1) Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam
2) The Hives - the best live band on the planet
3) The Swedish Chef on the muppets
4) Volvos and Volkswagens
Now I have another reason: The Ark.
This quintet that hails from Malmo, Sweden are all about bringing back glam rock. With a touch of ABBA, a dash of Queen, and a helping of Leonard Cohen they completely differentiate themselves from the guitar-heavy indie bands on the circuit now. What's more, lead singer Ola Salo is the kind of frontman that demands your attention. Regularly donning hot pants, he could easily share outfits with Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters, but lucky for Ola, he doesn't have to share the stage with Ms. Ana Matronic. He has it all to his own, and in a recent Time Out New York interview he made it know that he is out there to be a stage presence:
It's your duty as an artist to get up there and bloody perform! Taking people's time without filling it with something is the one and only crime a performer can commit. People who turn their eyes toward me deserve to see something out of this world. You want them to experience something biblical, something grandiose. Being a diva isn't only for your own good as an artist, it's for the good of humanity.
And really, who can argue with that? An amazing performance at the Bowery = drunk and happy New Yorkers = world peace. Obviously.
Speaking of, they are playing Bowery Ballroom on June 28th.
The Ark released their third album, "State of the Ark," on April 11. Buy it here.
Check out their myspace page here.
Band website here.
1 comment:
Can we get some love for Sverige also leading the way towards a sustainable future???? I've updated my blog w/ a link to this gem of musical insights - www.strategiesforsustainability.blogspot.com
because the connection b/n music, sustainability, drunken revelry and world peace is all too clear, (seriously). Also, my favorite band from "Swedish Idol" was called the Poodles, they are amazing. i thought you might appreciate that.
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