Artist of the week...The Man No. 9

This week I want to share a single music video/song from the Euro Electronic Punk band The Man No. 9. The group consists of multiple members all from different European nations. I came across this song while reading a blog by one of my favorite musical artists, Erlend Øye. He mentioned that one of his favorite up and coming bands were The Man No. 9. So naturally I checked 'em out and this is what I found. Enjoy...

The Man's Party Program

Artist of the week...Röyksopp

You will come to find that I am a little bias when it comes to musicians from Norway. This week, I want to tell you about my favorite electronic music group from the great northern nation.

Röyksopp, from Tromsø, Norway is composed of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. They officially formed in 1998 and released their debut album Melody A.M. in 2001. Brundtland and Berge went to school together in Tromsø, it was at that time they first experimented with electronic instruments. However, the duo did not appear as Röyksopp until years later when they met again in the city of Bergen, a vital scene for underground electronic music. The band worked with other Norwegian musicians such as Frost, Kings of Convenience’s guitarist/singer Erlend Øye.

Not only is Röyksopp's music very alluring, their music videos are very innovative and at times a bit psychedelic. See "Poor Leno" from their first album Melody A.M.



I highly recommend you check these guys out. So far they only have three albums, but each one is PACKED with great content. I can listen to all three without having the desire to skip over any tracks. You may actually be VERY familiar with some of their music and not even know it. Currently "Remind Me", one of the two Röyksopp and Erlend Øye collaborations found on Melody A.M., can be heard in a Geico car insurance commercial. The commercial is the fourth of the "It's so easy a caveman could do it" ads, and features a caveman in an airport terminal when he comes across the inflammatory ad campaign.



CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL SONG

*Random fact, the word "Röyksopp" literally means "smoke mushroom" in Norwegian and is also known as a puffball mushroom. This same word can also be used to describe the mushroom clouds that are the result of atomic bombs, so this imagery is also inherent in their name.

Artist of the week...Goldfinger

This weekend I rediscovered my love for the Ska band Goldfinger. As I often do on the weekend, I found myself browsing the music section at Best Buy and I came across the new Goldfinger CD, "hello destiny..." I couldn't resist, I had to pick it up.

Goldfinger was formed in 1994. Their edgy combination of brass horns and electric guitars has helped build the foundation and popularity of the Ska genre.

I discovered Goldfinger my freshman year in college (1999) while working as a disc jockey for the college radio station. I found that not only did the band have very catchy tunes, the music brought along with it a ultra positive vibe AND it rocked. That is one thing that I REALLY like about Ska, it usually brings with it a positive and upbeat feeling

If you like Reel Big Fish, No Doubt(early years), or Sublime, you should look into Goldfinger if you haven't already.


Click here to listen to RIO (Duran Duran Cover).

Artist of the Week...Kings of Convenience

I have decided to bring an element of consistency to my blog. You would probably guess already that I am a HUGE movie and TV buff. But I have paid little attention to another passion of mine, music. I have decided that once a week I will write up a little ditty about one of my favorite bands, songs or music videos.

For my first EVER entry, I want to focus on one of my favorite bands, Kings of Convenience.

During my time living in Norway, I saw one of their music videos on MTV, fell in love with the song, but was never able to find the CD. Then I randomly came across the album, Quiet Is the New Loud, at a local library. After listening through it one time, I instantly became a fan. Ever since then "KOC" has been at the top of my "most played songs" list on my iTunes. Erik Glambek Bøe and Erlend Øye, two UK-based musicians, originally from Bergen, Norway, first played together as a vital part of a Norwegian Indie band. That band split-up and the duo began performing self-written material on a regular basis, calling themselves Kings of Convenience. Their mellow style has been labeled as a key component of the New Acoustic Movement. In fact, the title of their second album has been adopted as the movements unofficial motto: "Quiet is the new loud." Bands that have been linked to the movement include Turin Brakes, Kings of Convenience Starsailor, David Gray, Coldplay and I am kloot.

Below is the video that started it all for me. "Failure" By Kings of Convenience.



Check them out. I promise you will like them.

• Listen to their ENTIRE new album, "Riot on an Empty Street.

• See all their albums, and the music video for "I'd Rather Dance with you than talk with you."