Something about Jens Lekman is just so timeless and charming. A modern day Burt Bacarach with a flair for romance and melancholia, his chamber pop music could have just as easily been released 40 years ago and it would still sound fresh. Whether he is singing about the big picture of love or about receiving a package from a fan containing a dead bird, which strangely is exactly what he does on his new tune "Regarding a Package," the Swedish singer/songwriter remains a model of melodic consistancy. Written for NYC based Esopus Magazine, the stripped down tune is simple showcase for Lekman's always touching vocals. Check out the song below. Esopus 19: Customer Service will be released in the magazine's May issue early next month.
Well, I am sitting here listing to the Charlie Brown Christmas album on repeat, which means one thing...it is the end of the year. And, with it being the end of the year, my overlords at the blog demanded an end of the year post from all of us. And, with me having sold my soul to this blog over the summer, I oblige. So, what can we say about 2012? I mean really? Mac has a gun to my head for this post so I should really say something...help? 2012 offered a lot to be enthused about with great new releases throughout the year. Whether it was already established artists like Grizzly Bear, Flying Lotus, Jens Lekman, and Spiritualized or new ones like Grimes, Tanlines, and DIIV, there was no shortage of great music. For me, this year was marked by moments where I genuinely began to feel like I was hearing something new - artists taking earlier genres and styles and recombining them in ways that felt fresher than they had in a long time, without feeling like a simple pastiche. Narrowing down a top 5 was difficult, but here are mine: [Note: This was also a great year for album art, so somehow my favorite albums musically linked well with some of my favorite albums visually.]
Cult of Youth – Love Will Prevail: This may be one of
the most underrated albums of the year and a reminder that folk music could be
something other than the nostalgia and saccharine fueled mix of recent years. Combining psychedelic elements
with darker, more ambiguous lyrics, Cult of Youth created a diverse and
challenging album that was willing to blend the discordant with the pastoral in
a very satisfying manner.
Grizzly Bear – Shields: Shields feels like the
realization of everything Grizzly Bear has been doing to date. Where Veckatimist felt like somewhat of a step
towards something, a step away from the quieter/sparser Yellow House, Shields feels
like a synthesis of the two. Grizzly Bear creates haunting and atmospheric
music, music that builds until its catharsis seems inevitable. They key may be that they often hold out that catharsis for just a little longer than you expect. This is music built around an emotional core, around anxiety, a sense of being
resigned to fail, of never being able to begin in the first place. Yet, in a
way, and through these moments of release, which hit all the more intensely because they are delayed, it offers an
almost ritualistic offering of all these feelings into something greater. There
are moments here where your hair stands on end. Seeing them live in Toronto was
a definite highlight of the year concert-wise.
Mac DeMarco – 2: While nothing on the new Mac DeMarco
would sound out of place on an early 80’s release from Postcard Records, there
was still something so undeniably great about this album that I had to include
it. It might be how effortless everything sounds; DeMarco comfortably turns out
brief, catchy, pop songs with jangly guitar and a sauntering backbeat. The
whole thing comes together unbelievably well.
Wild Nothing – Nocturne: Dream pop has been everywhere
this year and there were certainly some excellent examples of the microgenre,
but Wild Nothing transcended that label and made one of the year's strongest
albums. In fact, if I had to pick an album I enjoyed the most this year, it
would be this one. There is something so appealing to me about Wild Nothing’s
aesthetic that I found it hard not to react to this on an almost naïve level.
Each song, draped in reverb and a buzzing echo, is tightly composed and deftly
layered. It was one of several examples of acts following up an excellent debut
with an even more accomplished 2nd record. Maybe the sophomore slump
is a myth after all.
Laurel Halo -Quarantine: This had to be one of the most unique and interesting records to come out this year. Spacey and effecting, Halo composes challenging, ethereal songs that seem to take on spatial dimensions as the album progresses. The instrumentation and vocals mix in such a way that Halo's vocals become spectral, literally haunting the cut up compositions. There is definitely something new and exciting about Halo's work and I am excited to see what is next.
Honorable Mention:
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
DIIV - Oshin
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Sun Araw/M Geddes Gengras/The Congos - Icon Give Thank
Is there any musician as lovable as Jens Lekman? Since 2000 the native of Gothenburg, Sweden
has delighted listeners with his adventures, though they’re often
misadventures, in the arena of love.
