Love Shop "Frelsens Hær" (2010)

Frelsens Hær
release date: Nov. 1, 2010
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm - nationality: Denmark

Best track: 1. "Redningsklar" (4 / 5) - 2. "Ikke langt herfra" - 4. "Drømmeslottet" - 5. "De elskende" - 11. "Fester i Danmark"

8th studio album by Love Shop is the first studio album after the new formation of the band - now a duo consisting of Jens Unmack and Henrik Hall. The revival of the band became a reality after several memorial live concerts in early 2009 held in memory of the band's former member, co-founder, musical core-composer, and producer Hilmer Hassig, who was tragically killed in a drive-by car accident, Nov. 2008.
It's also the first studio album in 7½ years succeeding National from 2003. The new album title is Danish for 'Salvation Army'. It contains the very strong single hit "Redningsklar" and "Ikke langt herfra" and apart from these, the rest may not seem on the same level, but it's clearly far from the most recent and rather mediocre releases, which also had led Hassig to his decision to leave the band in late 2003.
Current album producer Mikkel Damgaard, who already played additional keyboards on the band's last three albums, counting from Det løse liv (1999), has also worked with Jens Unmack on his two solo albums, and here he initiates his collaboration work with Unmack & Hall in an extended producer-role as co-writer on three of the tracks - he also took part in the band's live concerts. Later on, Damgaard will be a substantial partner of Unmack in his project to continue Love Shop as a band.
My initial and long time thoughts about the album made me think of it as a minor work, but I have come to realise that it's a quite strong album, which also signals the new start of Love Shop. The album emphasises stronger on the synthpop element that almost always was part of the band's sound, and may be seen as a combo of what has characterised the solo works by Unmack and Hall that represents a big mix of influences but ultimately condenses into this new embodiment of Love Shop. Many national music critics embraced the album as a very successful and strong return.
Frelsens Hær is the last to feature long-time band member, harmonica-player, keyboardist, composer and vocalist Henrik Hall. [ Read more: www.jensunmack.dk ].
[ Gaffa.dk 3 / 5, Undertoner 4,5 / 6, Berlingske, Soundvenue 5 / 6 stars ]

Henrik Hall "Chok suk og koma" (2008)

Chok suk og koma
release date: Feb. 18, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Shake Shake" - 3. "Suzuki" - 4. "Ligesom Iggy Pop" - 5. "I Centreville" - 6. "Bunny Blue" - 10. "I min trommerum"

2nd and final solo album by Henrik Hall is an even stronger solo release than his debut from 2006. Alas, this was completely overlooked despite of fine reviews. Hall sings in Danish but the music has a destinct sound of art pop and synthpop with elements of glam rock. It doesn't sound like anything else on the Danish scene, which perhaps made it too strange. Once again, the music is highly depending on the skills of producer Mikkel Damgaard, who is also credited for arranging the music with Hall and for handling keyboards and synths. Both Thomas Risell on bass and Morten Woods on guitars and backing vocals took part in Hall's debut album and they reappear on this. Lars Skærbæk handles electric guitars, Johan Lei Gellett plays drums, and Frank Ziyanak sings backing vocals. Together, the six supporting musicians are credited as Himmelstormerne. The sound is a fine dynamic combination of several styles and in the end this is one of the best Danish albums in 2008. Unfortunately, the album was the last to feature Henrik Hall. Love Shop was reformed as a duo in 2009 after some memorial live concerts held in tribute of the band's guitarist Hilmer Hassig, who had been killed as the result of a drive-by car accident in late 2008. Jens Unmack and Henrik Hall would constitute the new Love Shop incarnation until the untimely death of Henrik Hall in Jan. 2011.
Recommended.

Henrik Hall "Solo" (2006)

Solo, debut
release date: Mar. 20, 2006
format: cd (alarmcd 102)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,36]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard; Henrik Hall (co-producer)
label: Rockstar records / A:larm Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Solo" - 2. "Bibis mund" - 3. "Hun kom, hun gik" - 5. "Min nye limousine" - 7. "Flugtbilist" - 10. "Baby"

