Year in Review - Best of ’07 Part I

Biggest Influence: Sweden

Even in its heyday, Australia only ever offered me Hunters and Collectors, The Church and a bit of Midnight Oil. But in just one year, Sweden has pretty much consumed my musical scope entirely. The bands I’ve gotten into that share an affinity for curling up on their POÄNGs, plunking some Pippi in the DVD player and chowing down on a smörgåsbord of meatballs and glögg include, but are not limited to: Loney Dear, I’m from Barcelona, The Knife, José González, Elias & The Wizz Kids, the Teddybears, Peter Bjorn and John, The Field, Moonbabies, Shout Out Louds and Detektivbyrån.

But that’s not all! Apart from music, there remains a surfeit of cool things that come out of this damn fine Nordic nation. For example, nine tenths of the Vancouver Canucks call Konungariket Sverige their home. And the Vancouver Canucks rule of course (when they’re not sucking that is). In addition, one of the finest footie players to ever pull on the hoops of Celtic, Henrik Larsson, is a Swede.




Sweden has a rich history in the field of popular music (and heavy metal!). Today, the country appears to be at the forefront of a new wave of both electronic music and gently satisfying bubblegum indie-pop as well. Proof of this… these days more Swedish songs than those of any other country employ the holy trinity of modern pop music: handclaps, whistling and ukulele! Throw in some xylophone/glockenspiel, tambourine, some horns and the odd cow bell and I’m-a done for.

So, in an attempt to give a little something back to the nation that I have reaped so much from this year, and in recognition of the entire country receiving the coveted FBS “Biggest Influence” award… here are a few unsolicited/ eye-catching/ promotional musical-entertainment-themed headlines for usage by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce (free of charge):

Sweden: The new Iceland
Sweden: Very few Finns live here!
Sweden: We’ve recently cut our hair-metal emissions by 15%!
Sweden: We’re not really from Barcelona ya know!
Sweden: We’re sorry about Roxette. That was a mistake.
Sweden: Blonder, bolder and less-ABBA’esque than ever before!
Sweden: We speak English better than you!

VIDEO Take me to the ballroom by Moonbabies
VIDEO Tonight I have to leave it by Shout Out Louds
VIDEO Young and hairy by Elias and the Wizz Kids