Mathilde Falch "Som børn på ny" (2017)

Som børn på ny

release date: Oct. 30, 2017

format: cd (MatFal2017 - digipak)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]

producer: Christian Ki Dall

label: Just For The Record - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Tusindvis" - 3. "Som børn på ny" - 4. "Alle veje" - 8. "Lykken vender"

4th studio album from Mathilde Falch following two years after Alle taler (Oct. 2015) is like the predecessor produced by Christian Ki Dall, who also plays guitar on the album.

Som børn på ny doesn't appear as the most natural follow-up to her so far boldest rock-release, which could have been a natural step to follow a successful release, but it's much more of a melancholy-driven and emmotional soft rock album with focus on personal stories. There's an underlying tone of hopelessness in between themes of hope and dreams - perhaps aided by slower tempo and electronic bits instead of a more classic line-up and her repetitous notions of demons and emptiness.

Compared to previous releases, this is both more subdued, without strong singles but also comes out as her most personal album to date, which appears quite coherent. "Lad det boble" and "Lykken vender" are obvious attempts to satisfy fans of her more uptempo songs but these mostly turn out as recycling of older songs and they stand a bit alone as her only rockin' attempts on this. Critics would perhaps note that the album stays much on the same path without contrasts as proof of absent understanding of how to incorporate dynamics as a means to colour a full album.

Som børn på ny probably still feels like her best - for some, who really enjoy inner-felt ballads, and then it apparently signals some kind of rebirth to the artist. Falch has publicly revealed having fought with drinking abuse - much like har father did, and then this new album is her first after leaving behind her alcohol abuse thanks to her desire to become a mother. In that way, the album is an honest and most personal one, and you should perhaps know how to appreciate the strong willed process behind some of the lyrics, which on the other hand also comes with an appeal to dig into. I mostly find the arrangements too grey and without much else than an opportunity to tell personal stories, which on a musical side don't come around as new. Best song here is the uptempo rocker "Lykken vender", which was her best faring single from the album (the other two being the title track and track #2, "Tiden"), and after that I found myself yearning for more of that sound and for me it remains the only real sunbeam on a grey and somewhat easily forgettable album, if you don't appreciate the personal journey they also contain. In that way the album is a difficult collection of songs. I really would like to praise Falch's honesty and her openness about a private process, but as an original work it does fall a bit in the pit of really serious (master-)works that deal with exsistential issues and in the end, I think it could both have turned out as Falch's peak product to date as well as her least favourable one. Given her personal angle and her honesty, I land my personal verdict somewhere in between, although, it's not an album I return to only because of the music simply because I don't find her songs here are backed by obvious great musical support.

[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6, GFRock.dk 5 / 6 stars]

U2 "Songs of Experience" (2017)

Songs of Experience

release date: Dec. 1, 2017

format: digital (17 x File, FLAC - Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,72]

producer: various

label: Island Records / Interscope Records - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 3. "You’re the Best Thing About Me" - 4. "Get Out of Your Own Way" - 7. "Red Flag Day" - 12. "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" - 14 "Ordinary Love (Extraordinary mix)"

14th studio album by U2 following three years after Songs of Innocence (Sep. 2014) is like that produced by a conglomerate of people of which Steve Lillywhite, Jacknife Lee, Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, and Paul Epworth are central co-producers. Lillywhite asures that 'back-to-the-origins' sound everyone associates with U2, and in that regard the album signals something original that never came to mind with the predecessor. The album has been released in various formats - the standard album consists of 13 songs, a double vinyl issue counts 16 tracks, and the digital Deluxe Edition consists of 17 tracks of which two are extended mixes. The standard album has a total running time of 51 mins, and the Deluxe Edition runs just under 68 mins.

With this, U2 revisit their own musical starting point, they combine electronic experimentation à la Pop, and they explore new territory without ever sounding like anything or anyone else than U2.

