. I think we both, not entirely unexpectedly, valued our respective record collection as our most prized material possession. I find it hard to imagine life without my records. They are part of my identity.
Collecting is a two-edged sword. It is fun and engaging, but you are never really satisfied. For every record I buy, I discover three new ones which remind me of gaps in my collection. There was a time when I was not aware of Shelflife, Labrador, Matinée or Sarah. It was probably not a better time but a simpler existence. My collecting is complicated. I clearly have a different relationship to records today compared to five years ago. My computer in combination with broadband have made me lazy. Many of my recently purchased records are lying untouched in the bookshelf while they have spun countless imaginary revolutions on the computer. I almost never play my CDs at home any longer. They mostly collect dust, but they still mean a lot and I could never imagine to get rid of them.

The feeling of something genuine may explain why I still buy records. Of course I want to do the right thing and support my favourite bands and record labels economically by purchasing their records, but that is only true for artists signed to small indie record labels I respect. I let the mainstream artist Anna Ternheim serve as an example. I buy her records because I want to own the CDs, but I have no sympathy for her record label which mainly spreads trash culture.
It is possible to explain collecting by comparing records with trophies, but I have never felt a persistent desire to show my collection to others. It feels, however, important to show the collection to myself. I recognise the spines of some favourite records while being several meters away. That is exactly why it is boring to sort folders on the computer whereas it is nice to move around phyiscal covers in the real CD collection. The folders remain as just only folders. They contain the music but nothing more. As I am writing this I am taking out Pulp's album Different Class to see how I react. It is clear that I have emotional bonds to the physical disc and the jewelcase cover, despite the ugly, round, purple sticker which says that the disc contains the singles Common People, Mis-Shapes and Disco 2000. I open the cover and take out the booklet. The feeling is as genuine (though of course not as magical) as the first time I came home with the CD.

My own record collection obviously means the most to me, but I also love to have a look at other people's collections. If I discover a band I adore, I further go through the collection encouraged by the possibility of finding another favourite record which I do not have in my own collection. I look at the fronts and backs, but do not take out the booklets, not in other people's collections. That only happens in exceptional cases. I get fascinated by record collections and easily disappear into my own world. I remember an afterparty where I could not help but look through the LP collection. The girl who lived there said she knew I would check the collection sooner or later. It is fun to guess what records a collection contains after I have seen parts of it. Each collection is personal and that is probably why it is so interesting to investigate plastic pieces and paper covers.

Take a record like Belle and Sebastian's The Boy With the Arab Strap as an example. It is printed in (at least) tens of thousands copies. It is thus in no way exclusive. The sound is almost as good on mp3. It is one of my favourite records, but it is also a very good proof that exclusivity is not the main factor in my collecting process. Memories are much more important, and that proably explain why I do not like used copies. Except for some Belle and Sebastian bootlegs, I think I only own one used record - The Primitives' Lovely. I want records that I have scratched and worn myself, but not records that already are destroyed and consumed by others. I am sick, I know. I should, however, have made an exception and purchased The Boy With the Arab Strap promo at the same time I bought the Tigermilk promo. Occasionally, used in near mint condition can be alright.

Records help me remember my life and songs often serve as chronological reference points. This became very clear the other day when a girl, with a more normal interest in music, by chance heard the song Lemon Tree by Fools Garden. After thinking for a while, she suddenly said "Paris 1996, just after I graduated [from high school]". That was a nice memory for her. For some, nostalgia is the main reason to collect, but I do not want to have that many old (old as in released a long time ago) records. It is boring to buy old records when you know in advance exactly how they sound.

The influence of file sharing on my record purchases is a subject I would rather not discuss in this text, but file sharing has inevitably affected my record purchases so I will try to briefly explain my views in the next paragraph and be done with that. It is fun to take a chance with a new album by a band I have not heard before, but I can not afford to buy records in that way anymore (someone who wants a Happy Mondays record?). Moreover, you sooner or later get to a stage where it is difficult to pick up recommendations from others. My taste in music had stagnated. Internet came as a saviour and revolutionized my music listening. With file sharing programs like Direct Connect, there is a chance to listen to records, to assess them solely by your own impressions and then decide if you want to purchase them. I order for about as much money per year as before. I am much more satisfied with my purchases nowadays, but seldomly surprised. I mainly buy CDs from bands signed to minor labels, and I have a special interest in EPs. I often buy records released by bands I would not know about if it were not for the internet. I would not buy anything I do not like, but records that are difficult to get hold of become more valuable because they are exclusive. I am thinking about buying The Snow Fairies' Get Married thanks to the wonderful front cover, but exclusivity or cover layout have never driven my collecting. In the end the musical quality of the record comes first.

