The blogs are buzzing with yesterday's announcement, via a terse yet sincere statement on their website , that Athens, GA hometown heroes R.E.M. are calling it quits after three decades on the road, the radio, and the cultural consciousness. We first covered the genre-defining band back in 2009, so rather than rehash their path from college radio to iconic mainstream success, we're taking the opportunity to revisit that older post today in memoriam - with a couple of bonus covers of Losing My Religion , from more recent CLD faves Amber Rubarth [...]
Anyone who's read any (well, most) of my previous contributions to this blog will know that I am more than a tad taken by this Swedish indiepop malarkey, and need no second - or indeed first - invitation to blather on about it. In fact, such is my infatuation with all things 'Swindie' that I've probably said all I have to say on most of my favourite Swedish acts on Too Much Apple Pie, over the past few years. But this doesn't, of course, stop the music itself being great. So what I thought I'd do now, like, [...]
I received an email the other day whose subject line teased "Grizzlybear24 has shared a song with you on Grooveshark!" Well, it was my friend Michael linking me to a recent cover of a decades old song by Judee Sill, "Jesus Was A Cross Maker". The cover was by the Swedish singer Frida Hyvonen and it's a bruised and battered song of trying to hold on to a tempestuous and doomed relationship that is melting away. "Blinding me his song remains reminding me he's a bandit and a heartbreaker Oh but Jesus was a crossmaker" Judee [...]
Well, one of them's a cover version, but you get my drift. Marit says that "these are the last songs that I will be releasing for a long time" and adds, mysteriously, that she'll be concentrating on unspecified other projects for the time being. Suppose we'd better make the most of these, then. Marit Bergman - He Will Never Be Your Boyfriend mp3 Marit Bergman - Free Falling (Tom Petty cover) Marit Bergman - Hunting mp3 (right click) Actually, this gives [...]
Inevitably, a love of coverage leads to a constant, ever-vigilant search for thoughtful, well-crafted reinterpretation. I spend hours each week mining full albums for the hidden cover song, and scanning MySpace and email inbox for the promotional, the one-off acoustic in-studio radio track, and the otherwise unreleased singleton, and the endless discovery is eminently worth the pursuit. But there's no question that tribute albums are the cover lover's bread and butter. I gather these things in like truffles, and hold a special place for them in my heart and in my [...]
The Internet is a funny place. You can make a soul-felt connection with someone and not even know what they look like. Through this blog, I have "met" many people I like very much, feel connected by our interests in music, and consider friends. One of these has been Merz at Mars Needs Guitars blog. In addition to music, we connected over our shared battle against chronic depression. This past week, he made a decision to end Mars Needs Guitars and go offline. This post is to honor that decision and allow me [...]
Crayon Angel: A Tribute To The Music of Judee Sill features Beth Orton, Ron Sexsmith, Final Fantasy, Marisa Nadler, Frida Hyvönen, and Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear among others covering the songs of folk singer-songwriter Judee Sill . The album will be released on September 22nd. With the exceptions of Ron Sexsmith's performance of the album's title track and The Bye Bye Blackbirds' take on "There's A Rugged Road" (my personal favorite of Sill's songs - Shawn Colvin 's version is also great), [...]
It's one of my favourite places on the 'net, yet I barely understand a word of it. Swedish-language music and popular culture website PSL is such a boon for me because it's full-to-bursting with specially-filmed live performances of individual songs in all kinds of unlikely places by a multitude of top artists and bands. This month alone PSL-shot promos have appeared on the site by M. Ward, The Ladybug Transistor, The Weakerthans, Hanna Hirsch, Skansros, David Sandström Overdrive, and Tobias Fröberg. (Spike and me once met Tobias Fröberg in the bar after a gig where he'd [...]
FRIDA HYVONEN on MySPACE . [ MP3 ] "Enemy Within" [2007's #5: ARCADE FIRE : NEON BIBLE ] [2006's #5: NOW IT'S OVERHEAD : DARK LIGHT DAYBREAK ] [2005's #5: DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE : PLANS ]
On this day, we conclude another year here on The Yellow Stereo, one that has once again brought us a smorgasbord of new and exciting music. In my opinion, 2008 provided a lot of "very good" albums, but not many that I outright loved. It was a year that also brought forth new albums from old favourites like Portishead, The Verve, and The Notwist, though, not all of them really lived up to expectations. We also had mainstays from years past, like Of Montreal, who seem to have mysteriously fallen off my list. I think in [...]