I dunno, it's a bit of a weird combo pointing in all directions - 'Everything everywhere all at once' to quote a fine movie title, only this is far from a quality release. The second single taken from the album "Get Out of Your Own Way" mostly sounds The Killers and Coldplay paying tribute to U2 - not that it's completely bad, it's just like so reworked and not remotely original. The exact same thing could be attributed to "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way", the fourth and final single from the album. Personally, I think track #14, which isn't part of the standard album, is one of the best moments here - the only song here produced by Danger Mouse. Also track #17 "You’re the Best Thing About Me (U2 vs. Kygo)", a danceable remix of track #3 works in the better half, but that also says more than just a small bit about the whole album, 'cause highlighting a remix of a song that sounds like a remake of classic U2, does that work as a recommendation?

Even the title - paraphrasing the 2014 album - is embodied sloppiness. Bottom line, and admittedly, I'm no longer a fan, but this is redundant and not recommended. Compared to the predecessor, this is even a clear step in the wrong direction, and together with Pop this really hits U2 rock bottom. The reason I still hand it 2,5 stars is mostly due to the quality in production sound.

[ 👍allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 5,3 / 10, NME 2 / 5, 👺The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Michael Kiwanuka "Home Again" (2012)

Home Again [debut]
release date: Mar. 26, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Tell Me A Tale" - 2. "I'm Getting Ready" (4 / 5) - 3. "I'll Get Along" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Rest" - 5. "Home Again" - 6. "Bones" - 7. "Always Waiting" - 8. "I Won't Lie" - 9. "Any Day Will Do Fine" - 10. "Worry Walks Beside Me" - 11. "On Your Way"

This is a very promising debut album by this young talented folk, soul, singer / songwriter. Among others, he has been compared with Otis Redding and Van Morrison, and there's every reason to it. Now I'm only looking forward to his next release.

Michael Kiwanuka

~ ~ ~

Michael Kiwanuka: (birthname: Michael Samuel Kiwanuka; May 3, 1987) was born and grew up in Muswell Hill, London, UK. He's son of Ugandan parents. In 2012 he won the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll.

~ ~ ~

The Cranberries "Roses" (2012)

Roses
release date: Feb. 14, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Stephen Street
label: Cooking Vinyl - nationality: Ireland

Track highlights: 1. "Conduct" - 2. "Tomorrow" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Raining in My Heart" - 6. "Schizophrenic Playboy" - 9. "Astral Projections" - 11. "Roses"

6th studio album by The Cranberries feature Stephen Street, who produced the band's two first albums, back in the producer seat, and that is a welcomed return. Street did help the band creating a fine balanced and broad sound, which in a way dissolved somewhat on the following albums.
The album doesn't contain that many great tracks but I find that the sound is back on track - O'Riordan's vocal and backing harmonies in collaboration with jangle pop elements and string arrangements secure a rather fine comeback album that may better the last 3 albums by The Cranberries, but which frankly, only just contain good enough material for an ep, as it also contains a number of clear fillers.
[ allmusic.com, PopMatters 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

The Killers "Wonderful Wonderful" (2017)

Wonderful Wonderful

release date: Sep. 22, 2017

format: cd

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]

producer: Jacknife Lee

label: Island Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Wonderful Wonderful" - 2. "The Man" - 3. "Rut" - 6. "Tyson vs. Douglas" - 7. "Some Kind of Love"

5th studio album by The Killers released full five years after Battle Born is, as often before, made with a new producer. Since 2012, they released the 'best of' album Direct Hits (2013) and the iTunes Christmas album Don't Waste Your Wishes in 2016, and then the band members have also spent time focusing on other projects. Lead vocalist Brandon Flowers released his second solo album The Desired Effect (2015), bassist Mark Stoermer released his second solo Dark Arts (2016), and drummer Ronnie Vanucci Jr. with his music project Big Talk released their second album Straight in No Kissin' (2015). Only guitarist Dave Keuning seemed content appearing as guest musician on other people's releases. Producer Jacknife Lee was reportedly recommended to the band by Bono (U2), and Lee is also credited as a co-composer on seven of the regular album's ten songs as well as being credited as instrumentalist on an album that doesn't exactly miss out on additional credits of studio personel. Earlier, the band has made it a bit of a trademark to both excell in raw and aggressive music in the alt. rock genre and that of gentler soft rock and a synthpop expression, and it seems as if they have come to terms with the fact that they don't have to play Kings of Leon or Pearl Jam, but still just want to do a bit of both.