To get back to the record collecting topic again, I note that much was different in the past. In the old days, I found it natural to listen to one album for several months. Things are changing for good and bad, and some memories change over time. I forgot why I bought many of my records. When I doubt my choices in life, I try to select the memories of why I made the choices I did. Sometimes the reasons I once had do not feel relevant or valid anymore, but they are important to make me understand. It is the same way with CDs. I sometimes become a little surprised to find No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom in my bookshelf, but I do not need to hear many seconds of Don't Speak to understand why I bought the album. Don't Speak may represent all the special songs I fell in love with at some point in life. Those songs alone made it worth to buy the albums (except for a few cases where I only should had bought the single). Don't Speak was released in 1995 and I was then 13 years old.

Today I am 23 years. I live another life with new bands and new favourite songs. The love of pop music is the only thing that lasts. If I ever in the future will remember this great blog, then it is not thanks to the band which wrote the song the blog is named after. I really wanted to name my blog after a song by Langauge of Flowers instead. Songsaboutyou was unfortunately already taken on blogger and I am still sorry about that.

I sometimes take my record collecting too seriously. I have given away the occasional singles because I thought they did not fit into the collection. Is there anyone who wants a record by Happy Mondays (yes, I hate Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches and that was the last time I listened to hype and established "truths" about what album you will like, that is quite a few years ago now) or Starsailor? It is just as if those records are dragging down the overall impression. I therefore need to get rid of them to get consistency in my collection.

Sometimes I miss opportunities to find bargains (the Shelflife sale, anyone?), but I have given up the idea of the perfect record collection. The records listed below would make me come close. I will not buy everything though and some of the records will get out of stock. That leaves me with Ebay only.

It feels just as good to tell you, because one of these records may become your The Boy With the Arab Strap or Songs About You. At the same time, I know it would feel very empty the day, I against all odds, would have obtained all these records. That would be the time to get a new hobby and start over again.

Songs About You is the only signed disc in my record collection, and it is also my all-time favourite album. If I have to choose another favourite in my collection, it would be the white promo single Is It Wicked Not to Care? with the green cardboard sleeve.
Finally, you will not get a link to my record collection. Pop music is not a competition. I prefer to call it love instead.

