Biography
Astrid Swan's new album Better Than Wages came out in Finland in September 2009.
More European releases for the album are scheduled for early 2010.
On her third album Swan has formed herself a band: The Drunk Lovers. The album is made of 11 delicious pop songs á la Blondie but with a lo-fi twist. Seeing Astrid Swan & The Drunk Lovers live is to experience a dangerous and fun rock show. You can forget about singer/songwriters for a while!
Astrid Swan released her second album through Finnish label Johanna Kustannus in February 2008. The album titled Spartan Picnic shows Swan moving in edgier, tougher sound terrains, whilst taking her songwriting in new uncompromized areas. Spartan Picnic is an album heavy in dislocated rhythms and prickly lyrics. Spartan Picnic was also released in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Sweden and Norway in 2008.
Astrid Swan’s debut album Poverina was released in Finland in 2005, and in the USA in May 2007 by Minty Fresh Records.
Poverina established Astrid Swan as a major talent in both territories:
Popmatters described Astrid Swan as the first Finnish woman of song.
Amplifier magazine:
“Poverina is a beautifully surreal and intensely imaginative album. Unlike many modern day recordings, Poverina’s construction has an old-fashioned class and sophistication that is unrivalled.”
3 Hive:
“It’s something lovely, if heartbreaking, if totally intoxicating.”
Since the Finnish release of Poverina Astrid Swan has also performed in the USA on a regular basis with multiple shows in LA, New York, Chicago, and Austin, as well as in Canada.
Last September Minty Fresh Records released the single “When You Were Young”, a live recording of the Killers track, (originally made for USA radio) which immediately became a hit with the blogging communities in the USA, the single being posted on over 40 blogs, and raising Astrid Swan’s profile in the global blogosphere.
Instrumentation
Astrid Swan: vocals, pianos, keyboards, guitars, songs, lyrics +other elements
Niko Votkin: drums, percussion synths, bass
Arvi Hasu: Bass
Coma Svensson and Jukka Salminen: guitars
Discography
-Better Than Wages 2009
in Finland
-Spartan Picnic 2008 in Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Sweden and Norway (album) (Johanna Kustannus)
-Poverina 2007 in North America (album)(Minty Fresh Records)
-"When You Were Young" cover version of the Killers track, live on The Current (download single)
-Poverina 2005 in Finland (album)
Links
| http://www.astridswan.blogspot.com |