Tinseling Thursday XVII

Here are the tinsels from Norwegian band Einar Stray Orchestra

 Einar Stray, founder of the band is known from his colaboration with Moddi. His band just released their second album "Politricks",  combining symphonic music, folk and some indie pop/rock, with a kind of Sufjan Stevens sauce. Listen to their latest release and title song "Politricks"

They blew my socks off with this live version of "Pockets full of holes" also from the album Politricks Here's some older work from the EP For The Country, this song is caled Caressed. Let's end with a soundcloud link with some older work, enjoy...

Misty Monday XXVIII

Today it's up to Arve Henriksen to lead us through Blue Monday

Arve Henriksen is a Norwegian trumpet player, renowned for his distinctive, flute-like sound on the trumpet, inspired by the sound of the Japanese shakuhachi flute. He also sings; his unique wordless vocalising was central to Chiaroscuro, where he often sings in a soprano's range. The control over his head voice is such that in "Opening Image" he could quite easily be mistaken for a woman. Arve recently made the album called "Places Of Worship". On this album he inhabits the space between these two worlds, in a series of tone poems and mood pieces located around religious buildings and ruins. Here's the song Lament Nice misty monday music isn't it? Arve made this album assisted by producers Jan Bang and Erik Honoré, Honoré who is also singing (very capably, and oddly for a Norwegian, in what appears to be an Irish accent) on the final track, “Shelter From the Storm”. And we end with the song Saraswati (the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts and science) have a nice blue monday!

Fiddles on Friday XVII

Today we have Norwegian Fiddler Ragnhild Furebotten

Ragnhild Furebotten is a familiar fiddling figure on the Norwegian traditional music scene, coming to the fore as part of the internationally renowned band Majorstuen and going on to further acclaim with various collaborations and solo projects. Her elegant tone, lightness of touch and palpable pleasure in performing has won her appreciative audiences and a number of awards. Her current project "Never on a sunday" is an innovative meeting with six horn players, exploring the music of her native north Norway region, with traditional tunes and her original compositions arranged by two of Norway's most celebrated jazz composers. The project was premiered at the Kalottspel Festival in August 2010 and taken on a successful tour before being recorded. The album has just been released and no doubt she can expect some more awards soon Here's footage of the first concert on Kalottspel with the brass ensemble: Helge Sunde, Geir Lysne, Frode Nymo, Anders Eriksson, Marius Haltli, Lars Andreas Haug. Action (music) start at 2.00 Sorry that there is no grooveshark, soundcloud or bandcamp stream so it's all youtube today. Here's the song Drevja

Warm Wednesday V

And warm it's going to be with Kråkesølv

Kråkesølv (Norwegian for "mica") is a pop band from Bodø Norway formed in late 2007 and began playing concerts in the spring of 2008 Kråkesølv current lineup consists of Thomas Trust, Petter Unstad, Frederick Olsen (the singer) and Christopher Unstad. I saw this Norwegian band on Youtube a year ago with this very heartwarming video and excellent performed song Utten Tittel. Again a DIY homemade video, those Scandinavian nights must be inspiring. You understand I was sold. They not only make beautiful indie guitar based music but the songs are companied with some very nice videos like Skredder. The proof is in the pudding and the pudding is music, what about this spontanious street concert? Play while walking :-) Here's the song Stødig som en bauta from their latest album Alle gode ting And here's a soundcloud link to again a song from the recent album alle gode ting

Misty Monday ll

Today we're going North with scandinavian singer/songwriter Moddi

Pål Moddi Knutsen aka Moddi is a Norwegian musician, and you can certainly hear the long winternights back in his music. It's very spheric and dark but not too heavy. The songs have very nice dynamics and variation between very intimate whispers to crying out loud. Violins and other folk influences are integrated in his great songs. My favourite song is called "Magpie Eggs" from his album "Floriography". His voice sounds a bit gritty (think Rod Stewart / Kelly Jones) but perfect for the misty monday blog. Here's the song MAGPIE EGGS And here you can see some DIY livingroom videoclip, I love this low-budget creativity This song is called "SILHOUETTE" An we end this misty monday with some SMOKE also from his album FLORIOGRAPHY.