MY RECORD COLLECTION WISHLIST
Acid House Kings - Say Yes If You Love Me EP (2002, Labrador), 7.83 USD Tweekitten
Annemarie - The Living Model EP (CD-R, 2005, Music Is My Girlfriend), 30 SEK Fractiondiscs
Architecture in Helsinki - Fingers Crossed (2004, Bar None Records), 13.65 USD Cduniverse
The Arrogants - Your Simple Beauty EP (2000, Shelflife), 8.95 USD Tweekitten
The Arrogants - Nobody's Cool EP (2002, Shelflife), 8.95 USD Tweekitten
The Autocollants - Why Couldn't Things Just Stay the Same (1999, Shelflife), impossible to find
Backfish - It's Emily (1997), 145 SEK Dgr
Belle and Sebastian - Wrapped Up In Books EP (2004)
Marit Bergman - From Now On EP (2003)
The Besties - Singer (2006, Skipping Stones), 120 SEK Fractiondsics
Brittle Stars - Brittle Stars (2000, Shelflife), impossible to find
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken (2006)
The Cardigans - For What It's Worth (2003)
The Consultants - Work From Home (2005, Shelflife), 13.85 USD Cduniverse
Dear Nora - Dreaming Out ​​Loud (2001)
Douglas Heart -Douglas Heart (2003, Labrador), 149 SEK Dgr
Fibi Frap - How Fast Is Your Heart Beating EP (2004)
The Field Mice - Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way (1997, Shinkansen), totally fucking impossible to get this in mint condition without paying over the odds but I want it.
Free Loan Investments - Ever Been to Mexico EP (2002, Shelflife), 10.55 USD Cduniverse
The Gentle Waves - Green Fields of Foreverland (1999, Jeepster), 159 SEK Dgr
The Gentle Waves - Falling From Grace EP (2001)
Go Sailor - Go Sailor (1996, Lookout), 12.15 USD Cduniverse
Happy Birthdays - Happy Birthdays (CD-R, 2004), 35 SEK Dgr
Heavenly - vs Satan (1990), 12.89 USD Cduniverse
Hello Saferide - Would You Let Me Play This EP 10 Times a Day (2006, Razzia), 39 SEK Dgr
Looker - Looker EP (2006)
Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy (2006), 2.50 GBP Rough Trade
Mates of State - All Day EP (2004, Polyvinyl), 6.19 USD Cduniverse
Mates of State - Bring It Back (2006 Barsuk), 11.59 USD Cduniverse
The Maybellines - Chatfield Holiday (2002, Best Friends), 10 USD Tweekitten
My Favorite - Kids Are All Wrong EP (2003, Double Agent) 8.95 USD Cduniverse
Popsicle - Popsicle (1995)
The Positions - Bliss! (2006), 14.15 USD Cduniverse
Postal Blue - Road to Hapiness (2006, Humblebee), 55 SEK Fractiondiscs
The Primitives - Pure (1989)
Razorcuts - R Is for Razorcuts (2002, Matinée), 125 SEK Fractiondiscs
Razorcuts - A Is for Alphabet (2003, Matinée), 49 SEK Dgr
Red Sleeping Beauty - Singles (2000, Siesta), ahhhhhh how I want this.
Red Sleeping Beauty - Bedroom (1995)
Red Sleeping Beauty - Smile 7" (1995)
Rough Bunnies - Rough Bunnies Goes Pirate (2002)
Saint Etienne - Sylvie (1998), you find it on Ebay. I want the green one!
Saint Etienne - Good Humor (1998)
Shelflife Records - You're Still Young at Heart (2003), perhaps the best-ever collection. It includes Free Loan Investments - Rush Hour by The Shermans!
Shelflife Records - You Make Me Smile
Shelflife Records - One (2001)
The Shermans - Happiness Is Toy Shaped (2001, Shelflife), 12.50 USD Tweekitten
The Shermans - Falling Out ​​of Love EP (2001, Shelflife), 8.95 USD Tweekitten
Skypark - Summer Days Are Forever EP (1998)
Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993), 9.75 USD Cduniverse
The Snow Fairies - Feel You Up (2003, Red Square), it is impossible to get hold of if unless you order directly from Red Square.
The Snow Fairies - Get Married (2005, Red Square), 110 SEK Fractiondiscs. Worth buying just for the cover.
The Snow Fairies - Voila! (2006), directly from the band in that case.
The Softies - It's Love (1995), 14.97 USD Cduniverse
Stars - Ageless Beauty (2004), I once found it at Swedish mailorder Cdon and should had bought it then.
Stars - Set Yourself on Fire (2004), I want the US edition (it is not worth to buy the European version because of the ugly front cover)
Strip Squad - Just Obey! EP (2005), also impossible to get hold of now.
The Tidy Ups - Dizzy Heights EP (2006, Music Is My Girlfriend), 45 SEK Fractiondiscs
The Wilson Hospital - Call Me A.S.A.P. (2003)

All records except for Red Sleeping Beauty - Smile are CDs. Buy them from Fraction Discs, Delicious Goldfish Records (Dgr), Cduniverse, Tweekitten and Rough Trade.

Emma's House is empty

I can no longer remember how I came across this song. I was happy every time I heard it, I knew that the band was named Field Mice, and that was all that mattered. I had never heard of Sarah Records and many years would pass until I understood how things cohered. The universe, life, and pop music.

Ask me to put together a mix CD to a sympathetic person who likes pop music without knowing its history. Emma's House would be one of the first songs to be written down. I actually use to ask the DJ to play Field Mice when I go out. Sometimes people ask me what song I wished. When they find out, most just laugh. I take no offense, but Field Mice is a serious band for me. Occasionally people understand me, as on a night out in early September this year. I danced with a girl and we talked about what songs the DJ should play next. "Canada", I said. "Emma's House", she said. "Canada is better", I continued. "More people recognize Emma's House so it works better on the dance floor", she replied. "How about Canada after two when people have become drunk then?", I asked, smiling. She nodded and laughed. I do not remember if the DJ played any Field Mice for us but that was a nice night. It was in fact one of the best nights this fall (but not only because of that).

