Listen: The Tallest Man on Earth - "Sagres"

photo by Cameron Wittig

One of the most frequent answers Swedish singer/songwriter Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth gives when asked what he's been doing between album cycles is working on his singing. It's an answer that always struck me as a little odd considering Matsson doesn't exactly lack in vocal ability and I found his occasional grittiness a charming infusion of character.  And yet on "Sagres", the first single from The Tallest Man on Earth's heavily anticipated follow up to 2012's There's No Leaving Now it's never been more evident that that's exactly what he's been up to.

Matsson's characteristic rasps is transformed instead into a sweet, supple croon and his higher register is enough of a marvel that he spends a considerable amount of time up there. There's a comfort and ease in the slide and glide of his vocals that enables him to do considerably more with it. But that's not the only new quality in "Sagres". Matsson doesn't exactly shelve his trademark guitar but guitar and vocals are no longer the sole focus and Matsson opens the song up with a lush expansiveness. From castanets to violin and mandolin, The Tallest Man on Earth explores a diverse array of instrumentation in what's arguably one of his lengthiest songs. "Sagres" is perhaps the poppiest Matsson has gone but even then it's not that far from his guitar-driven folk rambles.

He may not have spent the whole three years between albums off the grid but there's no denying "Sagres" reveals a refreshed and re-energized Matsson with a bevy of new tricks up his sleeves. There might be no need to fix what isn't broken but Matsson's gone about improving anyway and "Sagres" bodes well for the rest of the upcoming album.



The Tallest Man on Earth's fourth full length album Dark Bird Is Home is out May 12th on Dead Oceans. Pre-order is available on digital, CD, LP, or limited edition deluxe bundle here.

Listen: Junip - "Line of Fire"

Has it really been three years since we've heard new sounds from the Swedish folk rock trio Junip? Apparently so. And their latest single "Line of Fire" off their forthcoming sophomore record shows exactly what we've been missing: swaggering drum beats and a sparse but not empty, slow burning canvas for Jose Gonzales' lilting vocals. Junip always has this talent for having busy, bustling songs that sound anything but.

There's no doubt that there's a lot of things happening on "Line of Fire", with string sounds and organ alongside rapidly moving drums and guitar and cresting meandering vocals but somehow, it doesn't quite seem overwhelming. There's space for everything to breath and stretch to the most of it ability. "Line of Fire" is one of those tracks whose intricacies reveal themselves only when you hold them under a magnifying glass.

Otherwise it appears rather simple, a very logical step for a band offering up follow up material; close enough to previous sounds to be familiar while not appearing to be a rehashing of already treaded moments. Proof of a band that knows what it's doing; able to shift focus off their complexity of what it's doing to the utter enjoyment of it.

Listen to Junip's return in "Line of Fire":   


Junip's sophomore record is due out in April.

Watch: Marching Band - "And I've Never Seen"

The year is 2008 and Swedish duo Marching Band have their song "Trust Your Stomach" featured in the movie Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. I fall in instantaneous love. They release two abums of pleasant tuneful indiepop which I do a terrible job of covering. Until now.

Yesterday the Swedes released a brand spanking new video for the song "And I've Never Seen" off their forthcoming And I've Never Seen Anything Like That EP. The tune is mellow jangle pop that slowly picks up speed, gathering up a series of instruments (like drums and glockenspiel). The video is as simple as video can be too. Featuring Swing dancing troupe the Harlem Hot Shots, it starts with each member making their way to an empty restaurant and engaging in a solo dance off before turning into an out and out dance party. Simple but fun video for a simple but fun song.



Marching Band's And I've Never Seen Anything Like That EP is out January 15th.

Watch: First Aid Kit - "Wolf"

Earlier this year, Swedish sister folk duo First Aid Kit released The Lion's Roar, the follow up to their 2010 debut The Big Black and the Blue and while the album name-checks and musically cites a number of the sisters' influences from 70s folk til now, the duo's best track to date is "Wolf" which didn't make the album. On their full length debut ,with tracks like "Hard Believer", the sisters proved themselves willing and able to tackle big picture topics and on "Wolf", the girls lament the destruction of the Earth in a manner not unlike Bowerbirds' "In Our Talons". It's subtle but that's what makes it most effective.

In the video for the track directed by Johan Söderberg (no relation to the sisters Söderberg surprisingly enough), the sisters take to the forests of their native Sweden for a bout of ritualistic dance to awaken their inner beasts and become a part of nature once more. There's beautiful pseudo-psychedelic light shows and  the whole thing culminates in a fearsome blaze consuming the sisters and their sacred monument. A stellar and equally incredible video.

