Norwegian bands and artists

[Guybrush]

I do like the band De Lillos who were, at times, just slightly like early Talking Heads. I don't mean the music so much, but the characters in early De Lillos songs sound kinda naive and innocent or possibly autistic, a bit like the character in Don't Worry About the Government.

Unfortunately for you, De Lillos sing and play in Norwegian, but I'll post a few favorites anyways (which are all very old, of course).

The song that I believe made them famous is this, a song about wearing cool clothes, stupid clothes or no clothes at all on the buss

This one's also famous, about a guy whose girlfriend leaves him by driving off with a bunch of punkers while he's left to play table tennis with his dad.

I'll post a version from a TV performance so you can get a glimpse of the awkwardness that was Norwegian TV in the 80s.

I also really like this one about what it might be like to be a young guy caught in a conversation with an old alcoholic who's loving one minute and threatens with violence the next. I know what that's like.

[Guybrush]

A relatively popular Norwegian band is Jaga Jazzist, a band that mixes jazz and acoustic instruments with electronica.

I did listen to them for a short period of time and have been to a concert or two, but haven't really paid attention to them the last 15-20 years or so.

So this song was new to me (despite being 14 years old), but I like it a lot:

Their most popular is still the song Animal Chin from 2001's A Livingroom Hush, at least according to YouTube Music. This is the album that got me interested back in the day.

It sounds a bit like jungle / Aphex Twin inspired jazz which is kinda cool.

[robhr]

Anybody talk about Kim Hiorthøy yet? I like Kim Hiorthøy.

[Saulaac]

I forgot about Jaga Jazzist and didn't realise they were Norwegian! I remember their track 'Lithuania' which was really good and had some strings in there. Would have never have heard of them were it not for YT algorithms. 

[Guybrush]

I remember the title Lithuania, but not what the song sounded like. I'll take a listen 🙂 In Norway, they were quite popular, though never huge.

Anybody talk about Kim Hiorthøy yet? I like Kim Hiorthøy.

Who? I don't know this guy at all 🤔

[robhr]

I remember the title Lithuania, but not what the song sounded like. I'll take a listen 🙂 In Norway, they were quite popular, though never huge.

Who? I don't know this guy at all 🤔

Electronic music. IDM to be specific. If you're interested "Hei" is a good album.

[Janszoon]

So Kvelertak is a band I expect others might know, maybe more so than I do as I've only really checked out their debut. It made quite a splash when it came.

I don't dabble too much in metal and especially not the black sort (our biggest cultural export), but Kvelertak's fusion of hard rock mixed with elements from black metal makes for a potent mix and one I quite like 🙂

...

By the way, Kvelertak means Stranglehold and Fossegrim is a river faerie that looks like a young man, lives in a waterfall ("foss") and that can be persuaded to give violin lessons.

I could never really get into their debut, but I love their third album Nattesferd, especially the awesome 80s tribute of this track:

[Guybrush]

I could never really get into their debut, but I love their third album Nattesferd, especially the awesome 80s tribute of this track:

Hey, thanks for the tip. And good to see you back again! 😊 I like that song too, rather more upbeat than what I've heard before.

By the way, weird music video 😄 man gets back together with his old criminal cultist friends?

[innerspaceboy]

This week's Hearts of Space transmission (Pgm 1365, Feed Date: 2-16-24) showcases lyrical, atmospheric space jazz from Europe, with a focus on Norwegian composers on the ECM label.

I've had the set on repeat all weekend as I'm really enjoying the atmospheric ambient quality of the music.

From their official website:

INTRO : The British jazz saxophonist and clarinetist JOHN SURMAN has a style that's described as "intensely lyrical," a quality he attributes to his time as a choirboy and his upbringing in the verdant landscapes of rural west England. Surman sees the 20th century origins of jazz by black musicians in the U.S. as a melting pot of world music, with African, Creole, Spanish and other influences. These were eventually transformed into the speed and virtuosity of Bebop, which dominated jazz at mid-century.

