Look what blew in from Sweden...

Swedish folk-pop! Yay! The Heart-Sick Groans are a 3 piece from the northern forests of Sweden and have a new EP coming out next month! I think it will be perfect for those sunny winter days.

Here's the super cool paper cutout action video for their new song "Three Day Blow." (My titling skills are unparalleled, eh?)

Erik Hallden

He reminds me a whole lot of Jens Lekman (being a huge fan of Jens' stuff I'd say that's a very good thing), and it's not just his being Swedish. Anyways, "If I Ever Get Married" is a really good song, and the music video is thoroughly entertaining (and thanks to the censors, you can watch it at work). Erik has those wonderful songwriting skills that make Jens so enjoyable, and the perfect voice to match. If it were summer right now, I'm sure this would be one of my jams. Since it's more like fall, I guess it'll have to be an autumn jam.


Here, download it!
If I Ever Get Married .mp3

And for the fun of it, here's some Jens
A Sweet Summer's Night on Hamer Hill .mp3
Wrap Your Arms Around Me .mp3

On an unrelated note...Chocolate Lucky Charms, not so good.

The Social Services can be your friend

That's why they put out a stellar new single. Free for download! Sharing is caring, you know, and friends care. They want to get us excited for their new album, It's Nothing Personal, It's National Security, which comes out on Stereo Test Kit Records October 6th. I'm pretty amped on the single. The Baltic Sea is an ode to the wonders of Sweden and its inhabitant's shining demeanor. Anyways, if the whole album is as epic as the single, well, it'll be a really good album.

The Baltic Sea .mp3

And as an added bonus...

The Final Countdown .mp3

Tada Tátà!

are from Umeå, Sweden, and have only two members: Tátà and her camera-shy friend. They play super catchy, super-minimal pop. I'm having trouble figuring out who they remind me of, but I assure you it's something wonderful. Something like The Winks, meets Uni and her Ukulele, meets Pipas. Maybe. But Swedish. Anyways, it's super pretty. I mean super pretty. I mean I've had the few songs on their myspace on repeat for a while now and don't plan on stopping. They have some things coming out sometime this fall, which I will surely be ordering.

Stick Dumb Gum mp3
Ebony mp3