Artist: Jari Haapalainen
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Eric Malmberg creates extremely visual music, almost to the point where "Verklighet & beat" feels as though it would have been better suited as the soundtrack to a bizarre 60s film than a musical effort alone. Sadly, this may be the only true failing of this record, and it seems unfair to level it against an obviously talented composer and musician, especially on a record produced by Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet) and featuring Swedish organ phenomenon Bo Hansson. "Verklighet & beat" would be a wonderful companion to a 60s novel, especially anything exploring the European segment of this decade or the stereotypical "consciousness expansion" facets of those lost years, and it has been a strange escort towards those shadowy hallways of sleep, but other than in these capacities, I'm not sure how versatile Malmberg's record really is. Obviously the work of a damned gifted artists, "Verklighet & beat" is comparable to a cinematic masterpiece - powerful works when one is in the right setting and mood, but how many times can you really watch a film like "Requiem for a dream"? And could you watch that film on a sunny, beautiful day lost in the Caribbean? Likewise, "Verklighet & beat" is dazzling, but limited.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Eric Malmberg made a name for himself as the organ player for Sagor & Swing, an act I was never all that fond of. Which is to say, they were fine at what they do, it's just that what they did never held my interest. Now, with his new solo record "Verklighet & beat", I'm reconsidering my opinion. Malmberg's groovy organ-based prog/psych-rock still isn't quite my jam, but the fleshed-out, full-band instrumentation is a welcome change and suits him well. It's certainly saying something that Swedish music legend Bo Hansson ("Sagan om ringen") gueststars along with many other well-respected contemporary artists: Jari Haapalainen, Goran Kajfes, Lars Skoglund, etc. The compositions I like best here are the more atmospheric, ensemble works, where the players work together towards a greater whole such as on "Till minne av Lilly Lindström" and today's featured track, "Söndagskonsert". The funky stuff is fine, but it doesn't move me like this does. The sound and movement of the church organ makes me think of a Bach fugue, but the strings give it a more ethereal quality. The way that main arpeggio theme shifts through the chord changes makes me think of soaring birds ala "Winged migration". In fact, this would probably fit right in on that soundtrack. Very nice.
Eric Malmberg - Söndagskonsert
The way Mattias Alkberg finishes each line of the verse makes "Walking out" sound like a song of resignation. He drops the pitch like an exasperated sigh while Jari Haapalainen plays the blues. However, the chorus gives a feeling of hope. The steadfast declaration of "I'm walking out" coupled with the airy keyboards gives the song a different atmosphere. It's like music that plays over closing credits to signify an untold new beginning, not closure. Because this is definitely not the end of the story, it's the start of something new, "a life that I have not entered yet."
The Bear Quartet - Walking out
A West Side Fabrication has posted a new track from A Saga on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/westsidefabrication
The song is called "Like water" and was produced by Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet, Laakso, The Concretes, etc.).
Swedish indie act Speedmarket Avenue has completed work on a new Jari Haapalainen-produced album. They have no idea when/where/how it will be released, but there's a track up on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/speedmarketavenue
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If someone had suggested to me that The Concretes' new album is their best album to date, before I've heard any of the songs, I'd have found it very hard to believe them. I'm a big fan of the band and when I heard the news that Victoria Bergman gone solo, I seriously thought The Concretes were over and done with. How wrong I was! Drummer Lisa Millberg has now taken over vocal duties, and she's fabulous at it, not to mention perfect for the band. It's quite a bold move by producer Jari Haapalainen to put her vocals so high up in the mix, but it works very well. I like all the songs on this album, although some of my favourites are the very melodic "Are you prepared?", the chorus to "Keep yours", the first single "Kids", and the last song of the album, the slow and pretty "Simple song". If you're also a fan, and were worried that the band would lose their edge or whatever without the loopy Bergman behind the mic, you can finally relax – The Concretes seem to have ended up an ever better band without her.
- Simon Tagestam
Laakso's Finnish alter-ego has recenly posted some new tracks on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/laaksofi
The band is currently in the studio recording with producer/Bear Quartet guitarist Jari Haapalainen who is also apparently contributing quite a bit of his own musicianship to the proceedings.