The album was met by a mixed press, but fans were ready, and Wonderful Wonderful went straight to number #1 in the UK as the band's fifth consecutive studio album, and it was the band's first to top the US Billboard 200.

The Killers must be doing something right as their sales numbers are at the right end of the scale internationally and together with Jacknife Lee they have made a genuine heartland rock album, which will surely do well at major festivals all over the world. To my ears, it's just too much recycling. They have turned up on all the expensive mixing consoles and all the fine hardware to follow in the footsteps of U2 and Springsteen. Jayson Greene (Pitchfork) aptly writes about the title track: "The stage is appropriately set for an Achtung Baby moment, but Flowers decides, instead of a big chorus, to bleat, “Motherless child, dost thou believe/That thine afflictions have caused us to grieve?” veering right past Achtung Baby U2 straight into “stuck inside a giant malfunctioning mechanical lemon” U2." And no, Brandon Flowers has never proved to be a skilled songwriter, but he knows how to build a song into a resounding chorus that has a whole stadium crowd roaring along. There are hints of good hooks, but what's the point when the songs just sound like U2, Depeche Mode, Springsteen, or The Killers copying The Killers, anyway? All in all, it tends towards the uniformly boring and is, in my opinion, the band's poorest studio album to date.

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com, NME 4 / 5, Slant 3,5 / 5, The Times 3 / 5, Pitchfork 6,3 / 10, Gaffa.dk 3 / 6 stars ]

Keld og The Donkeys "Ved landsbyens gadekær" (1966) (single)

Ved landsbyens gadekær, 7'' single

release date: 1966

format: vinyl (X 84 84)

[single rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]

producer: ?

label: HMV - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Ved landsbyens gadekær" - - B) "Spring ud!"

Single release by Keld og The Donkeys (aka Keld & The Donkeys). The title track is credited Bror Karlsson (aka Kalle Cederkvist, aka Wilhelm Sörensen), and the B-side is credited 'Joe Halford - Jay Justin - Susanne Palsbo' with the latter having translated the original song "Get That Feeling" by Halford and Justin (released as B-side to Justin's single Reminiscing in 1964). The band existed under various line-ups in the years from 1962 and up until 1980. Initially, the band went under the name of (The) Donkeys (from '65 / '66 as Keld og The Donkeys, shortly after changed to Keld & The Donkeys). For this single, the band consists of lead vocalist & guitarist Keld Heick, lead guitarist Paul Malmqvist, bassist Norbert Persson, and with Henry Nielsen on drums.

This issue comes from my parents' record collection, and I recall playing this at age 6-10 years old, and I remember actually really enjoyed the title song, which I found sounded much like Cliff Richard / The Shadows, and to some extent as a softer version of The Beatles.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Kent "La Belle Epoque" (2014) (single)

La Belle Epoque, single
release date: Mar. 12, 2014
format: digital
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,38]
producer: Kent, Stefan Boman, Daniel Alexander
label: Universal Music - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "La Belle Epoque"

Single release from the forthcoming album Tigerdrottningen by Kent - scheduled for release Apr. 30.
It's a very promising first single from the new album. Kent continues to make beautiful, mesmerising and tight synthpop.

