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March 21, 2007
Komeda
For no apparent reason, I decided to buy the 1996 release The Genius Of Komeda by the Swedish band Komeda. A leetle sticker on the case helpfully informed me that the group "combines the fresh sounds of Stereolab and the Cardigans with 60's exotica to deliver an odd pop sound not found anywhere else". I eventually picked up one of their later albums, which of course has a more polished sound, but this is near the root, and still worth checking out.
Komeda - More Is More
Komeda - Fire
Komeda - Disko
Recently on Comfort Radio:
Kid Koala - Roboshuffle
Amon Tobin - The Nasty
DJ Krush - Most Wanted Man
Posted by Scotto at March 21, 2007 08:38 AM
Comments
I'm a big fan of 'what makes it go?' myself. Komeda's a highly underrated band.
Posted by: Jeff at March 21, 2007 09:39 AM
I've been hooked on Komeda for nearly a decade (not long after 'Genius of...' came out). Love 'what makes it go?' and 'Kokomemedada' as well. Only wish they were more prolific. Heard not long ago that they're one of Beck's favorite bands.
Posted by: dugrrr at April 13, 2007 06:41 PM
If you haven't dug this one up yet please go and find 1993's Pop Pa Svenska album by Komeda. It's raw, completely swedish, and from a time before gap commercials and nintendo started headhunting... Also, 1995's Plan 714 Till Komeda 4-song EP is definitely worth your cash.
Posted by: greydon at September 14, 2007 11:04 AM
I've got "The Genius of Komeda" cranking through my speakers just now--amazing stuff.
Jeff, you are right--they are grossly underrated...but I think there may be another factor at work here. However well known they are in Europe, they're almost completely unknown here in the States. Komeda fans are the definite minority here, which is really a shame--they should be receiving the heavy rotation they deserve.
Very seldom will I ever label a band great, or brilliant; but in the case of Komeda, they're absolutely brilliant--and spending the last 25 years of my life playing music, mine is an informed opinion. I "discovered" them about 2 1/2 years ago via BBC radio. On BBC 6 , there is a weekly 3 hour program called "Stuart Maconie's FREAK ZONE" --
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/freakzone/
I was listening to the program one night when Stuart happen'd to play 2 Komeda songs--Top Star & Frolic off of the "Genius of Komeda" CD--I was blown away.
Now I am a HUGE fan...as far as I know, I have all their releases (including the Swedish language CD's)--the last CD release was Kokomemedada back '03, since then I've heard zip. I know that the original guitar player quit right after "The Genius of..." cd, then they hired a replacement, but he ended up quiting, too. For their last CD in '03, they were a 3 piece.
Now, here we are 5 years later--Where are they?! I wonder if they broke up...God, I hope not. If anyone reading this has any info, please pass it on.Thanks--William
Posted by: Bix2012 at May 24, 2008 10:44 AM