MP3: Vapnet - Skorpan
Back home after a week in SF doing dayjob-related stuff and it's snowing?! In mid-April? C'mon now, that ain't right. Oh, and then there's the cold I caught my very first day in the office which I happened to bring home as well. So yeah, back, but not what I'd call well rested. Thankfully, contributor Arnulf Koehncke has come through with today's mp3 post in my stead:
I was completely amazed when I first listened to "Skorpan" from Vapnet's new album "Doda fallet". For the first time, the band dares to not contrast their lyrical darkness with uplifting melodies, jangly guitars and schlager-inspired key-changes. Not that I'd ever disapprove of that. Instead, it's just a slow ballad carried by a piano, a few guitars and plugged trumpet. It's sad, maybe slightly cynical, but definitely not ironic, which just adds to the strength of the song. And best of all (though I'm not a native speaker, so you'll never know), the chorus finally reveals that it's inspired by one of my favorite children's books, "The Brothers Lionheart" by Astrid Lindgren. So maybe it's ironic then after all...
Vapnet - Skorpan