Studio solo debut album by Henrik Hall at a time when Love Shop was history after the departure of the band's central composer Hilmer Hassig in 2004. Lead vocalist of Love Shop Jens Unmack, who was the first to release a solo album, Vejen hjem fra rocknroll (2005), also sings on this. In fact, many of the usual staff of musicians contributing on Love Shop material also appear on this one: Thomas Risell has played on a number of Love Shop albums - he also plays bass here. Morten Woods plays guitars and adds backing vocal. Thomas Duus plays drums, and Mikkel Damgaard is everywhere on the album, just like he is and was on Love Shop albums without ever becoming an official member until the reformation of the band in 2009. Damgaard plays a major part on the album with his synths and programming, which makes up the actual sound, although all lyrics and music are credited Henrik Hall. The album is fine and refreshing with its (Iggy Pop) glam rock touch and uptempo style as a bit of a contrast to the more singer / songwriter-based songs with Love Shop. Hall comes out rebel-like and with a bunch of strong compositions bettering at least the last two studio albums by his former band.

Love Shop "Copenhagen Screaming!" (2004) (live)

Copenhagen Screaming! (live)
release date: Mar. 22, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: mixed by Hilmer Hassig; Mikkel Damgaard (mixing assistant)
label: Fanstar Records / Playground - nationality: Denmark

11 track live album released simultaneously with the compilation album Sendt fra himlen - 1990-2004 to signal the disbandment of Love Shop. The recorded live concerts are taken from five different locations during the band's farewell tour in the autumn of 2003, which took place before the "disbandment" had been announced or even discussed within the band. All concerts were held in Copenhagen (thus the title) in the span of six days in late September at: Stengade (Sep. 15, 2003); Loppen, Christiania (Sep. 17, 2003); Lille Vega (Sep. 18, 2003); Kitty Club, Park (Sep. 19, 2003); Pumpehuset (Sep. 20, 2003). These concerts are performed by the Love Shop trio: Jens Unmack, Hilmer Hassig and Henrik Hall together with the stable additional line-up of studio and live musicians: Mikkel Damgaard on keyboard and backing vocals, Thomas Risell on bass and backing vocals, and with Thomas Duus on drums. The concerts were part of a strategy to reinforce positivity and creativity in the band. Each of the band's many studio recordings of their albums had been more than sheer struggles, and the idea was to make it easier for the band members by releasing a live album instead of hard and draining studio work. The album is not over-produced, or so it seems. It sounds quite convincingly like the recorded concerts without heavy mixing and overdubs - the naked and honest statement, and a document of an essential Danish band of (primarily) the 1990s. 'Sounds like' because fact is musical architect of the band and producer, Hilmer Hassig spent a long time in the studio re-mixing and re-arranging what had to be fine and useful recordings. In the book "Himmelflugt og højdeskræk - historien om Love Shop" (2015) by Tommy Heisz, Jens Unmack is cited for his and Hall's harsh criticism concerning Hassig's reluctance in keeping the material as it was recorded. On the other hand, Hassig claimed that the vocal performances by Unmack simply documented how he consistently sang out of tune, and Hassig also asserted that it didn't matter one bit if it was live, as long as the illusion of live recordings were intact.
I must say that Hassig did a remarkably good job producing the album 'cause you really cannot tell that it's not actual live recordings. The album is nicely mixed, but it does feel strange listening to live music not knowing how the band actually played at the reported concerts, and with that Hassig again proves what a brilliant producer he was and that he truly had an ear for sonic statements.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Love Shop "Sendt fra himlen - 1990-2004" (2004)

Sendt fra himlen - 1990-2004 (compilation)
release date: Mar. 22, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: Columbia Records / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Compilation album by Love Shop released simultaneously with the live album Copenhagen Screaming!. Both albums were not meant to be the epic last releases that would sum up all their best tracks from all their seven studio albums, but in hindsight they stand like landmarks after the band's musical composer, lead guitarist, and main producer, Hilmer Hassig, had decided to leave the band; and although, the remaining two, Hall and Unmack, didn't feel like calling it a day, a disbandment seemed like the most natural consequence. Hassig proclaimed his departure on the band's official site, and Unmack soon stated that they all felt sorry about Hassig's decision, but he also wrote that it did not mean that Love Shop wouldn't continue as a band but that it would signify a period of uncertainty and without a new album around the corner.
The last studio album thus remain National (2003) - despite fine reviews, I feel it's not as successful as their former creations and in a sad way end it all - although, it would not quite end with this after all.
This compilation is a fine collection with 16 great tracks but it really doesn't justify the band's catalogue, as more than a few great songs are left out, and as a double disc version hasn't been released, this remains the best alternative to buying all their albums.