The world's best concert club is called Emma's House and lives in Mejeriet's facilities. That is of course no coincidence. Emma's House was the first song to be played after Language of Flowers' wonderful concert at Mejeriet last spring. The DJ Popscene-Daniel seems to have brought the tradition along as the same song was played immediately after Camera Obscura's show at Kulturbolaget. Unfortunately, Josef's concert club Emma's House is taking a break right now.

While we still speak about The Field Mice, I can take this opportunity to tell you that I really want the 2CD compilation Where'd You Learn to Kiss That Way. Too bad that it is virtually impossible to find in mint condition without paying over the odds. Well, it is time to round off today's post. This is just nostalgic waffle for those of you who already are familiar with The Field Mice. The rest of you should check out Emma's House as it is an excellent introduction to a very important band.

Five to six that's what the time is
The cold cuts through my shirt of cotton made
Five to six that's what the time is
Where you are
Where you now are
You have nothing to live up to
You have nothing to live down
Emma's house is empty
So why do I call it Emma's house?

Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy (again!)

I very rarely listen to music when I am out walking, but today I just did. I carried my portable CD player (which lacks shock-proof memory) and a CD-R with Lucky Soul, Mates of State, and Tilly and the Wall. The sun dazzled me when I walked past the hospital to the tune of Give Me Love and I forgot that the reason for my walk actually was that I had to clean up a backstage room. I was band host at last Friday's concert at Blekingska. It went really well and I hope that the other people think so too. I should had cleaned up among the bottles to the tune of The Tidy Ups though.

I have already posted the video of Lips Are Unhappy, but you can not write too much about Lucky Soul. Here is a legal mp3 link with my favourite Lucky Soul song. Their gig at Debaser is by the way rescheduled. They now play on December 15 instead. Also a damn date. Lucky Soul deserve better. 2007 anyone?

Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy

Aberdeen!

The last few days I have been incredibly tired and slept more than what is normal. I am probably going to get sick. I feel very worn out and right now life feels like a treadmill (though perhaps not as sweet as in this video).

I am not going to get more personal this time, because I have more important things to tell. Yesterday I discovered an old band that was new to me. I am leaving in an hour and have to eat, take a shower, and things like that so I will be very brief.

Homesick and Happy to Be Here is the record to look for and you can download the cosy song Sink or Float at Aberdeen's myspace.

Au Revoir Simone to Sweden!

Au Revoir Simone were supposed to visit Lund last spring. Mejeriet had printed flyers announcing that Vasthi Bunyan, Tralala, and Au Revoir Simone would be playing the same night. I called it the booking of the decade, I was lyrical, and it felt too big to be true. That was, indeed, the case. The mini-festival was cancelled.
Now it looks like Au Revoir Simone, after all, will come here in November instead. Their website show a European tour schedule which includes three gigs in Sweden.

Wednesday, November 15 - Uppåt Framåt in Gothenburg
Thursday, November 16 - Spy Bar in Stockholm
Friday, November 17 - Blekingska nationen in Lund

It is nice that Lund concludes the tour, but what the hell was the booking agency Monstera thinking when they set up a gig at Spy Bar? A 23-year old limit is not ideal for a pop concert.
Au Revoir Simone are from Brooklyn, just as so many other great bands. They have long way to travel, and I do not trust that they will come here until they actually stand on a scene in London.

Au Revoir Simone - Through the Backyard of Our Neighbours
Au Revoir Simone - Hurricane

Speaking of Au Revoir Simone, I also wonder who got the idea that Europe is equal to bad taste. Sure, their debut album Verses of Comfort, Assurance and Salvation was cheap on cdon (a Swedish mailorder), but I should had imported it instead. Anyone with the cover to the left who wants to change it for the cover on the right? No, I did not think so...

Friday Bridge - The Lady Julie

Please give us a date for the album. We are impatient!

I came here to see The Lady Julie. (I'm a week or so too late but bringing tulips.) Now, is it true what they told me happened to you, baby Julie? "Well", you say, "snow fell over me, then rain fell over me, then snow fell over me, then rain fell over me, then snow over again."

I know nothing about the meaning of the lyrics but it is so beautiful anyway.

