Har du endnu denne?

Yesterday I had to run some errands, which led me to take a different route on the way to work. I walked by Niketown, which I don’t usually do, and they were playing Tonight I Have To Leave It. This reminds me of something I’ve never been sure of: whether or not Shout Out Louds are popular in America. I know they’ve toured a bit, and done some album releases, and there was this one kid at my old radio station who kept hiding their CD because he really liked it -- but I’ve nevertheless always felt that they’re kind of on the periphery of the American consciousness. Maybe I’ve always been wrong, maybe it’s the (admittedly awesome) new single that’s done it, or maybe it’s just some discerning-palated (can that be applied to aural (as opposed to oral) consumption stuff?) staff member putting his iPod on. I kind of think option three. But go percussion!

Anyway, Shout Out Louds will hit America again in October. They’re touring with fellow Swedes Johnossi (coincidentally the other band which always, stupidly, reminds me of the kid who hid the Shout Out Louds CD). 11. October they play in Portland, at Berbati’s -- of course a bar.

Other upcoming PDX shows:
(Well, this has nothing to do with Portland, but is relevant because I want to but cannot go: the 14. through the 23. of September -- Hello Saferide will be in Brazil. Yes, Brazil, for whatever reason -- her biggest fans are in Oregon.)

18. September – Peter Björn and John at the Crystal Ballroom, which is actually all-ages; however, tickets are 22 bucks and the whole unstable floor is sure to be packed with pseudo-hipsters with awful moustaches and/or gaudy tattoos who’ve only ever heard that horrible Kanye West version of Young Folks. (No link because trust me - you do not want to hear it.)

26. September – Amiina (Sigur Rós’ backing band) at the Doug Fir, which is a bar.

13. October – Figurines at Berbati’s, which is still a bar.

7. November – Jens Lekman at the Someday Lounge, which is a bar, too.

I have to stop doing this.

(On a related note, be sure to check out Willamette Week’s awesome cover story, Sonic Youth -- not about the band, but rather about the all-ages “scene” underage Portlanders have created for themselves. (It also explains why they can have beer at the Aladdin.) Good story, on something that needed to be seen. I find it interesting, though, that only one of the people interviewed for the story was actually an underage Portlander. Oh, well.)

Less discouraging -- upcoming releases:

9. September – Baby Cool (Oliver North Boy Choir)
You can stream it now on myspace. Following the format of their previous singles, there will also be a B-side (the absolutely gorgeous Generation Gap, maybe my favorite ONBC song ever, although that’s a distinction that’s hard to make), a cover, and a remix. This remix was done by Zvook Mescalin, the same group (of three teenage boys from Århus; what is it with teenage boys from Århus?) that did the awesome remix of Tiger Baby’s At Least I’m Honest a few months ago. (Search here -- that is, Ashtrays -- for ‘Zvook Mescalin’ and you’ll get the download link.)

11. September – Our Ill Wills (Shout Out Louds)
In America, anyway. I think it's out everywhere else.

12. September – Trivial Matters (Radio LXMBRG)
You can listen to two tracks on myspace: Score on the Floor, which has just been put up, and which is also downloadable, and Feel the Heat, which is older. You can’t download it, but go and listen anyway -- it’s awesome.

5. November – Lust Lust Lust (the Raveonettes)
Stream four tracks on myspace. If you search on here, somewhere there’s a link to download a fifth track, Dead Sound, which might still be active.

And NOW! – In anticipation of the 26. September release of The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Dreaming, Club 8 has released a second single, Heaven. Personally I prefer Love In December, which is older (from their self-titled 2002 album) but popped up on the Labrador site as a free download sometime in the last week. Always good.

--DL--
Score on the Floor (Radio LXMBRG)
Heaven (Club 8)
Love in December (Club 8)