Love Shop "National" (2003)

National
release date: May 5, 2003
format: cd (MNWCD 389)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: MNW - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Sig det aldrig mere" - 3. "Bin Laden Blues" - 8. "(Før vi) kører galt" - 10. "Carpenters" - 11. "Skønhedsoperation"

7th and so far final studio album by Love Shop released on the Scandinavian label MNW. The style is much like on Anti from 2001, which I found the band's least interesting studio release to date. The album would prove to be the last by the trio of Unmack, Hassig and Hall. Drums are handled by Thomas Duus, who has participated on the band's albums since its third album Billeder af verden (some tracks are with Freddie Pedersen on drums), additional bass is played by Thomas Risell, and Mikkel Damgaard and Povl Kristian are credited for keyboards. Although, Hassig is a true multi-instrumentalist, also old collaborator Finn Verwohlt plays additional guitars.
It's like the half-hearted attempt to reproduce what worked so well on Go! (1997) with a combo of pop / rock and glam rock - here in a darker, more sinister, and slower rock version with industrial elements - only this just has fewer fine compositions and no really great ones. So, on an overall basis, I only find it clearly bettering the 2001 album, which in essence means the band's so far second "worst" album.
I think, Hilmer Hassig, the band's main musical composer and the true backbone of Love Shop, had seen the writing on the wall after two lesser releases in a row. In late 2003, he decided to leave the band, and for the remaining two members, lead vocalist Jens Unmack and backing vocalist, harmonica-player and keyboardist, Henrik Hall, this literally meant that the band could not survive, so they prepared to finish the era with two compilation albums in early 2004. Little did they know that sadder events eventually should revive the band in 2009. In the meantime, both Unmack and Hall would go on to pursue solo careers and release fine solo albums. But National is really not the place to start if you want to know this band.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Love Shop "Anti" (2001)

Anti
release date: Sep. 10, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: MNW - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Alle har en drøm at befri" - 2. "Kræmmersjæl" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "S.T.O.P." - 7. "Det tog mig et år" - 9. "Du er kommet for at gå"

6th studio album by Love Shop is as usual produced by guitarist and musical composer Hilmer Hassig. It's been two years since Det løse liv and the sound and style remain unchanged.
The best thing about this is the first track and the following great classic "Kræmmersjæl". Aside from another three songs, I find that this is the band's low-point to what I feel is a continued artistic decline. It's as if they have no great ideas left but to reproduce sound and build music on new British glam rock. Are we Suede or should we instead be as Kent?

Love Shop "Det løse liv" (1999)

Det løse liv
release date: Sep. 15, 1999
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: Polydor - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "I dit spejl" (4 / 5) - 2. "For evigt for altid" - 4. "Min Elvis" - 6. "Bellavista sol" - 8. "Født til action" - 10. "Birgittelyst"

5th studio album by Love Shop introduce a return to a rock-universe, and it introduces Mikkel Damgaard for the first time on additional keyboards.
Musically, the album is fine but it's also a somewhat uneven release. The style is much like on the acclaimed forth album Go! only with less energy. The first track is the band's continued tradition in contributing to the Danish collection of contemporary pop classics, and although, the album also contains other fine compositions it also contains several tracks that are not on the same high level and merely feel like album fillers.
Overall, Det løse liv is still in the high end of what other Danish artists release these years, but when thinking of what Love Shop has already accomplished it does vain in comparison.

Love Shop "Go!" (1997)

Go!
release date: May 28, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: Pladecompagniet - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Love goes on forever" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Copenhagen Dreaming" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Fremmedlegionær" - 5. "Sendt fra himlen" - 7. "Vi blinker så hurtigt vi kan" - 8. "Glimmer show"

4th studio album by Love Shop continues where Billeder af verden ended but also introduce a harder rock-style. The band remains the same, and the credit list more or less count the same additional personnel.
Stylistically, this is perhaps their most glam rock inspired album with hints to Marc Bolan (especially "Fan Star", which perhaps is the only poor track on the album), Bowie, and contemporary glam rockers like Suede. The album may also be seen as a move from a mainly pop-founded territory to a more traditional rock playground.
Go! is no less than one of the band's best albums ever, and tracks #1, #2 and #5 have already become classic Danish pop / rock songs.
Highly recommended.