Between the world wars, Europe had become a major venue for American jazz musicians. The genre took on influences from European folk and classical music, as  well as a wider range of world influences from the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. As a result, European jazz tended to be less abstract, more melodic, and more atmospheric than American jazz. The essential German jazz and New Music label ECM, founded in 1969, continues to document this repertoire in a catalog of over 1800 superb recordings, from which this program is drawn.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, lyrical jazz from Europe with a focus on Norway, a small country that produces a remarkable amount of great music, on a program called EUROJAZZ.

Set List:

JOHN SURMAN
  "On Still Waters" < 0:00->4:41 >
  "Byndweed" (edited) < 4:41->8:38 >
  : INVISIBLE THREADS; ECM Records 2588 B0027869-02; 2018
    http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Threads-John-Surman/dp/B077HKZH2P
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.johnsurman.com

TORD GUSTAVSEN QUARTET
  "Suite" (edited) < 8:38->14:57 >
  : THE WELL; ECM Records 2237 B0016444-02; 2012
    http://www.amazon.com/Well-Tord-Gustavsen-Quartet/dp/B0066GT7CE
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/tord-gustavsen

TERJE RYPDAL
  "By His Lonesome" < 14:57->21:44 >
  : CONSPIRACY; ECM Records 2658 089 5911; 2020
    http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Terje-Rypdal/dp/B08DC9ZRFP
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/terje-rypdal

TORD GUSTAVSEN QUARTET
  "Inside" < 21:44->25:58 >
  : THE WELL; ECM Records 2237 B0016444-02; 2012
    http://www.amazon.com/Well-Tord-Gustavsen-Quartet/dp/B0066GT7CE
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/tord-gustavsen

THOMAS STRØNEN / TIME IS A BLIND GUIDE
  "Fugitive Pieces" (extended) < 25:58->33:28 >
  : LUCUS; ECM Records 2576 B0027870-02; 2018
    http://www.amazon.com/Lucus-Thomas-Stronens-Blind-Guide/dp/B07794SPLL
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/thomas-stronen-2

ARVE HENRIKSEN and HARMEN FRAANJE
  "Redream" < 33:28->42:15 >
  "The Dark Light" < 42:15->46:06 >
  : TOUCH OF TIME; ECM Records 2794 587 0512; 2024
    http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Time-Henriksen-Harmen-Fraanje/dp/B0CPLNC9PB
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.arvehenriksen.bandzoogle.com; www.harmenfraanje.com

CRAIG TABORN
  "Diamond Turning Dream" < 46:06->50:11 >
  : AVENGING ANGEL; ECM Records 2207 B0015608-02; 2011
    http://www.amazon.com/Avenging-Angel-Craig-Taborn/dp/B004SQAF70
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.craigtaborn.com

ARVE HENRIKSEN and HARMEN FRAANJE
  "Passing on the Past" < 50:11->54:23 >
  : TOUCH OF TIME; ECM Records 2794 587 0512; 2024
    http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Time-Henriksen-Harmen-Fraanje/dp/B0CPLNC9PB
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.arvehenriksen.bandzoogle.com; www.harmenfraanje.com

KRISTJAN RANDALU, BEN MONDER and MARKKU OUNASKARI
  "Absence" < 54:23->58:59 >
  : ABSENCE; ECM Records 2586 672 2679; 2018
    http://www.amazon.com/Absence-Randalu-Monder-Ounaskari/dp/B079MSRSFY
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.randalu.com

[Lexi Darling]

@innerspaceboy Whoa, I had no idea Hearts of Space was still going. That's pretty cool. I have an uncle who was an avid listener of it who would have it on a lot when I was a young kid in the 90s, and it's something he and I were able to connect over once I got into space and new age music as an adult as well. Glad it's still around.

