Larz Kristerz plays "Purple Rain". For some reason, Prince hasn't sued them. Yet. [more inside]
posted by iviken on Jan 17, 2009 - 25 comments

These Beatles clips from a 1965 NME show are straight off the mixing desk, so the voices are way up front. Man, those vocals are so loud you can hardly hear Ringo! But let's back it up just a year, to Holland in 1964, and catch one of the rare performances without Ringo. Aside from his brief stint as a Beatle, session drummer Jimmy Nicol also played with zany Swedish instrumental surf rock band The Spotnicks. So, there you have it: Jimmy Nicol, a lucky fella who got to play with two of the greatest bands in the world! [NOTE: see hoverovers for link descriptions] [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on Jul 27, 2008 - 22 comments

Guitarist and singer José González's myspace page mentions [lots of youtube ahead] Low and Elliot Smith. And no review of the Swede whose parents left Argentina in the 1970s is complete without a reference to Nick Drake. But what about the influence of styles from the hemisphere his parents left behind? [more inside]
posted by umbú on Mar 22, 2008 - 25 comments

We used to call it speaking in tongues, now it's music. Introducing the fantastic Lindha Kallerdahl! A Swedish export, she's performed with Sonic Youth and won the "Jazz in Sweden" prize. Here's her site and here are a few samples on Myspace. I like "The Meaning of the..."
posted by borkingchikapa on Oct 30, 2007 - 13 comments

The Velvet Underground you never got to hear. Born from the same experimental influences and art-pop sensibilities as VU, but based in 60s counter-cultural Sweden, and rife with name changes galore, Pärson Sound aka International Harvester aka Harvester aka Träd, Gräs och Stenar (Trees, Grass and Stones) brought the heavy, heavy drone sound as far back as 1967 and are still active today. [more inside]
posted by stinkycheese on Sep 19, 2007 - 14 comments

SWEDEN.SE:Music gives you a selection of the best Swedish pop and rock music right now.
posted by mr.marx on Oct 25, 2006 - 16 comments

Hurdy Gurdy. Swedish techno band that uses only sounds sampled from the hurdy gurdy. [via NPR] [a little more inside]
posted by Squid Voltaire on Mar 9, 2006 - 12 comments

Let Them Sing It For You. Alternatively, you can Låt dam sjunga det åt dig. Also, a tree with birds in it, and Sound Carpets. Potentially lots more sound fun at the Swedish Radio page, although the exact quantity of fun you'll have depends on your ability to speak Swedish.
posted by nylon on Aug 18, 2005 - 9 comments

MeroMero Radio If you are interested in Japanese culture and especially that jolly Japanese pop music, then you might enjoy this podcast radio program made in Sweden. Nine one-hour-sessions has been made so far and each one focuses on a special artist or theme, and includes (at times) interviews with the artists themselves. The show's in English. The podcasts (ep. 7-9) in MP3 are available here. The radio programs (ep. 1-7) are also available here for RealAudio Streaming.
posted by iwanttobuild on May 25, 2005 - 4 comments

Swedish band postcards via a machine that generates excitement
posted by mookieproof on Sep 24, 2003 - 3 comments

Will the Swedes save Rock 'n' Roll? This New Yorker article takes a look at the recent popularity of rock acts like the Strokes (boo!) and the White Stripes (yay!), and ponders whether the return of true rock is at hand. The author seems ultimately to decide that rock's redeemers will be the Hives, a fun bunch from Sweden. (Link remorselessly lifted from Overstated.net)
posted by MonkeyMeat on Apr 17, 2002 - 37 comments

Check out the Milko Music Machine. It was chosen as the Macromedia Site of the Day and is hysterical! You can select video clips, vocals and music for a bovine music video. Moo, moo, moo.
posted by ljc on Dec 15, 2000 - 3 comments