Artist: Broder Daniel
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Not really sure why Burning Heart Records didn't want to release Moneybrother's Swedish album. It seems idiotic to me, but who am I to judge, huh? Maybe they didn't think it would sell enough or something. The album consists of ten covers, all interpreted by Anders Wedin (aka Moneybrother) in Swedish, and one original song that features the Swedish rock legend Jerry Williams. It's an interesting premise and Moneybrother manages to keep it exciting most of the way through. Being a fan of Operation Ivy, "Jag skriver inte på nåt", with The Hives' own Howlin' Pelle, appeals to me a lot and so does "Under bordet" which is a cover of My Morning Jacket's "Off the record" (one of my favourite songs of 2005), even though these are not the strongest songs on here per se. Most of the tracks have got that Bruce Springsteen vibe that Wendin has embraced and plugged away at since his first single "Reconsider me". Now, I'd like for Broder Daniel's Henrik, Randy's Stefan, etc, to step up and release their own Swedish cover albums. Preferably within the next 3 weeks. PS: The album's title is a Swedish translation of "the moneybrother".
- Simon Tagestam
The Plan started out as Broder Daniel's Theodor Jensen's side project. Their first self-titled album (released 2001) had a bunch of great songs on it, but overall it had more charm than actual good songs, and I found their second album ("Embrace me beauty" from 2004) very disappointing. On their (or rather "his", since Jensen is the only member now) third album, the melodies are stronger and it feels much less contrived than before. It's not all as good as some Swedish reviews have made it out to be though - some parts are not that inspiring, but it's pretty pleasant and, as an album, it works very well. "Bus", with its enchanting pace, is the song I keep playing the most. Lyrically and musically, the album is in Håkan Hellström (Jensen's former bandmate) territory (listen, for an example, to the intro to "Stay awhile"), except that the lyrics are, of course, in English and it never reaches the same heights as Hellström's songs. Jensen's voice is almost as charming as Hellström's though, mainly due to both of them hardly being in "classical measures" very talented singers (who cares!), but ignoring this and bellowing away nevertheless. I also like to think that "Walk for gold" can be seen as a testament against a cynical music industry who tend to ostracize any artist whose first album isn't an instant classic.
- Simon Tagestam
To write singer/songwriter Anna Ternheim off as a one-hit-wonder who didn't even write her "hit" ("Shoreline", a Broder Daniel cover), is a bit cruel and not really that fair. I found her first album "Somebody outside" a bit uninteresting and "Seperation road" - her latest offering - does seldom raise itself above the mediocre mark, although I do think it's a better album than Ternheim's first. With the days getting colder and darker, songs such as "The loneliness is gone" and "Such a lonely soul" are a comfortable company, together with a cup of tea. Still, the ten songs on the album are in general a bit too obtuse to make me want to go back listening to them on any regular basis, no matter what the weather's like.
- Simon Tagestam
I think it's safe to say that no one expects Anna Ternheim to top "Shoreline" anytime soon. Her emotionally devastating take on the Broder Daniel anthem was absolutely perfect, a notion further reinforced by her lukewarm follow-up EP of all cover songs. I thought she was a fine artist before "Shoreline", but that's the song she'll be remembered for. So now that Anna has a new record out, what's the expectation? To be completely honest, I didn't have high hopes, but perhaps that's a good thing because "Separation road" is surprisingly good. I'd say it's even better than her debut, despite the lack of any transcendent moments like "Shoreline". It's consistently strong the whole way through thus proving Anna's stature as a fine singer/songwriter. The lead single "Girl laying down" is great (and can be viewed as part of this week's video mix), but that CCR guitar riff that anchors "Feels like sand" gets me every time. It's dingy and dark during the verses and then it opens up into something delicate and lovely. There's many other songs just as post-worthy, but their charms are more subtle and that classic guitar hook gets stuck in my head every time I hear it.
