Lars H.U.G. "10 sekunders stilhed" (2014)

10 sekunders stilhed
release date: Nov. 3, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Povl Kristian & Lars H.U.G.
label: Genlyd / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "10 sekunders stilhed" - 2. "En skønne dag" (4 / 5) - 3. "Elsk dig selv" (4 / 5) - 6. "New York"

7th studio album by Lars H.U.G. is his first studio album in 11 years. This is a nice return to form, which means primarily uptempo pop / rock with hints of art pop and a style that is closer to his best albums of the late 1980s and early 90s. It's quite impressive how tight it sounds and the way it updates his repertoire without having taken part of the whole music industry for more than a decade. His voice still has its charm and strengths on an album that includes a long list of featuring musicians including old associates like Finn Verwohlt, Flemming Muus, Nanna Lüders, and Johannes E. Møller (aka Johnny Voss from their former band Kliché). The first half of the album is clearly the strongest. The second half reminds me more of his two previous albums; however, it's still a fine and somewhat surprising return of one of the finest voices of Danish music of the 1980s
The front covert art is again made by Lars H.U.G.

Kliché "De samlede klichéer" (2011)

De samlede klichéer (compilation)
release date: Mar. 28, 2011
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5]
producer: Kliché, Poul Bruun, Hilly Michaels
label: EMI - nationality: Denmark

2-disc compilation album containing the only two studio albums by Kliché and two additional tracks - the live recordings taken from the compilation album Pære Punk.
Unfortunately, the band never released any singles or eps containing other tracks than may be found on its two studio albums.
Listening to these recordings some 30 years after their original release dates, it's still remarkable how strong and unique a sound they produced.
This is downright essential.

Lars H.U.G. "Save Me From This Rock 'n' Roll" (2003)

Save Me From This Rock 'n' Roll
release date: 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,88]
producer: Lars H.U.G. / Nikolaj Foss (exec. pro.)
label: EMI-Medley - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Pray" - 2. "Dream Boy" - 3. "Save Me From This Rock 'n' Roll" - 11. "Till the End of the World"

6th studio album by Lars H.U.G co-produced by Peter Juul Kristensen and with Oli Poulsen as assistant producer. The album is H.U.G.'s first studio album in 7 years and stylistically, it's like a continued journey focusing on harmonic jazz pop like his previous album from '96.
I bought the album on its release date without having heard one single track from it, and I also remember my immediate disappointment as feeling that the album was without anything other than half-mediocre vocal pop harmonies.
Imho, Save Me From This Rock 'n' Roll is no less than his least interesting album, and except from the review in Gaffa (see below) it was also met by harsh and negative reviews and after a few months, H.U.G. announced that this album would be his very last - though, he also stated that before...
The front cover art is made by Lars H.U.G.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Lars H.U.G. "Kiss & Hug From a Happy Boy" (1996)

Kiss & Hug From a Happy Boy
release date: May 5, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Peter Mark & Lars Hugh Uno Grammy (aka Lars H.U.G.)
label: EMI-Medley - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Thanksgiving Man" - 2. "Love Against Sex" - 3. "Backwards" - 5. "Waterfall" - 6. "Happy Boy" - 8. "Colorfull Love"

5th studio album by Lars H.U.G. released four years after his most recent studio album, Blidt over dig is a more subdued ballad-like pop album with a distinct jazz influence only containing compositions by H.U.G. himself. The backing band on the album is called Once Around the Park consisting of Rune Funch on guitars, Anders Christensen on bass, Nikolaj Torp on Hammond Organ and piano, and with Michael Finding on drums.
I believe, it's H.U.G.'s first album without both Hilmer Hassig and Finn Verwohlt in any parts involving the album making. The track "Backwards" feature a duet with Swedish vocalist Lisa Ekdahl. Best faring single from the album is the single "Waterfall". The album is not bad, but I have always felt that it lacks really strong songs.
The album was generally met by positive reviews but after the album, H.U.G. retired from music. He now wanted to dedicate his life fully to his artistic role as a painter. Actually, I recall him stating that he believed his career in music was over with.

Lars H.U.G. "Blidt over dig" (1992)

Blidt over dig
release date: May 25, 1992
format: vinyl (MdLP 6430) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Kim G. Rasmussen, Lars H.U.G.
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Natsværmer" - 2. "? Er lykken så lunefuld" (4 / 5) - 3. "Zombie" - 6. "Blidt over dig" - 10. "Tæller dig ned / Itzi bitsi" (hidden track)

4th studio album by Lars H.U.G. is both the more natural follow-up to his '87 album Kysser himlen farvel but also a continued fascination for classic Danish popular ballads / standards with a cover of "Hvorfor er lykken så lunefuld", which would become one of his biggest national hits. The album is co-produced by Kåre Bjerkø, Hilmer Hassig, Rene Cambony, and Finn Verwohlt, and it feature the backing band The Zombies consisting of Kåre Bjerkø, Stephan Grabowski, Hilmer Hassig, Flemming Muus, and Finn Verwohlt - the backbone who also participated on his two previous studio albums. The cd issue also includes the non-listed 'hidden track' cover of "Itzi bitsi" (originally by Steppeulvene).
Alongside his musical career, Lars H.U.G. has been working as a painter, and after his third solo album, and more dedicated following this release, he concentrated more on his visual art and would not release another studio album for another four years. On Medley Records, however, he released his first best of album G.R.E.A.T.E.S.T. in 1993.