Anna Ternheim - Girl Laying Down live at Musikjournalen

Watch this recording before the record company or P3 (the third channel of the Swedish national radio) remove it from youtube.

Goodbye Snow Fairies

When we wake up tomorrow The Snow Fairies are no longer. Their final concert is held tonight at eight o'clock at Popfest in New England. And I can not even say goodbye in a sensible way. I am tongue-tied.

thinking back to yesterday
a busride home, the starry sky
wishing I'd said everything
or drawn a picture of days gone by
 
I hope you don't think that I have nothing to say
I'm just tongue-tied
distracted by the pink of your cheeks
as you're walking away

feels like only yesterday
a bikeride home in summertime
you know what's inside my head
and that's just fine, cause now you're mine
 
I know you don't think that I have nothing to say
I'm still tongue-tied
enchanted by the pink of your cheeks and your smile
as you're walking my way

Camera Obscura and The Essex Green - Malmö October 7

We sat on the bus and suddenly the lights in all windows extinguished simultaneously. An explosion in an electric switchboard temporarily blacked out the electricity in Malmö, and that was the most unexpected thing that happened yesterday.

When I arrived at the venue Kulturbolaget I was told that the concerts would start later because of football. I did not even know that it was a Euro qualifier night. Lagerbäck's football philosophy is very boring and I do not care about our national team. I much rather watch Arsenal, or go to Malmö to attend concerts with Camera Obscura and The Essex Green. I had not seen any of the bands before.
I ran into an acquaintance of mine. He asked me which band I looked forward too the most. I said that I wanted to see both bands although I was a bit afraid that Camera Obscura would be boring. He answered that The Essex Green is the very definition of boring. I did not believe him then.

Camera Obscura entered the scene at 9:45 pm. Kulturbolaget is probably the world's worst place for concerts. Everything is very Brandon Walsh-like at that place. I thought that Camera Obscura would be the same but I was wrong. Very wrong.
Tracy Anne was handsome, beautiful, and very charming. A guy in the audience shouted I love you and I understood him. I myself was in love with Teenager, Lloyd, and wonderful Eighties Fan. Camera Obscura left their setlist on the stage after the show. I was a bit tempted to jump up and grab it, but I noticed that another boy who was a Camera Obscura fan had the same idea so I let him get it. The DJ played The Field Mice - Emma's House at that moment and the boy who was happy to get the setlist lived up as if it was the last song of life. Ever. I actually felt the same. I did not know it then, but Emma's House proved to be the best thing of yesterday.

The Essex Green started playing exactly at 11 pm. There is a clock on one of the poles on the stage at Kulturbolaget. It is probably placed there by the club manager who counts the seconds so that no band play longer than they should. Only at Kulturbolaget. After all, I have attended pop concerts at many venues, but I have not found a clock on the stage visible to the audience at any other concert venue.
The Essex Green opened their live set with the we're not breaking any records yet-song. It started well but the rest of their show really went downhill. A guy behind me constantly shouted Great Late. Damn tiring. Penny and Jack was fine, but The Essex Green disappointed me with their other songs. The Essex Green played their super hit in the end of the show, but it felt very lifeless. I do not understand how a super song like The Late Great Cassiopia could sound so boring live. How can you throw away such a song? Mrs. Bean was beautiful though and probably the best song in the live set. Otherwise, it mostly felt that singer Sasha Bell wanted to go home and she looked more at the setlist than the audience. I was not expecting The Essex Green to be boring, but they were in fact extremely boring. A long time has passed since a band let me down that much at a concert. Yet it somehow felt that The Essex Green were very happy to play at Kulturbolaget in particular and the people at Kulturbolaget were very happy to arrange a concert with The Essex Green.
The audience clapped the band half-heartedly for the encore. People clapped, but the pace of applause never increased. The Essex Green came back on the stage and played Julia, but I felt that I wanted to go home. Kulturbolaget should had changed the order of the bands since Camera Obscura was the only band which deserved encore this evening.


Camera Obscura: Eight out of Ten
The Essex Green: Six out of Ten

The Wilson Hospital - Call Me A.S.A.P.

