Jens Lekman
USA October (ltd. tour EP)
self-released
It's taken me a long time to appreciate Jens Lekman. I still think his older material tends to be fairly weak, but I grudgingly admit that he has gotten much much better with time. In listening to his latest limited edition tour EP, I think I've figured out the reason for my change of heart: When Lekman eschews production tricks and lets his songs stand on their own, he shines. Whether it's the simple accompaniment of ukulele or piano, it works wonders for his material. On the other hand, the spoken word piece "How much you mean to me" is unlistenable garbage, but there's barely anyone who can pull something like that off, so I'll let it slide. I also think I prefer it when Jens sings in his native Swedish. He sounds so much more comfortable, more laidback. Keep making music like this and I'll definitely be a fan.
- Avi Roig