[innerspaceboy]

Indeed! The same original host for over 40 years.

I've been archiving the show faithfully every week and have all 1,365 episodes to date.

I also have an archival vinyl pressing of his first-ever transmission from 1983 titled, "First Flight"...



...and an official framed nebula art print from the station.



I'm a bit of a fan.

[grindy]

This week's Hearts of Space transmission (Pgm 1365, Feed Date: 2-16-24) showcases lyrical, atmospheric space jazz from Europe, with a focus on Norwegian composers on the ECM label.

I've had the set on repeat all weekend as I'm really enjoying the atmospheric ambient quality of the music.

From their official website:

INTRO : The British jazz saxophonist and clarinetist JOHN SURMAN has a style that's described as "intensely lyrical," a quality he attributes to his time as a choirboy and his upbringing in the verdant landscapes of rural west England. Surman sees the 20th century origins of jazz by black musicians in the U.S. as a melting pot of world music, with African, Creole, Spanish and other influences. These were eventually transformed into the speed and virtuosity of Bebop, which dominated jazz at mid-century.

Between the world wars, Europe had become a major venue for American jazz musicians. The genre took on influences from European folk and classical music, as  well as a wider range of world influences from the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. As a result, European jazz tended to be less abstract, more melodic, and more atmospheric than American jazz. The essential German jazz and New Music label ECM, founded in 1969, continues to document this repertoire in a catalog of over 1800 superb recordings, from which this program is drawn.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, lyrical jazz from Europe with a focus on Norway, a small country that produces a remarkable amount of great music, on a program called EUROJAZZ.

Set List:

JOHN SURMAN
  "On Still Waters" < 0:00->4:41 >
  "Byndweed" (edited) < 4:41->8:38 >
  : INVISIBLE THREADS; ECM Records 2588 B0027869-02; 2018
    http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Threads-John-Surman/dp/B077HKZH2P
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.johnsurman.com

TORD GUSTAVSEN QUARTET
  "Suite" (edited) < 8:38->14:57 >
  : THE WELL; ECM Records 2237 B0016444-02; 2012
    http://www.amazon.com/Well-Tord-Gustavsen-Quartet/dp/B0066GT7CE
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/tord-gustavsen

TERJE RYPDAL
  "By His Lonesome" < 14:57->21:44 >
  : CONSPIRACY; ECM Records 2658 089 5911; 2020
    http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Terje-Rypdal/dp/B08DC9ZRFP
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/terje-rypdal

TORD GUSTAVSEN QUARTET
  "Inside" < 21:44->25:58 >
  : THE WELL; ECM Records 2237 B0016444-02; 2012
    http://www.amazon.com/Well-Tord-Gustavsen-Quartet/dp/B0066GT7CE
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/tord-gustavsen

THOMAS STRØNEN / TIME IS A BLIND GUIDE
  "Fugitive Pieces" (extended) < 25:58->33:28 >
  : LUCUS; ECM Records 2576 B0027870-02; 2018
    http://www.amazon.com/Lucus-Thomas-Stronens-Blind-Guide/dp/B07794SPLL
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com/artists/thomas-stronen-2

ARVE HENRIKSEN and HARMEN FRAANJE
  "Redream" < 33:28->42:15 >
  "The Dark Light" < 42:15->46:06 >
  : TOUCH OF TIME; ECM Records 2794 587 0512; 2024
    http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Time-Henriksen-Harmen-Fraanje/dp/B0CPLNC9PB
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.arvehenriksen.bandzoogle.com; www.harmenfraanje.com

CRAIG TABORN
  "Diamond Turning Dream" < 46:06->50:11 >
  : AVENGING ANGEL; ECM Records 2207 B0015608-02; 2011
    http://www.amazon.com/Avenging-Angel-Craig-Taborn/dp/B004SQAF70
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.craigtaborn.com

