Webcuts Music

As anticipation mounts for the release of their upcoming third album The Suburbs, Arcade Fire commence on a brief hit-and-run tour of intimate and out-of-the-way places in Europe, somehow finding themselves performing on a moat in the middle of a limestone quarry in Sweden. For a band like Arcade Fire, such inventive and idyllic surrounds seem apt, but it only poses the question — How hard can a quarry rock?

It’s summertime twee pop hour and who better to soundtrack but ex-Heavenly and Talullah Gosh popsters back with their third album.

A great band once sang “I’m beginning to like country music. They say that’s the first sign of age” and during the last few years I have seen more and more friends go over to the side of banjos, boots and beards. Maybe age is catching up with us but it could also be that country has sneaked its way into the indie scene more and more, being mixed with folk, rock and pop.

Could it a new album from Swedish indie popsters The Radio Dept. is almost due? According to Labrador Records, their next album Clinging to a Scheme is being released on April 21. Rumours of a third long player started circulating already in 2007 and when the single “Freddy and the Trojan Horse” was released in early 2008 it seemed the wait was almost over but as an old Swedish proverb says “the one who is waiting for something great can never wait too long”.

Ex-Concrete Victoria Bergsman heads to Pakistan to seek inspiration for her second album as Taken By Trees.

The third day of Sweden’s 2009 Way Out West is a quieter affair but we still manage to squeeze in Patrick Wolf, Jenny Wilson, Vampire Weekend, Wolfmother, Lily Allen, My Bloody Valentine and Deerhunter.

Pain by name and by nature? Leaving the confines of Nouvelle Vague, French singer Mélanie Pain releases her debut album sung in both English and French.

Sweden’s masters of lo-fi grunge and alt.country Loosegoats reform for three summer concerts including Gothenburg’s Way Out West festival.

For the third year in a row the brains behind Way Out West bring us a great mix of interesting newcomers, some acts who are just beginning to find their stride and a couple of absolute legends. On the 14 of August 2009 it is time, once again, for lovers of good music to take over Slottskogen in Gothenburg.

Last year the band reformed and did a one-off gig at Debaser in Stockholm. This year was Gothenburg’s turn. For one night we all got to be teenagers again