Katie, Katie, Katie. Every time I try to write a few lines that capture her music I end up pressing delete, delete, delete. So far I have only managed to write one text (it is found at the label records if you want to read). So this time, I have only two things to say. Firstly, I forgot Alone among the favourite songs. Perhaps the finest song on the album. Secondly, I have not mentioned that Katie played with Morten Tromm in The Wilson Hospital before she started her solo career as Katie Goes to Tokyo. Prior to that, she played in Backfish. Forget about Katie for a moment and I will tell you a little about yesterday instead.

Strange enough, I was actually late last night. I came to Blekingska when only one hour of the day remained. I did not even have time to order at the bar before the first band went on stage. I was very confused yesterday. For once I did not know much about the bands and thus mixed them up. The first band Ultrasport played too fast for me to distinguish the bands. The second band Cats on Fire played Draw in the Reins as their last song. Draw in the Reins was in fact the only song I had heard by any of the bands prior to the show. Other people had fun, but I rated the two gigs as "good" only and certainly nothing to die for. At least it was better than being at home.

After the gigs, Fraction Discs started the music from the DJ booth. I had always thought that two boys ran the record store Fraction Discs. To my surprise a boy and a girl, who turned out to be a couple, stood and turned the discs. I liked their music and several times I thought "damn, what a great song", but it was impossible to dance to the music. I am not too sure about the regrowth among the pop kids either as no one was happy when The Sea Urchins - Pristine Christine was played, and the dance floor emptied almost entirely to the tunes of Shop Assistants - Safety Net. The night's best moment was when Tara Mascara faded into The Happiest Days of My Life. I picked up a few band recommendations by Jörgen but I was not so happy with his and Renée's efforts as DJs. Anyway, they were very nice (I wish that all DJs could be that nice) and it is hard to get mad at them when their record store is so good.

It did not get more exciting than this yesterday.

You may wonder what all this has to do with Katie. Honestly, I have no idea. What I do know is that there is another concert tonight, and that I am late again. I must eat, take a shower, and get ready. But first, a perfect song that sets the mood for the evening:

The Wilson Hospital - Call Me A.S.A.P.

Looker - Hope and Anchor

Just one more song.

So I said twenty minutes ago. I feel like I am always in a hurry on Fridays. The queue will probably be long tonigt and I hate waiting outside the club in the line. I hope that I am not too late.

I drink up, put on a short-sleeved shirt and tie my shoes. Put away the hof, take my denim jacket in one hand and the keys in the other. Look in the mirror one last time and then lock the door. The music stops and it is Friday night. Again.

What do you listen to before you go out?
Looker - Hope and Anchor


I am probably not late tonight. Friday is the best day of the week and I like to spend it at Blekingska.

The Essex Green - The Late Great Cassiopia

...and The Essex Green will play live after Camera Obscura. It was a wise decision to not pay 425 SEK to hear The Late Great Cassiopia at the Accelerator festival. All conditions are better this time.

What will they say?
What's the world, gonna do anyway, anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay?

The lyrics of The Late Great Cassiopia are posted here. What do I really want to hear at the concert? Penny and Jack? Mrs. Bean? They can play whatever they want as long as they play our song.

This weekend is going to be really good. This is a decent "schedule" to follow:
Friday: Cats on Fire + Ultrasport at Blekingska in Lund.
Saturday: Camera Obscura + The Essex Green at Kulturbolaget in Malmö.

Tracy Anne, I'm ready to be heartbroken

For a long time I thought that Camera Obscura were incredibly boring. Underachievers Please Try Harder made me sleepy and I never understood the reason behind the Scottish band's popularity.

Then I heard Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken this spring. I had never dreamed that Camera Obscura could sound like this. My resistance to the band was broken down and I admitted that I had been wrong about them all along. Now I am going to see Camera Obscura live on Saturday. The picture on their website with the band sitting in the grass is wonderful and I am hoping for a similar atmosphere on Saturday even though summer is over. I want them to play Eighties Fan which is really lovely.

Seems fine

Seems fine though it ain't no no no no
Seems fine though it aint' no no

I lie awake at night. I think of the future and know I have to make important decisions. There is much to say but I can not tell you this here. Not any more. The internet is not as anonymous as one might think, and I do not want to learn it the hard way.

When I woke up on Saturday I wrote an uninspired and uninteresting text about The Tough Alliance' "gig" at Blekingska last Friday. A meaningless text on a meaningless show. My sitemeter unfortunately showed that this is what people want to read about. How ironic.