It's REALLY cold here in central Ohio. And snowy. I have been up since like 2 in the morning, so I think I will be spending this Saturday night just hanging out, listening to music and compulsively listing some more things. Crazy fun. Short lists though. My lack of an attention span won't allow me to go more than two or three songs per category. First up, my three favorite song titles of 2008. Which is really hard to widdle it down to, and completely unscientific, but I am giving it a shot any way. I [...]
Knotan With her 2005 (2006 in North America) debut Until Death Comes , Swedish songstress Frida Hyvonen established herself as a distinctive new voice, capable of veering from stark confessionals to demented whimsy at the drop of a hat. I base this as much on my recollections of her deliciously entertaining March 2007 performance at the Mod Club as I do from whatever impression the album itself made because, well, I no longer seem to have a copy of the album around to refer to. But [...]
Blimey o'reilly guv. As if all those Presidential coincidences the other day weren't spooky enough (see previous post), just as I'm about to post a track from Silence Is Wild , the new album by the Kate Bush-inspired Frida Hyvönen, I see Davy from The Ghost of Electricity has written a post on la Bush herself, this very morning. Not only that but the track he's posted is December Will Be Magic Again ; while there just so happens to be a song entitled December on Ms Hyvönen's new album. What can it all [...]
I knew I was going to love this new album, 'Silence Is Wild' from Frida Hyvonen after about 90 seconds into the opening track, 'Dirty Dancing'...yeah, I was totally hooked. I love her conversational, sentimental lyrics. She reminds me of a female Jens Lekman - and coming from me that is super high praise! Here is the track that started my love affair...enjoy! Frida Hyvonen - 'Dirty Dancing' MP3
Still buzzing from last night's election results? It seems my computer certainly has, as it refused to work at all today and resulted in a late posting of this week's Graboid. Anyways, this week brings us a couple of releases which include the US release of Travis' sixth studio album Ode to J. Smith and The Lucksmiths' First Frost , their first new album since 2005's excellent Warmer Corners . Outside of those two big names, the rest of the pack include many lesser-known, but still decent releases [...]
FRIDA HYVONEN on MySPACE . From the LP SILENCE IS WILD , 2008 >>> [ MP3 ] "London!" [ MP3 ] "Birds" From the LP UNTIL DEATH COMES , [...]
Another not-so-notable release week. I know it's not that exciting when the two releases I'm looking forward to most are from a classical composer ( Johann Johannsson ) and a split EP with two artists I don't own anything by ( Thursday / Envy ). My guess is people don't want to drop an album on an election day. Can't blame them. It probably explains the huge release weeks we've had through the fall up until now, too. I'll also be checking out Black Moth Super Rainbow , Travis , [...]
Who: Marnie Stern When: November 28th + 29th Where: Music Hall of Williamsburg + Santo's Party House More Dates Should You Go: Any chance you have to see the finger tapping goddess known as Marnie Stern must be taken at all costs! Simply put she is one of the finest musicians out there today and her songs are pure magic. Do not miss these shows! Listen: Marnie Stern - "Don't Stop Believin'" (via
Good news ahoy! Talented Swedish piano-botherer Frida Hyvönen has a new album out on November 4th (or October 29th, if you're in Sweden). Silence Is Wild can be pre-ordered from here . Here's the first single, Enemy Within , which Frida has very generously made available for free download at her website . (you'll have to excuse her if her voice doesn't sound quite as strong as usual BTW, but as you can see from the pic she's been feeling a little horse of late) [...]
Cover Lay Down
Too Much Apple Pie
Teenage Kicks
speed of dark
Muruch
a PLAGUE of ANGELS
The Yellow Stereo
The Swill Merchant
Chromewaves
Squid Can
BUZZGRINDER
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted
Out This Week 2/14
Diplo - "Climax" (MP3 Stream)
Jackback Feat. David Guetta & Nicky Romero – Wild One Two
Skrillex Uses Satanic and Homosexual Influence to Win Grammys
Jack White – Love Interruption [Music Video]
