Artist: Rasmus Kellerman
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10
I'm going to admit from the start that I had some difficulty with "A partial print" when I listened to it on Startracks' page a week or so before its release. I was overwhelmed and excited by the opening five compositions, and then this feeling slipped a little - the abandonment of Tiger Lou's typically quite structured, complete arrangements on tracks like "Trails of spit" seemed to dilute the weight of the songs' conclusions, and the closing, nine-minute long opus felt too ambling and unfocused to be a proper culmination of the album's energies. I admit these issues here only to demonstrate that "A partial print" is not an album that reveals its immediacy, its intentioned presence on a first or second listen - what you are presented with is a collage, a collection of images, all of them darkly beautiful extensions of the emotional landscape of "The loyal", but the connections between these impressions can take some time to present themselves, but they will, and then "A partial print" comes fully into being.
The tone of "A partial print" is a dark one, represented not only in the recurring theme of leaving a small fragment of yourself behind, but in the intricate abandon and melancholy of the instrumentation which, on a number of occasions, evolves into heavy, post-hardcore breakdowns akin to the efforts on Small Brown Bike's brilliant swansong "The river bed". The production on the album is fantastic, accentuating the full drum arrangements, the beautiful guitar and bass work, and, of course, Rasmus Kellerman's magnificent, haunting voice. "The less you have to carry", in my opinion the greatest song Tiger Lou have crafted, is the first to truly bear the burden of "A partial print", and is therefore the song that fashions the aesthetic tenets of the album. The line "A partial print is all that I'm leaving behind, a little something to remember me by" is repeated in the closing title track, giving the record an unsettling conclusion - that of an endless cycle of departure and loss, but, as Tiger Lou established themselves as the masters of harrowing grace with "The loyal", this journey doesn't feel haunted or disillusioned, not even as you retrace your footsteps. Nor is it all a cynical, disheartening experience - glimmers of hope shine through in "So demure" and the single "Crushed by a crowd".
"A partial print" is difficult, complicated, heartbreaking, and inspiring - everything we've come to expect from Tiger Lou.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
I won't pretend to be impartial on Tiger Lou's new album "A partial print". Not only do we have a working relationship (I put out the "Until I'm there" 7"), but I am also lucky enough to consider Rasmus Kellerman a friend. Apparently I'm also something of an inspiration, having intoned the words "The more you give, the less you carry" when offering to lend a hand with the band's gear at Umeå Open. Who knew I was such a font of wisdom? Who would've thought such seemingly mundane circumstances can be so transformed? So yeah, I am about as far from unbiased as one can be, though I hardly let such matters keep me from opining on many subjects.
"Crushed by a crowd" struck me as an odd choice for a single at first, but I've since come around, having considered it more in context. It may not be the album's highlight, but it is immediately accessible and it sounds the most like the Tiger Lou you've come to know, as opposed to the Tiger Lou you thought you knew, the Tiger Lou of "A partial print". Every new album is different than the last and this one is far more austere and opaque than anything he's done before. It's also more grandiose and imposing when taken as a whole, in its intended dosage. Hence, "Crushed by a crowd" gives an easy in; its comforting familiarity allays concerns, the fear of change. And it's also a great song, one I appreciate the more I listen. That's the other thing - "A partial print" is, above all, a grower. It's a big, modern rock record with moments of huge bombast, but fans craving a more intimate connection will need to spend more time digging below the surface looking for a way in. It's there for you if you want it, but it holds you back at arm's length. Trust me though, it's worth it.
Tiger Lou - Crushed by a crowd
Karin Ström has posted the Özgur Can remix of her latest single "Silent night" on her myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/datadamen
I first heard of Özgur from Rasmus Kellerman (Tiger Lou) a few months ago and now I'm seeing his name everywhere. Not that I'm complaining, it's good stuff as you can hear for yourself.
