Hyped Norwegian act New Violators have signed with Playground Music and will release their as-yet-untitled debut album on February 23.

Here's an interview I did with White Williams for the LEO Weekly the other night. They put on an excellent show opening for Vampire Weekend, and I spoke very highly of their debut album, Smoke, here on Critical Acclaim last fall. Among other things, they discuss the meaning behind the title of their album, their recent show with Nine Inch Nails in Lexington, as well as some of the new material they're currently working on. LEO: Welcome to Louisville. There are some new members in the band now. Do you all want to introduce yourselves and tell [...]
Yesterday, I was "In the Club" with White Williams. Alfred University's Knight Club to be exact. After enduring a pretty generic rock band playing pretty generic rock songs and freshmen who had a bit too much energy and a bit too much inclination to mosh to absolutely anything, White Williams arrived. With very few lights on the small Knight Club stage, it was hard to see, but he looked particularly elfish with his button up shirt and rolled up dress pants. He and his two cohorts began what seemed like a sound check at first before launching into a sonic [...]

The CMJ music marathon starts on October 16, and if you're interested in new, interesting music from my country, you have several chances to see something great from Norway on this festival. Here is a playlist of music by the Norwegian bands/artists that are playing on this years CMJ: IDA MARIA ( http://www.myspace.com/idamari a ) Ida Maria - Oh my God! Ida Maria - Louie [...]

Yes, it's true. There is definitely a certain type of music that always seems to attract me. Lately it has been music that would have sounded more in place 20 years ago, than it does today. Continuing the recent parade of bands that owe most of their influences to 1980's Britain, is Norway's New Violators . Instead of name dropping all of the bands that they remind me of, I'll just tell you what I think of their music. I hate to dance and it makes me want to. The few songs that I [...]

It seems we are having a run in luck with shows here at The Music Slut... Last evening at the Mercury Lounge was unbelievable for a multitude of reasons. First, the New Violators put on a really fun set to start the evening off. They reminded me distinctly of a Norwegian Duran Duran, complete with the all white outfit and flock of seagulls hair style. Their sound is undoubtedly derivative, but they are fun nonetheless. Lead singer Per Borten is pure camp while the smiling drummer is whom really stole my heart away. [...]
The folks at The Onion have tag teamed with Tag Team media to put together a sweet lineup for this year's South By celebration, including Stereofave's Andrew Bird, Tokyo Police Club, and Land Of Talk. But their special touch comes...

DOWNLOAD: New Violators - Burma (MP3) From their official bio " New Violators is a newly formed 5-piece from Trondheim, Norway, which, following an already legendary first show at Oslo's Mono Club during Summer 2006, has quickly become THE name to drop in Norway. Armed with a sound situated somewhere between 'Born to Run', 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and Bowie's 'Let's Dance', the band has already attracted the attention of various tastemakers including Pitchforkmedia's Brandon Stosuy [...]
PHOTO: NORWEGIAN MOUNTAINS, BY TOPFER AT STOCK.XCHNG Some new and good norwegian songs for you. Most of these are from nrk urørt, bandsites and myspaces. The Royalties - Lady O the silver wheel - a very sweet song filled with Beach Boys-harmonies and happy choruses. The Royalties are a pop quintet originally from Kristiansund, Norway, but now based in Bergen. You can listen to more at their
The School platedebuterte på måndag med albumet Espionage. Under finn du ein smakebit frå plata, og på YouTube kan du sjå videoen til Bad to the Bone. 15.09 - Trondheim, Ramp 17.09 - Oslo, Last Train 19.10 - Trondheim, Blæst 10.11 - Bergen, Garage 11.11 - Stavanger, Cementen 12.11 - Farsund, Pakkhuset 13.11 - Arendal, Kulturkafeen 15.11 - Kongsberg, Energimølla 16.11 - Oslo, John Dee The School -
One thing to know about Oslo: Most people are honest (except cabbies), friendly (except customs agents), extremely beautiful (no exceptions), and obsessed with the export of their arts. So Øya is ostensibly an international festival, drawing on credible, on-the-rise indie...