ARVE HENRIKSEN and HARMEN FRAANJE
  "Passing on the Past" < 50:11->54:23 >
  : TOUCH OF TIME; ECM Records 2794 587 0512; 2024
    http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Time-Henriksen-Harmen-Fraanje/dp/B0CPLNC9PB
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.arvehenriksen.bandzoogle.com; www.harmenfraanje.com

KRISTJAN RANDALU, BEN MONDER and MARKKU OUNASKARI
  "Absence" < 54:23->58:59 >
  : ABSENCE; ECM Records 2586 672 2679; 2018
    http://www.amazon.com/Absence-Randalu-Monder-Ounaskari/dp/B079MSRSFY
  : Info: www.ecmrecords.com; www.randalu.com

Been listening to Arve Henriksen & Harmen Fraanje's Touch Of Time a lot lately. Huge fan of Arve and those two really vibe with each other.

[Lexi Darling]

Indeed! The same original host for over 40 years.

I've been archiving the show faithfully every week and have all 1,365 episodes to date.

I also have an archival vinyl pressing of his first-ever transmission from 1983 titled, "First Flight"...



...and an official framed nebula art print from the station.



I'm a bit of a fan.

I am too. His music selections and voiceovers were always a joy to listen to.  I'd love to go through some of those archives and see if I could find any specific episodes I might remember from my youth.

[Guybrush]

Alright, thought it might be time to mention a band you probably all know, Turboneger or Turbonegro abroad. This perhaps unfortunately named band was probably Norway's biggest rock band in the 2000s.

Just writing from memory, but I believe they emerged as a punk band in the late 80s and made records in the 90s. Their music was kinda edgy and they were also funny. By the mid 90s, they were churning out juvenile anthems like I Got Erection (from Ass Cobra).

While it was still a little rough, Turbonegro would get a real polish and reached their full musically commercial potential with 1998s Apocalypse Dudes, perfecting the commercial sound of what they dubbed Deathpunk. Their new polish was in part due to the inclusion of the very savvy Knut Schreiner aka Euroboy on guitar.

On Apocalypse Dudes, we got songs like the opener Age of Pamparius (about member Pål Pamparius' pizza joint):

We got one of the most lively drinking songs ever made in Get It On:

It's just balls on catchy party music:

People loved it and many still do. They got some good press abroad and rabid fans in countries like Germany were wearing denim and calling themselves Turbojugend.



I thought the nazi references (Hitlerjugend) were just ironic back then. I still do, but now I also think of it as a little unfortunate.

Anyways, the world should have been their oyster at this point but it wasn't to be as lead man Hank Von Hell had a serious heroin problem that needed treatment. Instead of capitalising on Apocalypse Dudes' success, they instead took a hiatus.

People did not forget them, though. Instead, their legend only seemed to grow and their music found a bigger audience even though they were sorta broken up. When they reformed to release 2003's Scandinavian Leather, everyone was primed and ready. That album was huge here.

It opened with the classic Wipe It Till It Bleeds:

We got Sell Your Body to the Night which is about what @jimmy jazz does every day.

We got the more brooding and symphonic Fuck The World:

And they had some help from the cast of Jackass who loved them, spread the word on television and used some of their music in their related TV productions.

Around this time, I was actually getting fairly saturated with Turboneger and so I wasn't very interested when their next album Party Animal came along, but it does sound like them and I'm sure it's good. In 2007 we got another album, Retox. I never listened to it.

Around 2010, Hank Von Hell got replaced by Tony Sylvester and they've made two more albums since.

Hank also had a rather public fight with some of his old band mates in the media about royalties and then died a few years ago. I think it was drug-related.

As I mentioned, I tired of them after Scandinavian Leather just from over-exposure, but now I'm thinking it might be fun to check out the albums that came after.

And TLDR; For your basic rock drinking music, they are great.

[jimmy jazz]

Lol I've heard of Turbonegro before. Was in another forum and the question was whether the name was problematic.