7
The recent hyper-popularity of bands like Justice and MGMT has proven that electronica is now a serious player in the music industry, not only with the indie crowd, but the major label industry as well. Firefox AK has been in the game a few years, garnering attention throughout Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Europe, obviously not to the extent of Swedish comrades such as The Knife, but making an impact nonetheless. The follow up to "Madame, madame", "If I were a melody" again proves that Andrea Kellerman has a unique knack for electronic music: bridging the gap between the dancefloor bound compositions and the more contemplative creations by acts such as The Radio Dept. and Junior Boys (whose Matt Didemus mixed "If I were a melody"). "The river" is one of the finest tracks Firefox AK has ever produced, and first single "Winter rose", with husband and consistent collaborator Rasmus Kellerman (better known as Tiger Lou), demonstrates the range of this album, focusing the synth-driven craftsmanship into a more popular vein. An extremely consistent artist, you probably didn't need too much reassurance that Firefox AK's newest effort was worth a small investment - but, in case you did: "If I were a melody" is a fine album.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Absolut Noise talks to Rasmus Kellerman of Tiger Lou about his forthcoming record "A partial print": http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2008/02/interview-tiger-lou.html
Tiger Lou has a found a new person to mix his forthcoming album "A partial print" after his first choice, Peter Katis (Interpol, et al), had to bow out due to work overload. The selection? Sean Beavan, an engineer known for his work with acts such as NIN, Marilyn Manson and Slayer. So in late April Tiger Lou mainman Rasmus Kellerman and album engineer Rolf Klinth will head to LA to put on the final touches. In related news, the lineup for the anticipated "A partial print" remix record has been confirmed. No details are public just yet, but I'll keep you posted.
The first single from the new Firefox AK album "If I were a melody" will be "Winter rose". It features a guest appearance from husband Tiger Lou/Rasmus Kellerman and will include b-side remixes from Özgur Can, Tellevika, Assid and Jimmy O. Look for it in mid-January. As for the album itself, it's still due out on February 20.
Truth be told, I wasn't terribly impressed when I first heard Tiger Lou via the single "Oh, Horatio". It's a fine song, but it took seeing him live at a random living room show in Oakland for me to really appreciate his talent. Rasmus Kellerman's greatest musical asset is his voice, so to hear his songs distilled down to barebones accompaniment was the revelation I needed. His presence and projection made me hear each song anew. It's not a universal test for all types of music, but if the song works in such a setting, it proves that it's bonified. Listening back to Rasmus' early singles this morning makes me realize how far he's come over the years - what was once a promising young singer/songwriter has developed into a true artist, something that first becomes apparent on today's song selection "Sam, as in Samantha". It's still a dude and his guitar at its core, but it's also imbued with a strong sense of drama that didn't exist before on his early 7"s. It's in the production, it's in the performance. Where he goes next, remains unknown - the songs, the voice will undoubtedly be Tiger Lou/Rasmus Kellerman, but I think he aims to surprise as well. New influences, new perspectives... how could he not? Whatever he does come up with, I'm sure it will be great.
Tiger Lou - Sam, as in Samantha
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
7
The debut record by Sweden's Torpedo has already generated considerable buzz and not without reason. Half of the band are also found in Tiger Lou, and they share that band's dark hypnotic sound. In place of Rasmus Kellerman's low-key approach, however, these guys focus on quirky post-punk artiness. Often it works well, with odd angles complementing seductive grooves in ways both interesting and memorable. When they're good, they're extremely good. But at other times they seem to be trying way too hard for an angular cool and then it just gets annoying. It flows well, but repeated listenings make it more tiresome than revelatory.
- Nancy Baym
Check out Rasmus Kellerman premiering a brand new Tiger Lou song: http://www.rkellerman.com/coalitions.mov
Also note that Rasmus will be my guest on next week's radio show. Not this weekend - that's a special Halloween show, but the week after.
Rasmus Kellerman aka Tiger Lou is blogging the recording of his new album "A partial print": http://apartialprint.blogspot.com/
Tiger Lou
Firefox AK
Torpedo