< show lyrics >

~ ~ ~

"La Belle Epoque"

"Jag är handen som håller flaggan
Jag är ficktjuven på centralen
Jag är bomben på terminalerna i väskan som lämnats kvar
Jag är de första kalla regnen
Jag är frosten där inget växer
Jag är halvåret av mörker i landet som gud glömde
Jag är tårgas i handväskan
Jag är med i ravekommissionen
Den främlingsfientliga politiken
Jag är självmordsstatistiken
Jag är glesbygden, Rohypnolen
Jag är svartsjukan, alkoholen
Jag är de snabba sms-lånen
Jag är drevet på skolgården

:Alla för alla. En för en
Så börjar vi om igen

Jag är dimman i minneslunden
vinden på bron över sundet
Jag är den misstänksamma grannen
jävla finnar, norrmän, danskar
Jag är kniven i innerfickan
Jag är alla vapen vi exporterat
Jag är soldaterna vid byarna
Jag är minorna
Jag röstar inte längre i valet
Jag är Melodifestivalen
Jag är dom som går in i väggen
Jag är dom som går igenom rutan
Jag bor i den största staden
Jag skänker pengar till Rädda barnen
Och min dator är full av bilder
som aldrig borde ha tagits

::Alla för alla och en för en
Så börjar vi om igen

Jag är handen som gungar vaggan
Jag är staten och kapitalet
Jag är säkerhetsmanualen, anonyma kommentarer
Jag är mobbningen på nätet
Jag är Big Macen du äter
Jag är moskéer och katedraler
Jag är bibeln och koranen

::Alla för alla. En för en
Så börjar vi om igen"

~ ~ ~

C.V. Jørgensen "Fraklip fra det fjerne" (2002)

Fraklip fra det fjerne

release date: May 27, 2002

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]

producer: Kasper Winding

label: Columbia - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Alverdens turbulens" - 3. "Kort proces" - 4. "Mit lille reservat" - 5. "Neon nok" - 6. "Flimmer fra en fjerner" - 8. "Endnu en vinter" (med Steen Jørgensen) - 9. "Dagdriverdrømme" - 10. "En stor dag"

13th studio album by C.V. Jørgensen and his final album with new material for the time being. The album was released eight years after the critical acclaim Sjælland (1994). It's the second consecutive album with Kasper Winding in the role of producer and on the album, in addition to Winding, it's only recurring performances by guitarist Aske Jacoby and drummer Gert Smedegård, who most recently participated on I det muntre hjørne (1990) and who may probably be C.V.'s most used musician since the his beginning in '74. Aske Jacoby and Per Both play guitar on some tracks, just like C.V. again is credited with the instrument on most tracks, while Kasper Winding once again is credited as bassist and multi-instrumentalist. Other new musicians include the two Swedish musicians Gustav Ljunggren on pedal steel and mandolin, as well as Jesper Nordenström on keyboards, while Flemming Agerskov plays trumpet as a returnee from the '94 album. Text and music are solely credited C.V., while the music is arranged by Both, Valentin & Winding. The individual tracks are characterised by being recorded with different musicians, and several of these only participate on single songs, while it's exclusively C.V. and Winding, we hear on all ten tracks.

