March 11, 2020 Playlist

"Ta Det Lugnt" by Dungen (2004)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Dungen "Ta Det Lugnt"  2004 (Sweden)
The Swedish band Dungen (which means something like "Grove" or "Meadow") is a vehicle for songwriter Gustav Ejstes and has been one of the top psychedelic rock bands of the 21st century. Their style combines the classic sounds of flowerpower-era Beatles with Hendrixian guitars and the cosmic vibes of Pink Floyd. Ta Det Lugnt ("Take It Easy") was their fourth album and the first one to gain much attention outside of Sweden (it even got them a gig on Conan O'Brien's show - a notable feat since all their songs are in Swedish). After releasing seven albums during the 2000's decade, they slowed down and only released two albums in the 2010's decade, most recently a vinyl-only instrumental soundtrack LP in 2016.
In Japanese music news, Haru Nemuri released a new single last week: "Riot" is a song she's been performing in concert for over a year, so this one was expected (turn on closed captioning for the English translation - a typical Haru catharsis theme: "we're all going to die and God doesn't care, but I will sing to remind you to enjoy life while you can.") Along with the new song came news of her sophomore album: Lovetheism (2020) will be released on March 20 to coincide with her first North American mini-tour! (Unless that stupid virus prevents her from travelling, ugh!)
I also couldn't help but serve up another offering of Dempagumi.inc this week (their next album comes out in April). Their breakout album World Wide Dempa (2013) featured a pair of Top 10 hit singles which were self-referential pop mini-operas: "W.W.D." (in this clip, Eimi cracks up the rest of the band by imitating their voices doing a solo karaoke version of the song) and "W.W.D. II" (the video depicts a future version of the group in the year 2020(!) where everybody but Pinky! has been replaced, a bittersweet twist on the lyrics which are about how they plan to stick together - ironically, they really have replaced two members since then, thus can't perform this song anymore as it prominently features the names of the departed members in the lyrics). The titular track of their triple-CD(!) greatest hits album "WWD BEST" (2016) was something of a sequel to those two songs. Here's a sampling of the translated lyrics to give you a taste of their NERD POWER: "Exceptional, nonstandard! Our special framework breaks the idol business rules. DEMPA BIG BANG!! We'll light up the world and sing to tell you how it shines. We're an awkward sextet. We broadcast ever-extreme-super-duper DEMPA all over like crazy!! . . . DEMPA Dempagumi has a "." and "inc" - don't fret the details, but keep that in mind OK? Let's go with all our might! We haven't made enough of a ruckus, not yet!"
(N) = New Release
   
Artist Song Album Year Country
Nina Hagen Komm, Komm ("Come, Come")Was Denn . . . ? (N - compilation) ("Then What . . . ?")rec. 1974 (2020 Amiga)Germany
Betty DavisThis Is It!Nasty Gal1975USA
BirthaJudgement Day (Redbone)Birtha1972USA
Sly & The Family StoneLoose BootySmall Talk1974USA
David Bowie1984Diamond Dogs1974UK
Gentle GiantJust The SameFree Hand1975UK
 
 
Haru Nemuri RiotLovetheism EP (N - forthcoming album)2020 (TO3S)Japan
Grimes 4ĈMMiss Anthropocene (N)2020 (4 A.D.)Canada
Guided By Voices Stone Cold MoronSurrender Your Poppy Fields (N)2020 (GBV Inc.)USA
Wire CactusedMind Hive (N)2020 (Pink Flag)UK
Tame Impala Tomorrow's DustThe Slow Rush (N)2020 (Interscope)Australia
Tame ImpalaExpectationInnerSpeaker2010Australia
   
 
DungenPandaTa Det Lugnt
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
2004Sweden
DungenDu E For Fin For Mig ("You're Too Fine For Me")Ta Det Lugnt
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
2004Sweden
DungenTa Det Lugnt ("Take It Easy")Ta Det Lugnt
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
2004Sweden
DungenFrank's Kaktus ("Frank's Cactus")Allas Sak ("Anyone's Thing")2015Sweden
   
 
The Skull DefektsVenomDances In Dreams Of The Known Unknown2014Sweden
King Gizzard & The Lizard WizardCold CadaverPaper Mache Dream Balloon2015Australia
PondWhen It ExplodesBeard, Wives, Denim2012Australia
Old Time RelijunVeleno Mortale ("Deadly Poison")Catharsis & Crisis2007USA
The Omar Rodriguez-Lopez QuintetSpared From The Insult ListApocalypse Inside Of An Orange2007USA
LiarsVox Tuned D.E.D.Mess2014USA/Australia
ZappBrand New PlayerZapp1980USA
   
 
Sly & The Family StoneLuv 'n' HaightThere's A Riot Goin' On1971USA
Bill Cosby /
Badfoot Brown & The Bunions Bradford Funeral Marching Band
AbuseBill Cosby Presents Badfoot Brown & The Bunions Bradford Funeral Marching Band1972USA
Nina Hagen BandAfrican ReggaeUnbehagen ("Discomfort")1979Germany
   
 
Dempagumi.incW.W.D.World Wide Dempa2013Japan
Dempagumi.incW.W.D. IIWorld Wide Dempa2013Japan
Dempagumi.incWWD BESTWWD BEST (compilation)2016Japan
             
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