Watch First Aid Kit's video for non-album track "Wolf":

Listen: Ullbasunen - "Wet Suit"

From the misty forest of Mid Sweden rolls something new and different. Meet Ullbasunen (translation: Wool Bassoon), a quirky Swedish electronic artist who stitches together synthy soundscapes with tender love and care.

Like the mists of the Nordlands he calls home Ullbasunen's "Wet Suit" rolls in and out with a sense of pervasive mystery and otherworldly eerie that makes the minimalistic plod intriguing. From it's sparse beginnings, Ullbasunen drapes layers of samples, homemade sounds, and the like atop each other to create a calm ocean of sounds that perfectly balances the track's obvious complexity with a sense of ease and simplicity.

 Ullbasunen - "Wet Suit" by All Around Sound Blog

"Wet Suit" is off of Ullbasunen's upcoming Action Force EP on Chipndamned Records out soon.

Johan Brännström - New Set of Dreams EP (2012)

I may have failed to mention that each member of Swedish indie-pop trio Heart-Sick Groans is a talented musician in their own right. Earlier this year, we were introduced to Henric Wallmark's recent solo project Ghost Lake but Heart-Sick Groans' main vocalist/string player Johan Brännström has been churning out solo tunes for awhile now.

In fact, two days ago Brännström released his short 3 song New Set of Dreams EP which is filled with thoughtful, contemplative folksy songwriting. It's certainly a surprisingly but impressive change of pace from the infectious, sugary chamber pop stylings of the Heart-Sick Groans. And while not as the overtly catchy as his work with the trio, there's an undeniable replay quality to New Set of Dreams. It's stripped down and basic allowing Brännström's simple but poignant lyricism to stand on its own two feet and the result is a pretty fine release that you'll have a hard time putting down. And it'll certainly have me paying more attention to Heart-Sick Groans songs of which Johan Brännström is chief lyricist because underneath their poppy dressings, there must no doubt be something that hints to this level of skillful songwriting.

Enjoy Johan Brännström's New Set of Dreams EP and here's hoping there's more to come.

Listen: Tallest Man on Earth - "1904"

There doesn't seem to be any stopping Swedish folk guitarist Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth. After releasing not only his incredible sophomore album The Wild Hunt back in 2010 but his Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP later that same year, the man took what we all would agree was a well deserved break - although not really considering he toured a bit and released "Weather Of A Killing Kind" as part of the Adult Swim Singles Program last year. Turns out, that break wasn't even real. Matsson is gearing up to release another selection of what promises to be finger-picked guitar gems with his upcoming third album There's No Leaving Now next month.

While everything's been pretty quiet since the initial album announce, we can now hear brand new track "1904" which is more of that Tallest Man goodness we've come to love. It's a bit of a conundrum how the man can keep churning out tracks of his high caliber of songwriting while also improving his technique (both vocally and instrumentally speaking) but it's certainly appreciated. "1904" is almost bursting at the seams with hopeful splendor, a rolling surprisingly fast-paced (at least in the rather fluid guitar lines) track which is really just makes the album seem tragically far away.

Listen to The Tallest Man on Earth's "1904":


The Tallest Man on Earth's third album There's No Leaving Now is out June 12th on Dead Oceans.

Watch: Ghost Lake - "Late Spring Morning Sunlight"

Henric Wallmark of Heart-Sick Groans may function as the groups co-songwriter and producer and created his own solo project but did you know he's also a talented video producer? Yes, clearly the man's dripping with talent. While he's mostly produced videos for others, it makes sense that with his solo project Ghost Lake, that he'd have a hand in that too. 

The video for "Late Spring Morning Sunlight" sees a bunch of masked dancers infiltrating a rather small apartment, packed into kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, and the like where they pulse along with the tracks rhythms and slowly devolve tanking on the characteristics of their monster masks. The change is subtle, as they sip tea and cook meals before filtering out into other parts of the dwelling where their dancing becoming more rigorous and wild. The coloring gives the video both the look of a home video while also casting things in a sort of otherworldly glow. 

A much more fitting video than any sort of literal interpretation of the track. Watch the video for Ghost Lake's "Late Spring Morning Sunlight":

  

Ghost Lake - Late Spring Morning Sunlight EP (2012)

A couple months ago I was introduced to Heart-Sick Groans' Henric Wallmark's solo project Ghost Lake with the title track from his debut EP "Late Spring Morning Sunlight". Well, actually I was also introduced to the EP proper and while I made sure to post the aforementioned title track, the rest of the EP kind of fell by the wayside. A huge mistake, I assure you. 

Ghost Lake's Late Spring Morning Sunlight EP is a series of introspections where each song effortless invokes sunlight softly streaming into your bedroom window. Opener and title-track being the most obvious in this as Wallmark croons about the way the early morning sun shines on his lovers skin. Rowdier track "Music" recalls fellow Swedish pop purveyors Suburban Kids With Biblical Names with it's chorus: "All I care about is music, it's the only thing that means anything to me" that has a very "Loop Duplicate My Heart"-esque rejection of others.  On Late Spring Spring Morning Sunlight, Wallmark plays with a delicacy that imbues each song with a quiet sincerity while also creating a gratifying work of musical composition. 