There’s something, perhaps his Jonathan Richman/Stephin Merritt vocal
style or his heart aching melodic hooks, that makes one think, ‘that Lekman
fellow sure has it rough’. There’s
really no need to feel bad for him though, eve though I Know What Love Isn’t sprang from Jens’ most recent breakup it has
spawned a batch of beautiful pop songs.
Never one to shy away from the twee side of things, Sweden’s
favorite crooner delves even deeper into soft rock territory this time
around. Many of the tracks here quickly
remind one of The Carpenters and their plush pop stylings. Lekman’s style might be a bit cheesy for
some, but his sincerity and downright talent when it comes to writing lyrics
can quickly put those issues to rest. On
album standout ‘Erica America’ he laments, ‘I wish I’d never met you, like I
wish I’d never tasted wine, or tasted it from lips that weren’t mine, now every
drop tastes more bitter all the time’, which is quickly followed by a sax solo
that is as smooth jazz as it can get.
Few artists have made broken relationships and lost love
sound as good as Jens, and he has marked out his territory as the heir apparent
to The Magnetic Fields and Belle & Sebastian even better here. While his sound has always been influenced by
the soft AM sounds of the 70’s his complete indulgence in soft rock on I Know What Love Isn’t feels both
natural and completely welcome. Whether
it’s the gentle piano of ‘She Just Don’t Want to be with You Anymore’, ‘The
World Moves On’ which nods to Steely Dan, or the swooning flute and strings of
the title track, Jens feels right at home.
Now over a decade into his career Jens’ lot as the lovable
loser hasn’t changed, but as he points out, ‘A broken heart is not the end of
the world.’
You know, you think you have a column all set and ready to post and the internet just starts spewing new music at you on the last day. I went to bed last night with 3 tracks all set for this week. They were solid tracks: a catchy tune from The-Dream, new Laetitia Sadier, and an interesting Four-Tet song to round everything out and hopefully get you to think my taste was "eclectic," and "wide-ranging." So, like I said, I went to bed with all of this ready. What happens when I wake up? A new track from Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti? New Jens Lekman? Now I have to make all of these last minute additions. This is all very rude of the internet...all...very...rude.
Theatrics aside, here are 5 great new songs, released between June 1 and 7.
The-Dream w/Pusha - T - "Dope Bitch:" The-Dream consistently turns out what I like to call "serious jams," which is a very unprofessional term for, "really great pop songs." This time, he has teamed up with Clipse's Pusha-T, for this smooth tune that will probably be in my head for the next several days. Perfect for blasting out of your car, or, carrying around a boombox on your bike. Really, whatever your means of conveyance you choose. No one knows when The-Dream's next album is coming out, don't even bother.
Laetitia Sadier - "Find Me the Pulse of the Universe:" Sadier, lead singer of Stereolab, released the first single from her latest album, Silencio!, which will be out June 24. Fans of Stereolab will find familiar territory in this track, with Sadier singing urbane lyrics over lush instrumentation.
Four-Tet - "128 Harps:" First thing first, definitely not 128 harps on this track. I imagine that would sound more harp filled. Also, harps are pretty expensive so I doubt anyone has that kind of budget. With that out of the way, Four-Tet has released a lovely new track. A warped bassline backs an alternating harp vocal sample, making the tune somehow simple and intricate at the same time. Good stuff.
Jens Lekman -"Erica America:" Set to release his first album in 5 years this fall, Jens Lekman is back with a new wonderfully orchestrated and wistful song. Featuring vocals from Melbourne singer, Sophie Brous, this new song is more downbeat, with Lekman declaring, "Summer is exhausting." Not exactly an encouraging sentiment this early in June. We here at Listener's Digest hope Lekman cheers up soon.
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Baby:" The first song off their follow up to one of my favorite records of the last 5 years. Ariel Pink returns with this Donnie and Joe Emerson cover. Soulful, "Baby" features significantly improved production from anything Pink has done in the past. The new album, Mature Themes, will be released on August 20.
Well, that is all I have for this week. The new Grizzly Bear song is pretty great and you should check that out if you have some time too, but you probably already knew that. Also, I am working on a better logo for this column. Check back next week for cool new graphics and tunes.
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