Track Marks: How 120 Days Became This Week’s Biggest Band In The World

Welcome to another edition of Track Marks, where your Idolators perform an autopsy on the latest MP3-blog sensation.

Artist: 120 Days Hometown: Kristiansund, Norway Album: 120 Days (Vice) First online mention (according to searches on The Hype Machine and Elbo.ws): Even though these Norwegian rockers got some blogger love a few years back (when they were called the Beautiful People), the first 120 Days nod was an August 9th reference on for the eardrums. The Build-Up: A slow response at first, but September found the band popping up a new site every few days, including Bhlogiston, Crackers United, and Largehearted Boy. In late September, Vice Records’ MP3 blog hosted a copy of Lansing-Dreiden’s remix of ” Come Out (Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone),” which soond found itself on elbo.ws’ Top 25 ranking. The Dam-Break: Last week’s enthusiastic write-up in the Village Voice‘s “Status Ain’t Hood” column. Odds of Backlash: 8-1. How could anyone be mean to them? They look so sad and Scandinavian! Are They Worthy?: Though they might overreach a bit–not every song has to be written for a laser show, guys–but your Idolators love old-school urgent British post-punk and old Neu! albums, so we’re in. That said, they may want to trim back the fat a bit; with two songs that hover around the ten-minute mark, 120 Days may start writing songs that actually last 120 Days.

120 Days – Come Out (Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone) [MP3, link expired] 120 Days – Be Mine [MP3, link expired] 120 Dayse [MySpace]