Week #2 and we're going strong! Our latest Bear Quartet tribute post comes from Parasol's Jim Kelly, probably one of the biggest BQ fans I know. His pick? Well, read for yourself:
"World War III" is taken from the "Load it" EP, recorded in 2000 and released in very early 2001, one of The Bear Quartet's truly wondrous b-sides. A sweet, sad little song of truly epic proportions, with lyrics detailing a helicopter rescue and a childhood game of hide-n-seek gone wrong. It touches on fatalism and fealty (or a lack thereof) and finding yourself all sorts of lost for all sorts of reasons. And when it couldn't get any more melancholy, when the girl with the head-injury is happy to be in a helicopter, when the kid with the great hiding place realizes the game ended a long time ago and he's alone, what do they throw in instead of a guitar solo? That's right. Bagpipes. Or something suitably bagpipe-like, a mournful and keening wail, but it's probably just my favorite guitarist on the planet, Jari Haapalainen, playing mandolin through his Fender Twin, or something. So here I am with a lump in my throat and the solemn promise of further heartache (because you know it's not over)... Like when frontman Mattias Alkberg sings bassist Peter Nuottaniemi's wrenching lyrics in the closing stanza: "I was hiding from you who had gone home without telling me, and I swear that sometimes it's like I'm still out there." Hand me a hanky. "World War III" is Scandinavian Melancholy as a musical sub-genre, as a guilty pleasure, as an itch you enjoy scratching, as an incurable affliction, encapsulated in 4 minutes and 4 seconds.
The Bear Quartet - World War III
A West Side Fabrication has announced that Mattias Alkberg BD, the solo project of Mattias Alkberg obviously, will release their new album "Ditt hjärta är en stjärna" on October 4. The first single "Reevolution" will be available as a paid download as early as September 11. The record was produced by fellow Bear Quartet member Jari Haapalainen and features guest appearances by Carla Jonsson of Eldkvarn and famed Swedish jazz sax player Jonas Kullhammar.
It's not exactly on-topic, but in case you're curious to know: Jari Haapalainen of The Bear Quartet produced both Camera Obscura's new record "Let's get out of this country" and also Ed Harcourt's "The beautiful lie".
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.
The Tiny are just about to mix their new album "Starring; someone like you". They aren't sure yet which of the twelve songs they recorded with esteemed producer Jari Haapalainen will make the final cut, but you can read the song titles at the band's website: http://www.thetiny.net/
This is a week chock full of exclusives! Besides giving you the very first taste of the new The End Will Be Kicks album and offering it up for sale on mp3 waaaaay before it's available anywhere else, I've got yet another treat for you today! When I first heard that Björn Yttling had a jazz album in the works, I was naturally quite curious. Many people now recognize him as a member of the excellent Peter Bjorn and John, but I first became aquainted with his music through his extensive work as a producer. Many fine records in my collection are adorned with his name on the credits. So not only do I have a brand new track from his upcoming album today, but I was also afforded the opportunity to ask Björn a few questions about his work.
AR: Why a jazz album? What was the inspiration for the project?
BY: I've always listened to jazz (stuff like Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Charlie Haden, Ellington and of course Coltrane and Charlie Parker) and ten years ago I also played it. But the jazz scene can be very very boring with people just playing standards in predictable ways, so I kind of slipped away from it. I was still writing jazz songs though, and spurred by saxophone player Jonas Kullhammar I started thinking of making a jazz record.
AR: Is there a lot of difference in the way you work when you are composing jazz charts as opposed to when you are doing arrangements for pop music?
BY: No not really. The biggest different is that (my) jazz music is instrumental and pop music often isn't. Of course with jazz tunes you can leave the forms more open for improvising. I recorded this record in a day, and pop albums always take at least two.
AR: What other current producers do you admire right now?
BY:I really don't keep track on foreign producers that much, but there are many Swedes that I really like. Björn Olsson, Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Jari Haapalainen of course, but don't forget Jocke Åhlund from Caesars and Calle Olsson from Bear Quartet.
AR: So what's next for you then?
BY: I'm doing/planning a few records right now. Montys Loco, Elias & The Wizzkids, The Charm, Pueblo and we're almost done with the new Peter Bjorn And John album. What I really looking forward to do now is a record with Joakim Åhlund, and we're gonna start next week.
Björn's new jazz album with Yttling Jazz is called "Oh Lord, why can't I keep my big mouth shut". It comes out November 21 via Headspin Recordings.
Eric Malmberg