MANKKU [mancko] – “Gör så gott du kan”

November 8, 2016 at 6:51 pm

MANKKU [mancko]

The expression “Gör så gott du kan” (appr. “do your best”) can be both a consolation and a curse. It’s also the title on MANKKU [mancko]’s, aka Magnus Fagernäs, latest singel, a taste of the upcoming album “Det var allt för stunden” (release November 17th). The song has been released before in an acoustic version recorded live in a studio. MANKKU claims, though, that this is how he really wanted the song to sound from the beginning.

It’s a dark atmosphere in this song where synths sweep in like black smoke, building up to a folkrock-vibing heavy chorus while MANKKU plays out all his dramatic intensity. Interestingly the folk song tinge is more obvious now than before, which underlines the timelessness in the story even further.  The song also ends with an ominous ambience, almost filmic, like if we are witnessing the smoldering remains of a battlefield. Dark, beautiful and haunting.

Mankku [mancko]’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

The Bland – “The Winners” video

April 14, 2016 at 12:29 pm

The Bland

I thought I’d start the day with a new folkrock single from The Bland. They have a history of excellent music videos from before, and this one is no exception. A fun interpretation of the lyrics and a quite catchy track.

The Bland on Facebookon Spotifyon Apple Music

Jonas Carping – “Cocktails & Gasoline” album

March 7, 2016 at 5:18 pm

Jonas Carping

It’s been a really slow start this year in the blog. I haven’t quit in any way, it’s just that other things have gotten in the way. Well, here’s a new post for you, and then we’ll see.

Half a year ago I wrote about Jonas Carping’s single “The Last Approval”, a single that was a first taste of this album, “Cocktails & Gasoline”. The single track starts the album, and is definitely one of the highlights of the record. This single track showed a larger and heavier rock sound than he has revealed before, and this is a trait that runs through on more songs on the album. Here’s a big span, though, all the way down to the naked folk song, where he’s all alone with the acoustic guitar. No matter the environment he is a something of a rebel, like the rock poet from the street who has jumped up on the Americana stage and shares his life experience with drama and passion, glowing in the darkness. And here he does it better than ever before. Here are three tracks from the album:

Jonas Carpings hemsidapå Facebookpå Spotifypå Apple Musicpå Bandcamp

Melodic Beauty from The Echo Field, Roadside Member & the Crouch and Micael Matias

January 26, 2016 at 5:47 pm
The Echo Field

The Echo Field

The Echo Field – “The Echo Field” EP

Behind The Echo Field we find the two friends Tomas Hellberg and Niklas Mellberg, who on their debut EP in the Autumn also got help from Billy Cervin (Side Effects) on guitar and Oskar Nylén on bass. The four songs radiate a happy, melodic powerpop with a strong breath of the sixties. I hear a lot of analogue warmth, characteristic chords and vocal harmonies that remind me of that era. I wouldn’t say it’s completely a retro album, though, as they have a fresh touch of their own in the sound and there are a plenty of other references with music from the seventies up to today which shines through. A debut album which promises a lot for future releases.

The Echo Field on Facebookon Spotifyon Apple Music

Roadside Member and the Crouch – “Somehow Psychadelic” EP

Here’s another excellent EP that was released in the Autumn. It’s Roadside and the Crouch’s third EP, where they present a wonderful mix of folkrock, Americana and pop. The melodies are contagious and Billy Lantz supply some great vocals.

Roadside Member and the Crouch’s site – on Facebookon Spotifyon Apple Music

Micael Matias – “Stockholm Syndrome”

Micael Matias is a singer/songwriter from Jönköping who so far has released a string of singles, where this one, “Stockholm Syndrome” came out a couple of months ago. He has a great baryton voice I like, which he gives some space in a folk inspired rock with good melodies. I also take the opportunite to add one of his earlie singles, “When the Winter Turns Into Summer”.

Micael Matias on Facebookon Spotifyon Apple Music

Jonas Carping – “The Last Approval”/”Damn Old World”

September 16, 2015 at 4:57 pm

Jonas Carping

Jonas Carping is going to release his second album on the 7th of October. It’s called “Cocktails & Gasoline”, and to give us a hunch how it sounds, he has released a couple of singles already, which you can listen to here below. I recognize his warm, dramatic vocals, but the sound costume is a bit different this time. His folk vibing songs are inbedded in a bigger sound now, with echoing guitars that remind me of both Mark Knopfler and U2, and where driving beats urge us on to open, grand choruses. It’s beautiful, comfortable but not without some nerve and drama.

Jonas Carping’s site – on Facebookon Spotifyon Apple Musicon Bandcamp

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