Artist: Rough Bunnies
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10
As if it had not been obvious since this album was in the process, its impending release was instantly one of the most anticipated events of the year over here at IAT!. Yes, our expectations were high, and based on the three prior albums by The Fine Arts Showcase (including the Rough Bunnies interpretations) -- how could they not be? Gustaf Kjellvander has, under this moniker, established himself as one of the most consistent song craftsmen around, and with this landmark album narrating the breakdown of not only his relationship but psychological state, succeeds beyond the lofty expectation and standards already in place. The narration he gives us is honest, and more importantly, so balanced and self-aware of his vices and the role his actions played in his downfall -- what he conveys on "Dolophine smile" is something few modern albums contain: compassion. Listening to this album I feel as if I am there with Gustaf and Hannah, not as a voyeur but as a ghost, that same ghost that has been haunting Gustaf.
- Matt Giordano
8
It's hard to follow up a record like TFAS's stunning "Radiola". Doing so with an album of cover songs by close friends Rough Bunnies seems an odd choice, but it works surprisingly well. Lyrically, there's very little difference - the same characters are back, only now Frida and Anna are writing the songs instead of appearing in their titles. And the same topics of drinking, drugs, and love gone wrong remain the focus. The wit is still there (in "You should be in love with me" - which I hope will be the next single - the protagonist offers "we could watch TV / until our eyes get dry / from being inside / and we could only go out when it was spring outside" as though that's appealing). The title sounds hokey, but truth is, Gustaf Kjellvander is a real singer, one who cares about every tiny turn of phrase and who's got a voice that can transform songs that sounded mediocre at best in their original versions into shining moments of pop brilliance. These songs may lack the depth or diversity of his own, making the album more like a candy bar than a satisfying meal, but who doesn't like candy? And bonus points to Kjellvander for leaving the gendered pronouns intact (I especially like hearing him sing "seems like the meaning of my life is to drive my men away").
- Nancy Baym
Adrian Recordings has posted the first single from the new Fine Arts Showcase album for free download: http://www.adrianrecordings.com/TFAS-Dance.With.Yr.Shadow.mp3
The record "The Fine Arts Showcase sings the Rough Bunnies" is just that, a collection of covers of fellow Swedish artist Rough Bunnies.
Italian label My Honey Records has released a split 2x3" CD featuring Swedish indiepop act Rough Bunnies and Italians Le Man Avec Les Lunettes. The two will do a tour of Italy together in support:
08/15 - Knifeville, Maniago
08/16 - Tenda blu/Indie d'Urto, Brescia
08/17 - Hana-bi, Ravenna
08/18 - Fooltribe, S. Martino Spino
Gustaf Kjellvander of The Fine Arts Showcase reports that he has recorded a Rough Bunnies tribute album entitled, appropriately enough, "TFAS sings the Rough Bunnies". No word yet on how/when it'll be released, but I'll keep you posted.
Frida has left All of My Brother's Girlfriends due to the large distance it takes her to get to practice and her increasing committments with her other band Rough Bunnies. She will continue to contribute to The Flame though, another group with Pontus from AOMBG. As for AOMBG, a new EP entitled "I Painted You a Dinosaur (a declaration of love...)" will be recorded this fall.
Once again I'm going to turn things over to Simon Tagestam for today's new mp3:
Two weeks ago I was back at my parents' house and spent a lot of the time alone driving around in their green Nissan Micra. The car stereo doesn't work in the car so I usually brought my nice little portable cassette player along for the ride, and during the last days of my trip I got totally hooked on this song by Rough Bunnies called "Dance with your shadow". I got so obsessed by the song that I had to unwind the tape every time the song finished, just so I could hear it again, making me a danger to my fellow drivers out on the road, since the cassette player isn't the easiest thing to manoeuvre with one hand while trying to keep your eyes on the road. Do you understand now how beautiful this song is? It made me a dangerous driver! Seriously, I haven't cried a lot lately but "Dance with your shadow" made my eyes more than misty while driving to my girl's parents' house in the middle of the night, but then it made me super happy half of the time as well (what a song!). When I now hear the song on the stereo in my room it's almost like a different song (for example: the male backing vocals, for some reason, are non-existent on the taped version), but I'm getting slowly used to the more hi-fi version of the song. "Dance with your shadow" is without a doubt the best song I've heard this year and not many songs I've listened to lately have made me feel this confused and warm inside. If you develop a similar liking to this gorgeous song, I would recommend you to put the song on repeat while you record it onto a tape (that's if you haven't got a car with a flashy cd player). The song itself is a bitter lo-fi love song that reminds me a bit of Beat Happening.
While I personally don't have the same level of appreciation for this sort of naive indiepop, I do respect the fact that my exquisite musical taste is not shared by everyone.
Once again I'm going to turn things over to Simon Tagestam for today's new mp3:
Two weeks ago I was back at my parents' house and spent a lot of the time alone driving around in their green Nissan Micra. The car stereo doesn't work in the car so I usually brought my nice little portable cassette player along for the ride, and during the last days of my trip I got totally hooked on this song by Rough Bunnies called "Dance with your shadow". I got so obsessed by the song that I had to unwind the tape every time the song finished, just so I could hear it again, making me a danger to my fellow drivers out on the road, since the cassette player isn't the easiest thing to maneuver with one hand while trying to keep your eyes on the road. Do you understand now how beautiful this song is? It made me a dangerous driver! Seriously, I haven't cried a lot lately but "Dance with your shadow" made my eyes more than misty while driving to my girl's parents' house in the middle of the night, but then it made me super happy half of the time as well (what a song!). When I now hear the song on the stereo in my room it's almost like a different song (for example: the male backing vocals, for some reason, are non-existent on the taped version), but I'm getting slowly used to the more hi-fi version of the song. "Dance with your shadow" is without a doubt the best song I've heard this year and not many songs I've listened to lately have made me feel this confused and warm inside. If you develop a similar liking to this gorgeous song, I would recommend you to put the song on repeat while you record it onto a tape (that's if you haven't got a car with a flashy cd player). The song itself is a bitter lo-fi love song that reminds me a bit of Beat Happening.
Rough Bunnies - Dance with your shadow
Rough Bunnies have a new website: http://www.roughbunnies.se/
Bedroom Records has announced that they'll be releasing a new CDR from The Flame, a new collaboration between Rough Bunnies and All of My Brother's Girlfriends. More info and samples: http://www.bedroomrec.com/bands/releases/pumpupthejam.htm
The Fine Arts Showcase
The Fine Arts Showcase
