Favorita
s/t
Popsicle Recordings

Apparently "[falling] foul of record company politics" (according to Popsicle's webpage) in 1997, Favorita have only now had their album released, 12 years after its recording. I'm sure there are better and more accurate versions of this story on the Internet somewhere, but I'm not here to do an exposé on the cruel world of the music industry, rather to briefly blather on about Favorita's self-titled release. "Favorita" has more in common with the Manic Street Preachers' early efforts than with many of their Swedish contemporaries, and this is both a blessing and a curse. While the Brit-pop shimmer and Pavement-esque indie approach are competent and nostalgia-inducing, there is a slight lack of consistency on the album. Songs like "Seven comforts", "Well, it's only pain", and "Surprisingly cynical crossword" almost effortlessly remind us that the 90s were not some black hole for artistic and musical endeavors, but Favorita can't always keep up the pace. Had their career been allowed to flourish, I feel that "Favorita" would be that "fun first record" that friends would suggest I purchase after having already oriented myself with a stronger sophomore album. As it is, it's better than fine, and made more worthwhile knowing that you are "sticking it to The Man" and the record label who shot down Favorita all those years ago.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Rasmus Kellerman from Tiger Lou was my guest on this week's radio show and this is what we played:

01. TALK 1
02. Tiger Lou - The loyal
03. Sara Berg - Call me from below
04. Thomas Dybdahl - Maury the Pawn
05. Torpedo - Hospital
06. TALK 2
07. The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Heroica
08. Paris - When I laid my eyes on you
09. Isolation Years - Nurse hands
10. Jennie Abrahamson - Songs we sing
11. TALK 3
12. Firefox AK + Tellevika - Eric
13. Winter Took His Life - Lucky star
14. Knugen Faller - Jag vill inte vara med
15. Favorita - Seven comforts
16. TALK 4
17. Mikael Jonasson - Can you dig this?
18. Lindeberg & Can - Forbidden romance
19. John Dahlbäck - Gas
20. TALK 5
21. Ozgur Can - Changed
22. Aril Brikha - Winter
23. TALK 6
24. Rupesh Cartel - Hide like this
25. Madrugada - Hard to come back
26. Mob - Wait for me
27. TALK 7
28. Tiger Lou - Functions

MP3: Favorita - Seven comforts

"Seven comforts" is/was a single from the self-titled "lost" album of Swedish powerpop act Favorita, a band lead by ex-Beagle/current Metro Jets frontman Magnus Börjeson in the mid-90s. Here's the condensed version of their story: band records an album, label shelves it for a few years and then, by the time they get around to finally putting it out, the band has lost interest and everyone goes their separate ways. I'm sure the reality is much more complicated and convoluted, but that's the gist. As for the music, it's upbeat powerpop rock'n'roll that sounds just as fresh today as I'm sure it did twelve years ago, back when it was first recorded. The expanded reissue gets a bit long-winded for someone like me whose historical interest in a band they've never heard of is nil, but I must commend the folks at Popsicle for treating it with such a completist level of care. Long-time fans will be stoked, casual listeners may find their attention fading as they head into the bonus tracks. Personally, I'm content to cherry-pick the 3-4 exceptional single-worthy tracks (of which this one is by far the best) and lump the rest.

Favorita - Seven comforts

Popsicle Recordings has confirmed that the release of the long-lost Favorita (ex-Beagle, pre-Metro Jets) album will be on October 31. Read more: http://www.popsiclerecordings.com/popsicle/Favorita.html