Even stripping away the overtly pop dressing of Heart-Sick Groans, Wallmark still manages to create a set of delightfully memorable musical moments. The result is something that while a bit rough around the edges sounds very much like a well-kept secret. But do yourself and him a favor and spread it as far and wide as you can. Late Spring Morning Sunlight is a secret that doesn't need keeping despite what its heartfelt intimacy might suggest.

Give Ghost Lake debut EP a listen and make sure to spread the good word:

You can download the EP for free at THEM Records here. 

 

Watch: OH MY! - "Sunshine In Your Eyes"

You may had never heard of OH MY! before but chances are that's about to change. Today the Swedish indie-pop quintet released the video for "Sunshine In Your Eyes" and it's pretty incredible. Directed by Heart-Sick Groans Henric Wallmark (who is completely responsible for me stumbling upon OH MY!) and Jerker Häggström, the video features two young girls who take over a pizza parlor offering special ingredients that have a pretty nifty effect on the consumer - uncontrollable dance. The girls' hijacked pizza place becomes increasingly popular as they feed patrons more and more of the special pizza and becomes a veritable dance party. Satisfied with the impressive amount of profits they've managed to make off the witless pizza proprietor, the two then slip out undetected to conduct a bit of shady business involving a back alley bicycle seller.

Watch OH MY!'s video for "Sunshine In Your Eyes":

Watch: Heart-Sick Groans - "If The Canary Stops Singing"

Quickly following up on the release of their latest single "If The Canary Stops Singing", Swedish indie-pop trio Heart-Sick Groans are offering up a brand new video in the similar animated vein of videos past. However unlike the others in which they enlisted the help of friends and outside talent, this video was created by the group's very own Henric Wallmark.

When I saw several stills from the video on the trio's Facebook page, I thought I more or less knew what the video was going to be about - the song is based on an old tale about love and danger in a Swedish mine. Well Henric Wallmark has certainly proved  me wrong: the video's plot isn't at all what I expected (in a good way). Though the video begins with a miner pining after his far away love, the action quickly moves outside of the mines as he and his canary attempt to find her and she makes her way home to him. I won't ruin the ending because it's a very good twist but it's pretty inspired. Another lovely video from the Swedish trio that can't seem to do wrong!




(via)

Listen: Ghost Lake - "Late Spring Morning Sunlight"

Remember the charming Swedish indie pop trio Heart-Sick Groans who's brand new tune "If the Canary Stops Singing" I premiere last month? Of course you do. While they're currently working on the latest EP (and a video for "If the Canary Stops Singing" if Facebook pics are to be believed), one of the lads is stepping out on his own. Henric Wallmark, co-songwriter and producer, is releasing his solo debut as Ghost Lake later this month.

On "Late Spring Morning Sunlight", Ghost Lake trades in the overt catchiness and perfect arrangements of Heart-Sick Groans and offers up something a little more introspective without trading in any of that overabundance of talent. The track is still catchy in the way that's sure to give you a case of earworm, with its craning melodies and plentiful percussion. It's a simple love song that still manages to be heart-warmingly infectious. Check it out.



Ghost Lake's solo debut Late Spring Morning Sunlight EP is out March 15th on THEM Records so look out for it!

Listen: Heart-Sick Groans - "If the Canary Stops Singing"

(Photo by Simon Hellsten)

Considering that they're going on their fourth year of officially putting out music, its a bit surprising more people haven't heard of Swedish indie pop trio Heart-Sick Groans. They were among the first new bands brought to my attention by Eardrums Music when they were featured on the Fall themed compilation album A Good Crop (alongside established acts like Fanfarlo and Sambassadeur) back in 2008 and they've pretty much been hard-working on new material ever since.

Last year, Heart-Sick Groans put out both their third EP Look!!! These Three Painters of Hits Have Done It Again! as well as the first track and subsequent video, "A Bossanova with This Casanova"  from their upcoming six song EP . Unlike their previous releases, rather than put out a batch of sweet tunes for rabid consumption, the threesome have decided to slow down their process and give each track an individual release with about a month between. This upcoming Friday marks the release of their brand new single "If the Canary Stops Singing" but in a gesture of friendship and good graciousness, the three are letting you hear it a day early: here.

Yup, that's right. World premiere of Heart-Sick Groans' latest single "If the Canary Stops Singing" right here at All Around Sound. Enjoy.



And if you like what you hear, you can grab Heart-Sick Groans other tunes on their Bandcamp. And keep up with news of the EP on Facebook or Twitter as well as right here. So stay tuned.