Love Shop "Billeder af verden" (1994)

Billeder af verden
release date: Nov. 7, 1994
format: cd (PCCD 8077)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: Pladecompagniet - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Billeder af verden" (4 / 5) - 2. "Det er mit liv" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Skudt ned" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Det elsker jeg" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Alt skal bort" (4 / 5) - 6. "Fuck min højdeskræk" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Tag mig, hold mig, løft mig" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Love Shop who is once again back to a trio, as Mikael Dehn is longer credited as band member but still contributes on backing vocals. The trio of Unmack, Hassig and Hall is without a band drummer, but this will be the longest lasting and most memorable constitution of the band. The bold addition of keyboards is also reflected by the credit list, with Hassig from the band expanding his list of instruments but three additional musicians are credited for playing keyboards (and Moog) on the album. Thomas Duus handles drums, Asger Steenholdt and Oli Poulsen plays bass, and Finn Verwohlt plays rhythm guitar and is also assistant producer on five tracks. Jesper Siberg (formerly Scatterbrain) plays keyboards and is likewise credited as assistant producer on two tracks.
With the album, the band introduces a new style with more focus on synths, which in my mind helps creating the band's best-balanced album of both pop and rock as an indie pop and synhtpop release. Billeder af verden is one of my absolute favourite studio releases by Love Shop, and I think it basically contains all elements of their repertoire: the up-tempo refrain-driven tracks with both Hassig and Hall's signatures (tracks #1, #2, #7, #8, and #12), strong ballads (tracks #3, #4, #6, and #14), light and witty pop songs (tracks #5, #11, and #13), and brilliant lyrics throughout. Modern Danish classic pop / rock songs on this album are "Det er mit liv", "Skudt ned", "Fuck min højdeskræk", and "Det elsker jeg", but several others are just memorable tracks that will endure.
Highly recommended.

Love Shop "DK" (1992)

DK
release date: Sep. 3, 1992
format: cd (PCCD 8047)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: Pladecompagniet - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Hun er stadigvæk en lille pige" - 3. "Pia Larsen" - 5. "Drømmenes København" (live) - 6. "Casanegra" (4 / 5) - 8. "Livet er en fest" - 9. "Himlen vil briste" - 10. "Alle veje fører bort fra Rom"

2nd studio album by Love Shop is a fine follow-up to their strong debut. The original trio of Jens Unmack, Hilmer Hassig and Mikael Dehn has by now been expanded to form a quartet with the inclusion of Henrik Hall on harmonica. As was the case on the debut, bassist Flemming Muus and drummer Stefan Grabowski are credited as additional musicians.
Stylistically, it's quite close to the debut album, and both music as well as lyrics are on the same high level as one finds on the 1990 album. Here you will find Danish classic pop / rock songs like "Pia Larsen" and "Casanegra".

Love Shop

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Original line-up, as of 1992 (l-r): Mikael Dehn,  Hilmer Hassig, Henrik Hall, Jens Unmack

Love Shop: formed 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Band members: Jens Unmack (vocals), Hilmer Hassig (guitar, keyboards, 1986-2004), Michael Dehn (vocals, 1986-94), Henrik Hall (harmonica, flute, vocals, 1991-2011), Mikkel Damgård (keyboard, 2011- ). Love Shop is one of the most popular Danish pop / rock bands for more than two decades. The band started as an indie pop pop / rock band as a project evolving around Hassig and Unmack and with Dehn as the strong harmonic vocalist. The center of their music relies on lyrics written by vocalist Jens Unmack and his narrating voice. From the very start, the band's sound was heavily characterised by the dominating crystal-clear guitar-style of Hilmer Hassig. The band was officially disbanded in 2004 when Hassig decided to leave the band, and it wasn't until Unmack and Hall, after several live performances in memory of Hassig, in 2009, finally decided to reform the band as Love Shop, although it was then basically reduced to a duo. The band was back on track, receiving fine reviews again but in 2010, the band had to cancel several concerts due to a weak Henrik Hall who was hospitalized due to cancer, and eventually he died on Jan. 27, 2011. However, Love Shop continued, if not as a solo band with only lasting member, Jens Unmack, then as a collaboration project with producer and keyboardist , Mikkel Damgård, who had been part of the live version of the band for almost a decade, and who had also been used as a studio musician. Both Unmack and Hall had their own distinct solo careers (Hall being more singer / songwriter art rock) when playing in Love Shop, and that may very well be the reason that the project Love Shop lives on. Unmack's own solo albums are all much more singer / songwriter founded, whereas the music with Love Shop are distinctively different with more focus on an indie pop and synthpop sound, which embodies all Love Shop releases.

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