Free single: "Glow"

Wednesday - January 13th, 2010


The Black Swedes have just released their newest single: "Glow"

If you post it on your facebook page, you can download it for free today!!

Check it out here.

Back in the studio

Tuesday - January 12th, 2010


Matt and I were back in the studio with Josh Evans trying to tie up the final loose ends on the four tracks we started last year. As of now, we are looking to release this group of songs sometime during late spring.


tentative tracks:
  • God Can't Claim
  • Call
  • The Decline
  • Horns

In the mean time, Black Swedes will be releasing a free ep in the coming weeks. This will be material that we recorded before the newest Swedes were found.

Look out for it!

Ian

Lake City Poets Record Out Now!

Wednesday - July 8th, 2009


Over the last few years a amazing group of musicians led by Seattle-based poet Mark Swanson have been quietly working together as the Lake City Poets. This group includes Jeremy Enigk and William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate), Terrance DH (Magstatic and the Stench), Tyler Jensen (the Limbs), Josh Myers (Producer; Rosie Thomas, Jeremy Enigk), and Greg Williamson (Producer; Sunny Day Real Estate and Bend). The group also includes Jens Nordal, Kaanan Tupper, Mark Servine, Chris Zoeger, Jeff Warmer, Dalton Brand, and myself.


The final product of the 14 artist's efforts is now out on Cydonia Records. Right now you can pick the record up at Left Hand Books at Pike Place Market (92 Pike St #B), $5.

So if you like a little spoken word now and then, do what needs to be done and pick up the record.

http://www.myspace.com/thelakecitypoets

Ian


T-Shirts are here!

Saturday - May 30th, 2009

Look for the Black Swedes store on the website next week.


























T-Shirts Coming Soon

Monday - March 23rd, 2009



Stay tuned...

Sound Mag and iTunes

Sunday - March 8th, 2009

The beautiful people at Sound Magazine have found it desirable to put us in print this month. Alright!


When we first started playing as Black Swedes, Matt and I would could tell that we played a song well when at the end we both yawned. Not cause the songs bored us, but because they were as draining to play as they were peaceful to listen to. But I think Rachel Dovey's description in the review takes the cake. We are sad bastards, but not for much longer.

iTunes has begun to roll out the new singles of our spring catalog. If pink can be the new black, up beat can be the new sad. We teamed up with the best minds in Seattle to get these song recorded. Its funny though, those best minds now live in Japan, Portland, and LA.....what do the best minds know that I don't. Maybe they can sense the Mayor's impending re-election on the horizon. Do we really need another trolley?! Well at any rate, I hope you enjoy them.

So yes! Your day is all planned out for you. Pick up this month's Sound Magazine and a bottle of wine. Then journey to iTunes, buy any of the 4 singles up and of course the new Raphael Saadiq record.

You can now spend the day reading about how Dave Krusen kind of blew it with the right sadness in the back ground. And just when you think you are getting to close to the tears put on Saadiq and read about the Croc reopening!

Enjoy your day and your welcome,
Ian

Radio Play

Wednesday - December 17th, 2008

Dec 16th! Mark it in your calendar. The first day Black Swedes' Tempest was played on the radio. Thank you KOAS! Olympia now has a special place in the hearts of the Black Swedes!

Mmmm I would love a piece of Tost, thanks for asking

Tuesday - April 15th, 2008

So I have to confess, the previous postings have all been written weeks or months after the content actually took place. You see, we have been playing a bit of a catch up with this blog and we aren't there yet. So when it sounds like these things have just happened remember that this blog has so far had a 30 second TV delay.

We have begun working with a one of the nicest people in Seattle's music scene, Jenn Meyers. She has taken on the weight of working as our booking agent. This is either a massive miscalculation on her part or a move to complete community service hours. I am not sure which, but for her sake I hope we get good quick.

She has already begun to labor in our name and the fruits will make a nice marmalade (wait for it). We will be playing Tost on the 6th of May! Come out and have a drink with us.

I feel we are almost caught up!
We Love You
Ian

And now another record begins

Monday - April 14th, 2008

With the X sessions almost wrapped up ( I think) and a release date to be announced later this spring, Matt and I have begun work on a project that we hope you might like as well.

In three late night sessions with mastermind Josh Evens we have been able to get down what we think is a pretty nice collection of acoustic pieces. The majority of record so far is just two acoustic guitars and matt and my vocals. On occasion we have mingled a bit of electric, piano and Rhodes in the with the songs where we thought it might be appropriate. We were also able to enlist the help of the Limbs front man Matt Hanrahan on hand claps, foot stomps and banging on things.

We have been able to track 13 songs so far and we hope to chisel it down to 10. The other three will be free to down load soon.

More news soon!

The X sessions continued

Friday - March 7th, 2008


The first session at X went without a doubt, beautifully. Matt, Josh and I were pleased as punch to hear how two songs could come together with little to no practice time for the band. In the tracks we could hear each musician’s first impression to the band playing together and it was magnificent. With two songs down we thought the next move would be to gather the funds to try are hands at another session.

As the summer began to wane Matt, Josh and I began brain storming the songs and the musicians that we would be putting together for an August session at Studio X. We were lucky enough to get Kanaan back up from Portland on the drums. This time around we added Ryan Smith on the piano, Katie Scheoflin (always misspelling this) on the bass clarinet, and my cousin Tyler Jensen on the bass.

The session was long and a bit tiring at points but the soundscapes created by this group of musicians was no doubt amazing. It is incredible to hear a handful of brilliant musicians reacting and adding to your not so brilliant song.

With the session done we await the genius of Josh Evans to mix the six songs. This fall there should be a release.

We love you!

The Beginning of the Black Swedes

Tuesday - September 4th, 2007

So it has been awhile since I have been involved in music in the proper since. Months ago sea.mine took in its last few breaths before it slipped silently into its coma. The silence was not as much from the lack of music but more so due to the fact that no one really talked the other members about why we were not playing together. In fighting and outside interests seem to be common causes of the demise of groups and ours was no different. But as our group's passing seemed unavoidable I began to write for a new group called the Black Swedes.

I did not know who the Black Swedes were at the time and still have only a outline of an idea but the songs began to flow for this unborn group without precedence. No other group I had been a part of had been able to bring out the music that I had been hearing in my head as well as this group that sadly was still unable to find residence outside my mind.

The first inclination that the Swedes would be able to feel the light of day was a show at the downtown YMCA with bass clarinet player Katie Scheoflin (never know how to spell) and guitar player Josh Evans. At the time I had a hard time knowing where it would go but within a few weeks we were able to get into Josh's studio to record a few demos.

Through the passing months of spring Josh and I spoke of the Swedes often and began to make plans for our first adventure into Studio X for a day of experiments. The idea was that the Black Swedes would be a collection of great local musicians whom I had known or worked with previously and who did not know the songs very well.

Matt Benham from local stalwarts Argo, became the newest piece of the Swede's foundation right before this session. After two practices with him and then one with sea.mine's former pianist Tonya Sedairous (this one too) we thought that we were ready to bring in the drummer. Not knowing who might be able to pick up two songs with only one hour of practice I was forced to shoot for the best I knew, Kaanan Tupper.

The Friday before our Saturday session Kaanan drove up from Bend, OR to practice in my cousin Peter's basement for the only our I could get the four of us together. Having played Sugar Cane three times and Sue Me once we felt that both had been worked to perfection. The next day behind the steady hand of Josh and his assistant mike on bass the first Black Swede session was worked and finished with a kind of fluidity only know before in episodes of behind the music.

So the Swedes are here and they (who ever they end up being) will finish an album soon.