Watch: First Aid Kit - "Emmylou"

In two weeks, Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit's sophomore record The Lion's Roar comes out and if the little we've been treated to from it hasn't been enough to fuel the anticipation, today the duo released a brand new video for a song called "Emmylou". The song pays homage to some of the songwriting greats that have come before them in a remarkably subtle way of slipping their names into the lyrics and while it's not the first time the duo have made their love for their predecessors known, it might very well be their best to date.

Enjoy the video for "Emmylou":

Watch: Heart-Sick Groans - "A Bossanova With This Casanova"

Swedish indie-pop trio Heart-Sick Groans have been hinting at a brand new EP for a while now and today they gave fans a preview of the soon to be released EP with a video for new track "A Bossanova With This Casanova". The video, like their other ones, features a bunch of students from features Mads Peter Brandstrup Jensen's class at the Drawing Academy of the Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark. The new track is balmier and more summery than "Surfer Friend" (which was released earlier this year) but with that same old catchy pop that Heart-Sick Groans are proving themselves masters at making.

Enjoy the new video for "A Bossanova with This Casanova" from Heart-Sick Groans":

Watch: First Aid Kit - "The Lion's Roar"

After the announcement of their brand new sophomore album, Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit previewed the title track "The Lion's Roar" shortly after. Well now that track's also got a video. Filmed in Stockholm by Mats Udd, the video features the sisters in a kind of medieval tribal garbs with a militaristic band of drummers trekking through darkened fog-laden forests and alternating scenes of the girls in elegant dresses rowing out to the middle of a lake on a bright sunny day to find a trunk hidden at the bottom of the lake. Not much of the plot is explained but it's hardly necessary. The video is beautiful shot and looks straight out of an fantasy epic or a Swedish fairy tale. Enjoy the video for "The Lion's Roar":


First Aid Kit's sophomore album The Lion's Roar is due out January 24th.

The Tallest Man on Earth - "A Field of Birds" live video

Since the release of "Weather Of A Killing Kind" this summer, I've been awaiting the news of a new album from Swedish folk troubadour Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth. And while no such announcement has been made, I stumbled upon this live video of Matsson playing a new song called "A Field Of Birds". It's The Tallest Man on Earth you've come to love - intricate fingerstyle guitar work and that husky vocals that spawned two albums and an EP. So while there's no news yet of a new album, I'm grateful for these videos that pop up every once in awhile that prove that Matsson takes no rest from writing amazing songs. Enjoy this live video for "A Field of Birds":




"A Field of Birds" is part of the Live on KEXP compilation alongside artists like Florence + the Machine, The Head and the Heart, Sharon Van Etten, and more.

Listen: First Aid Kit - "The Lion's Roar"

Since the release of their debut album The Big Black and the Blue last, Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg aka First Aid Kit have been busy touring, recording tracks with super producers (Jack White), and charming the hearts and ears of anyone lucky enough to hear their music. And so as the two get ready to depart on another world tour, news of their upcoming album The Lion's Roar spread, particularly today where the title track was unveiled via their website and NPR.

The new track channels the emotional intensity and poignant question-asking of tracks like "Hard Believer" and "Heavy Storm" off their debut, along with their characteristic sweeping vocal harmonies and a much more mature and flushed out sound.

You can listen to the new track here.

(Via ListenBeforeYouBuy)

Listen: The Tallest Man on Earth - "Weather Of A Killing Kind"

Who would've guessed Adult Swim would be a go to spot for good music? Not I. Normally you associate Adult Swim with previous cancelled cult cartoons and quirky comedies written by comedians but now with their Adult Swim Singles Program, they're cranking out some pretty sweet tunes.

Their latest single is a previously unreleased tune by Swedish guitarist Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth. The new track "Weather of the Killing Kind" will be released July 12th for free download but until then you can still listen to it to your heart's content. It so characteristically Tallest Man on Earth which of course means it's amazing.



(via FILTER Magazine)

Lykke Li releases "Sadness is a Blessing" video

Lykke Li is no stranger to theatricality, as fans most likely saw in her Solarium and "Untitled" videos. And Lykke Li has some rather talented friends: Remember Swedish/Lebanese actor Fares Fares in "I Follow Rivers" video? Well in her latest video for "Sadness is a Blessing" she combines the two - her first music video to actually feature parts sans music features Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard as her father. Lykke Li plays Skarsgard's attention-grabbing rebel daughter who manages to shock a roomful of affluent dinner patron with her vodka guzzling and dancing. The video was directed by previous collaborator Tarik Saleh.

Enjoy the video for "Sadness is a Blessing":

Lykke Li - Sadness is a Blessing (Director Tarik Saleh) from Lykke Li on Vimeo.