Eight years is a considerable time in between studio albums, and C.V. was perhaps even written off by many as an active musician. Following Sjælland, he somewhat turned down his touring life and withdrew from the spotlight, so that he now shows up with new material at all is actually a bit of a surprise. With the title - which is another word play ['Fraklip fra det fjerne' translates to 'Outtakes from afar'] - he basically jokes about his absence and perhaps indicates that these are mere glimpses of life from a self-chosen exile. It's not surprisingly an album on which C.V. cultivates the poetic, the ethereal and the introspective - as he demonstrated this style on the predecessor. A few tracks on that were predominantly electronic with a clear instrumentation taken from jazz with trumpet, double bass and percussion, and that approach is lived out in full bloom on this new one. The lyrics are not entirely positive. Again, they bear the mark of C.V.'s eye for social criticism and new trends, which in particular characterised his earlier albums. However, it's far from the wordy narrative threads of his early stage, but instead, it's much more based on his own life and identity. At the same time, it's performed in his more recent lyrical style, where the narrative is subordinated linguistic means. However, there is plenty of sulkiness, e.g. on "Endnu en vinter" ['Yet Another Winter']: "Jeg føler mig en anelse gudsforladt - & skriger på frelse hver eneste nat - Det hele er blevet mig for sammensat - Mon jeg nærmer mig endnu en vinter", ['I feel somewhat forsaken by God - and (I) scream for salvation every single night - It's all become too complex for me - I wonder if I'm heading towards another Winter' (my translation)], and on "Dagdriverdrømme" ['Dreams of Lazybones']: "Mit ego har spillet fallit - Mit jeg er ikke længere mit - Mit æresord er i miskredit" ['My self-esteem is failing - My own self is no longer mine - My word of honour is being discredited' (my translation)]. However, it's not only pure pessimism as for instance on the end track "En stor dag" ['A Great Day'], where he might narrate about turning his back on everything: "Det er som er jeg ramt af et trylleslag - Jeg har svært ved at huske mine nederlag - Dagen er reddet & kysten er klar - Jeg er den der er skredet så skaf en vikar" ['It's as if I've been hit by the wave of a magic wand - I find it difficult remembering my defeats - I'm out of the woods & coast is clear - I'm out of here, so find a replacement' (my translation)]. That's is how the album ends, and since then, C.V. hasn't released any new material. However, he has continued his concert life, at intervals, where his old stables have been rearranged and adapted to his new musical style.

Fraklip fra det fjerne was generally well-received, apart from a few critics who poked fun at his isolated life at his 'own preserve'. At the Danish Music Awards 2002, C.V. Jørgensen eas awarded IFPI's Honorary Award, while at the following year's nominations the album was on the list of Danish Album of the Year, which on that occasion was handed Saybia's debut album The Second You Sleep.

Nowadays, the album marks a fine poetic end to perhaps the one of the finest careers in Danish popular music. The album doesn't reach the level of his albums of the past two decades, but it's nevertheless original and artistically justified. However, as no other, C.V. Jørgensen has left his lasting mark in Danish music history by the release of several unique and diverse albums of high quality.

The front cover is once again credited C.V.'s girlfriend Annemarie Albrectsen. Since this, other albums have been issued, which include the two fine double live albums Så live som muligt (2003) and Sange fra scenen (2012), as well as number of compilations. The documentary "C.V. Jørgensen - skygger og skønhed" by Jens Folmer Jepsen was issued in 2006 (DR2 pre-presentation). Since 2011/12 circulating rumours have announced that he was in the process of recorded new songs, but now a decade onwards it's unfortunately still without any visible proof.

[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

The Divine Comedy "Regeneration" (2001)

Regeneration
release date: Mar. 12, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Nigel Godrich
label: Parlophone Records - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Timestretched" - 2. "Bad Ambassador" - 3. "Perfect Lovesong" - 5. "Lost Property" - 7. "Love What You Do" - 8. "Dumb It Down" - 11. "The Beauty Regime"

7th studio album by The Divine Comedy with producer Nigel Godrich. All the previous albums have all been released on the smaller Setanta label but Hannon has now signed with a major label, EMI Records and releases through its sub-label, Parlophone Records. This is often referred to as Hannon's darkest album and his OK Computer Radiohead album. Well, it doesn't contain the normal amount of pure croon of baroque pop revival, or Scott Walker influenced ballads and does have a more art pop / rock style, which may be his closest release to Radiohead BUT it's still very much an original Neil Hannon fabricated album with great songs. It may just take more time to appreciate the single tracks.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Blondage "Blondage" (2016) (ep)

Blondage, ep [debut]

release date: Sep. 15, 2016

format: digital (5 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]

producer: Blondage

label: self-released - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Lucky Black Skirt" - 2. "Dive" (2,5 / 5) - 3. "BEG" - 4. "Pray" (2,5 / 5) - 5. "FLF"

Studio EP debut by Danish synthpop duo Blondage, which basically is identical to the duo Rangleklods who most recently released the acclaimed Straitjacket (May 2015). Esben Nørskov Andersen and Pernille Smith-Sivertsen are both credited all songs and music as was the case on the 2015 album.

