The first song I heard from Joe & the Anchor’s new album “King of Sins” was the wonderful ambient ballad “Sin Against Sins”. The song is not quite characteristic for the other songs on the record, but I can sense some spices here which runs through many of the tracks. Here’s an unpredictability in the harmonies and the song structures, big emotions and a sweet sense of melodies.
The album is quite varied, a brew with inspiration from britpop, Americana, alternative rock and other styles. They mention artists like The National, Editors and Nick Drake as influences and when I listen I feel it pours down associations from the first song to the last and I hear everything from Soundgarden to Foo Fighters and Manic Street Preachers. It’s a colourful mix with both deep dark shades as well as brighter ones. The base is a a rather powerful and spacious guitar-based sound, carefully spiced with synths and nice vocal harmonies. Joakim Rosenlund has a special tone in his voice I really appreciate and he also has both the power and the amplitude in his expression to take on these multifaceted songs. Another splash of colour is Yrsa Schau’s vocals who join Joakim on a few songs.
Here are three excellent samples from a quite delicious album, the second full length record from the band since they started in 2013.
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.
With their last album, “So Much Imagine” the duo Marching Band, Erik Sunbring and Jacob Lind, wanted to find their way back to their roots with a more DIY-based pop sound. And I liked the result where they vented in full their gorgeous indiepop-tinkering on a double album. Still, it feels like that album pales in comparison to their fourth album “Heart Jewel”, released a few weeks ago.
I notice the difference right from the start in the first track “Creator – And I Notice”, a folk-inspired, uplifting pop track. Overall the record feels happier, more energetic and more playful than any album I have listened to before with the duo. There is still a lo-fi vibe, which sometimes reminds me of Magnetic Fields, and their pop melodies are high class as usual. But here is also a variation in the arrangements and quite a few fun ideas that keep me on my toes the album through. They have also started playing with electronica and drum machines which makes this into a very unique brew, a brew that tastes very sweet and refreshing.
Gustav Roth from the duo Roth also has a solo project running called Oldboy. Last week he released his second single “Debaser”, a sweet piece of sunny pop with some 70’s vibes. And the song title refers to the former venue at Slussen in Stockholm, which get a tribute with this song. I also take the opportunity to play his first single, released earlier this year, “Where Am I Going”, also a feelgood pop track driven by Southafrican warm rhythms and colours.
The band Les Gordons, hailing from Örebro, is right in the middle of an exciting period. After participating in the finals of a national Swedish radio competion last month, they were picked out by a jury to the biggest competition of them all: Melodifestivalen in Swedish national television next year. And of courrse they didn’t turn down the opportunity to play in front of the biggest possible Swedish audience.
They are hardly the typical band for the competition, though, even if they have a great sense for catchy tunes. Into their melting pot of energetic indie they pour various influences and they can add som 60’s-inspired garage pop just as well as funky dance rock with a taste of the 80’s. In Summer they released this video with the title track, “Need to Feel”, from their latest EP, released in Spring. I’ve also added another excellent track from the album here below: “Walking On”.
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![MANKKU [mancko]](https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14495421_1102771403140659_1767099209567339983_n.jpg?oh=c4b7c0b77f788a9907693dc29b89b757&oe=58C77943 "MANKKU [mancko]")