Anna Ternheim - Feels like sand
I was going to post something completely different today, but the good folks as Razzia had to ruin my plans by sending me The Plan's new single "Walk for gold". Bummer, huh? Some history: The Plan was started by ex-Broder Daniel bassist Theodor Jensen back around 2001 and have released two previous albums, "The plan" in 2001 and "Embrace me beauty" in 2004. Common consensus says the records are merely so-so, the first one being the better of the two, but the singles ("Mon amour", "Let's leave", etc.) have all been great. So does "Walk for gold" hold up? Well, it's less of a direct Stokes rip, so that's good. I also appreciate the faster tempo. The best thing about though has to be the end when the vocal chorus comes in after the noisy solo sounding like something out of a Morricone soundtrack. After that I can't help but think of the Prospector on "The Simpsons" who shoots his guns in the air and exclaims "Gold!" Now, I can't be sure that's what Theodor was going for, but I like it.
The Plan - Walk for gold
Razzia is working hard to corner the market on ex-Broder Daniel bassists and has now signed Theodor Jensen's band The Plan. The band will record their third album this summer with producer Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet) and will be releasing the first single "Walk for gold" in late August.
In my mind, the sound of classic Swedish indiepop is forever associated with bands such as Broder Daniel and Bad Cash Quartet. Revved-up garage rock riffs, lots of reverb and baleful, weary vocals. It's echoes can be heard in acts as disparate as Niccokick and The Embassy, but regardless - the roots still show. Citylights, today's featured demo act, epitomizes that original classic sound perfectly. The band's actually been around for awhile now (since '98/99 they say) and they also enlisted the help of Pelle Carlberg to produce their latest recording from which today's new mp3 is taken. The experience shows - this is sublime pop, done just as well as any of the so-called big names. Download more songs from the band's website: http://www.mysecretscience.com/citylights
David Lindh (ex-Yvonne/Broder Daniel) has posted tracks from his forthcoming album "Chocolate and seafood" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/davidlindh
It comes out May 3 via Razzia Records.
In my mind, the sound of classic Swedish indiepop is forever associated with bands such as Broder Daniel and Bad Cash Quartet. Revved-up garage rock riffs, lots of reverb and baleful, weary vocals. It's echoes can be heard in acts as disparate as Niccokick and The Embassy, but regardless - the roots still show. Citylights, today's featured demo act, epitomizes that original classic sound perfectly. The band's actually been around for awhile now (since '98/99 they say) and they also enlisted the help of Pelle Carlberg to produce their latest recording from which today's new mp3 is taken. The experience shows - this is sublime pop, done just as well as any of the so-called big names. Download more songs from the band's website: http://www.mysecretscience.com/citylights
Citylights - Moby Dick
David Lindh (ex-Yvonne, Broder Daniel) will release his second solo album "Chocolate & seafood" on May 3 via Razzia Records. Listen to a sample at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/davidlindh
Check out the trailer for the upcoming Broder Daniel movie: http://www.dach.se/bddamnit.mov
Dach is currently working on a Broder Daniel TV special.
This week's Friday oldie is actually only a couple years old, but I'm going to post it anyway. With all the hype that Anna Ternheim has been getting for her version of "Shoreline", I realized that there's probably quite a few people out there who have never heard the original. Outside of Sweden that is. Anna's version brings out the most despondent, alienating aspects of the song, but the original is a rousing anthem. It revels in its lonliness and depression. Like the rest of Broder Daniel's best material, the message is simple and universal. I'm no longer consumed by teen angst myself, but I empathize completely. Who couldn't? Nobody's that well-adjusted. That's what makes BD so damn effective and brilliant. So which take is better? Listen and decide for yourself.
This week's Friday oldie is actually only a couple years old, but I'm going to post it anyway. With all the hype that Anna Ternheim has been getting for her version of "Shoreline", I realized that there's probably quite a few people out there who have never heard the original. Outside of Sweden that is. Anna's version brings out the most despondent, alienating aspects of the song, but the original is a rousing anthem. It revels in its lonliness and depression. Like the rest of Broder Daniel's best material, the message is simple and universal. I'm no longer consumed by teen angst myself, but I empathize completely. Who couldn't? Nobody's that well-adjusted. That's what makes BD so damn effective and brilliant. So which take is better? Listen and decide for yourself.
Broder Daniel - Shoreline
The Plan