The 'new' name of the duo with reference to 'Blonde' and 'Bondage' may be a result of restarting a career with a more international edge after experiencing some attention from both the British and the US markets - and then some [national] critics already pointing to the odd ambiguous Rangleklods, which again was a made up name, although, in Danish only.

The five tracks here have a total running time of approx. 18 minutes and the style isn't far from what we heard on Straitjacket. You could add that the musical soundscape has been condensed to a lighter and less aggressive, or: less playful style, which doesn't include the archetypical progressions from house nor the electronic reminiscense from the first releases by Rangleklods. It's more like MØ (especially on "Dive"], Oh Land and the huge pond of contemporary generic pop, which loans and has its foundation deep in art pop, electropop and dance pop - and where 'pop' is the common denominator. Andersen and Smith-Sivertsen now sings on most tracks together utilising the new standard: vocoder and emulators. Instead of being groundbreaking or highly original, this mostly sounds like a detour into club and 'pop'-land. To me, it's too strained and willed likeable. Only composition with a positive outcome is the end-track "FLF" (abbreviated for 'Feel Like Falling'), which combines indie pop and electropop with a fine melody. Imho, this is the least interesting release by Esben Nørskov Andersen.

Some critics - see below - found this a fascinating turn, but still the duo never issued a full-length album. They released a few more singles - after a single remix released Nov. 2017, Andersen and Smith-Sivertsen - now a romantic couple - apparently decided to split as a musical duo but now with Smith-Sivertsen continuing as Blondage, while Andersen returned to his one-man brainchild project of Rangleklods.

[ 😮Soundvenue 5 / 6 stars ]

Mogwai "Happy Songs for Happy People" (2003)

Happy Songs for Happy People

release date: Jun. 9, 2003

format: digital (9 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]

producer: Tony Doogan

label: PIAS] Recordings - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Hunted by a Freak" - 3. "Kids Will Be Skeletons" - 6. "Ratts of the Capital" - 7. "Golden Porsche" - 8. "I Know You Are but What Am I?"

4th studio album by Mogwai released a litttle more than two years after Rock Action follows closely on the musical pattern laid out on the predeccesor with an incorporation of electronic music that never takes dominance over the band's electric guitar sound. The album consists of 9 compositions with a playing time just over 41 minutes, (again) making it one of the band's shortest albums.

[ bandcamp ]

[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, NME, 4 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 3,5 / 5, Mojo 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Sir Henry and His Butlers "Times A-Getting Hard" (1966) (single)

Times A-Getting Hard, 7'' single

release date: 1966

format: vinyl (T 7237)

[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,64]

producer: Per Sørensen

label: Sonet - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Times A-Getting Hard" - - B) "Money Honey"

Single release by Danish band Sir Henry and His Butlers. The band is one of many Beatles-inspired bands that saw the light of day in the mid-1960s. Actually, the band was founded as early as 1964 by three ex-members of The 5 Danes: lead vocalist and bassist Ole 'Sir Henry' Bredahl, lead guitarist Carsten Elgstrøm, and drummer Leif Davidsen. The band was expanded to a quartet and then to a quintet and underwent changing line-ups but from 1965 the line-up is the same who plays on this with Bredahl on vocals and bass, Tommy Seebach Mortensen on vocals and organ, Carsten Elgstrøm on lead guitar, Arne Schrøder on rhythm guitar, Jens Bøgvad on drums. Shortly following the recording of this, Elgstrøm left the band and Schrøder took over as lead guitarist.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and it's a single I knew of at age 6-10 but never really enjoyed that much. Both tracks are covers - the A-side credited Lee Hays, and B-side is credited Smith [?], although, it could be a cover of the Jesse Stone song performed by one Mr. E. Presley.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.