I am off to Germany for a few days so here is a condensed look at some of the bands I have come across recently:

Je Suis Animal are Norwegians who claim to take influences from The Shop Assistants, Pastels, Joy Division, Talulah Gosh, The Sugarcubes and my Bloody Valentine to name but a few. They have three songs for streaming/download on My Space, two of which are pretty good. These are former single Fortune Map and a track called Labyrinth Game which sounds like Manhattan Love Suicides going up against Liechtenstein. Both these tracks were released in 2005 so I am not sure what they sound like now. If it's like the messy third track available Sparkle Spit let's find a time machine quick!


Je Suis Animal - Fortune Map
Je Suis Animal - Labyrinth Game
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The Triangles are an indie band from down under whose latest album Seventy Five Year Plan was released earlier this year. The band have made three tracks from the album available as mp3 downloads and pretty good they are too. Like most indie pop bands around there are plenty of folkish references amongst these songs and if you like Aberfeldy, Camera Obscura or The Hermit Crabs then this band are for you. [My Space link]

The Triangles - Meat Blanket
The Triangles - Will It Float

There's load more to download from previous releases at the bands site.
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Keeping with the folky theme Kris Ellestad is from Alberta, Canada and has an album called Third Person available. It's released under the Creative Commons license and whilst I have not heard it all the tracks I have heard are pleasant enough. The album can be found here

- Scabs
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Have I ever written about two Norwegian bands in the same post before? I don't think I have so here is a first. Jeremy hail from Stavanger and have just released their single called Make Love Not War. It has taken a couple of listens for me to get into it but it reminds me of Irene going up against The Tacticians which means thumbs up all round from the pop jury. The single can be streamed via My Space alongside two other tracks which are just as good. I had better put some pennies away for this one.

Jeremy - Miss You
Jeremy - You're Alright
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Now time for a bit of shoegazing. Tears Run Rings have just released an EP which is a split release on Sweden's Lavender Recordings and the US label Disaster Club. It's called A Question and an Answer EP and the title track is available for streaming on My Space. Also on My Space are two demo recordings of new tracks which demonstrates the band certainly going in the right direction.

Tears Run Rings - A Question and an Answer
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It's last orders!

Here are some others I have come across recently and who are worth a listen or two:

Mono Taxi When a band gets praise from the likes of the NME, Playlouder and Drowned In Sound I tend to ignore them. For once those three may have a point.
Your Light Now Swedish band with one eye on 1980's New Wave and the sounds of today. [My Space link]
La Famille Catastrophe I have written about this lot before. Tracks have been alternating so check them out.
The Voices - Welsh shoegazers who I must check out further. [My Space link]
Lilak - Heartfelt Swedish indie folk. Go forth & stream these lovely tunes.
Hong Kong In The 60s - London based indie popsters who have some melodic pop songs.

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