Lars H.U.G. "Kopy" (1989)

Kopy
release date: 1989
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Finn Verwohlt, Himer Hassig, Lars H.U.G.
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Dansevise" - 2. "Så længe jeg lever" - 3. "Skibet skal sejle i nat" - 4. "Sæsonen er slut" - 5. "Kvinde min" - 6. "Rose" - 8. "Når lygterne tændes"

3rd studio album by Lars Hug - from here on known as Lars H.U.G. (his own abbreviation from Hugh Uno Grammy). The album consists of H.U.G.'s cover versions of various Danish standards / classic ballads and reflects a rather different style of interest, but is nevertheless a fine example of his strong vocal and harmonic capacities. The album feature many guest artists and a core of preferred musicians consisting of Hilmer Hassig on guitar, Kåre Bjerkø on keyboards, Flemming Muus on bass, and Stephan Grabowski on drums appear on most of the tracks. It's his best selling album to date. After his success with Kysser himlen farvel (1987), Hug was nominated and won several national prizes, which he didn't really officially appreciate much. He had taken a critical position towards the whole music industry, and he often ridiculed award shows and the general appreciation process in many ways. For a period of time he performed under various aliases (e.g. Lars Who? & The Copies) to obscure his identity, performing playing cover versions instead of his own material, and it may be from these experiences that he decided to release an album of covers, which isn't meant as a joke but more as his sincere admiration for other national songwriters.

Lars Hug "Kysser himlen farvel" (1987)

Kysser himlen farvel
release date: Feb. 20, 1987
format: vinyl (MdLP 6323) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Hilmer Hassig, Lars Hug
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Hvor går vi hen" - 2. "Mon de kan reparere dig" - 3. "Kysser himlen farvel" - 4. "Skibet hedder Afsked" - 5. "Tal til mig" - 6. "Desertøren" - 7. "Dreng dreng" - 8. "Elsker dig for evigt" - 9. "Vi er en stor familie" - 10. "P. S. You Better Believe in Boys, Girls"

2nd solo album by Lars Hug (his last under this moniker) is his perhaps finest solo release with its fine combo of pop / rock and art pop. Most tracks are written either solely by Hug or in a collaboration with Voss and Torp (tracks #4, #7, and #8) from Kliché, as three of the tracks apparently was written for a never realised third album by Kliché. Apart from that, the album also feature Finn Verwohlt and Hilmer Hassig on guitars, both of which contributed on Hug's debut album.
Kysser himlen farvel is a rather big surprise as his solo debut was anything but commercial, and it's Hug's major breakthrough as a solo artist on the national scene.
After the release Hug was forced, via legal charges, to change his artist name to Lars H.U.G., as the name Hug by court of law was declared an old protected family name.

Lars Hug "City Slang" (1984)

City Slang [debut]
release date: Nov. 1984
format: vinyl (MdLP 6159, 2nd pressing) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Lars Hug, Himer Hassig (ass.pro.), Finn Verwohlt (co-pro.)
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Afsked" (4 / 5) - 3. "Glemt kvarter" - 4. "Ikke døden" - 5. "Vent" (5 / 5) (live performance) - 7. "De berusedes vej" - 8. "Passager" - 11. "Hen over himlen"

Solo studio debut by Lars Hug [aka Lars Haagensen, aka Lars H.U.G.] is music by Hug to lyrics by Danish poet Søren Ulrik Thomsen. The poems were released by Thomsen in his first book "City Slang" in 1981 (track #7 is from a collection titled "Digte om natten"). The album is with assistant producer Hilmer Hassig (of Love Shop) and with Finn Verwohlt (of SW-80 and Funtime) as co-producer. In a collaboration work, Hug, Hassig, and Verwohlt arranged the songs with a long list of musicians featuring Hassig, Verwohlt, Per Chr. Frost (of Gnags), and Søren Wolff (of SW-80) on guitars, Per Frost, Lars Jeppesen, and Verwohlt on bass, and with Jacob Sæther (of SW-80 and Funtime) on drums. The music is primarily art rock with inspiration from Roxy Music, Brian Eno, and possibly Kraftwerk, but in essence it's quite original incorporating elements from early synth, progressive electronic or space ambient.
It was clearly not an album that produced high sales numbers, although, it was well-received by critics and other musicians. Lars Hug had just left the perhaps most promising and important Danish rock band, Kliché after only two studio albums. This has parts in common with the second album by Kliché, Okay Okay Boys from '82, e.g. "Hen over himlen", but it also fore-shades Hug's second solo album Kysser himlen farvel (1987) especially in the more pop-founded song "De berusedes vej".
I recall a late night live broadcast from Danish national TV (late 1984?) as Hug presented his new songs. I wasn't exactly impressed, but watched the concert through more in ave. I understood it was more than special, although, the music felt like experimental avant-garde more than anything else. Still, I purchased the album 'cause I immediately enjoyed a few of the tracks including "Vent", which in my mind is the album's best track. Despite the experimental non-mainstream musical approach, the songs endure as strong lyrical compositions thanks to Ulrik Thomsen's writings.

<  show inlay >

lyrics on cd inlay

Kliché "Okay Okay Boys" (1982)

Okay Okay Boys
release date: Oct. 1982
format: vinyl (MdLP 6090) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Kliché, Poul Bruun, Hilly Michaels
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Bag de røde bjerge" - 2. "Pil på himlen" - 3. "Patrulje" - 4. "Bravo Charlie" - 5. "Oppenheimers formiddag" - 6. "Okay Okay Boys" - 7. "Brændende kakler" - 8. "Mama mama" (aka: 'Mamma Mamma') - 9. "IKB" (aka: 'International klein blue') - 10. "Ansigt til ansigt"

2nd and final studio album by Kliché. After the strong debut album, keyboardist Jens "Valo" Danielsen left the band and was substituted by Steffen Brandt of TV-2 for a short period of time before Nils Torp replaced Brandt. Later Love Shop guitarist Hilmer Hassig also feature on this album and he adds his signature guitar sound to most tracks, although he was never a full-time member. The style is very different from the debut and it's striking how much they evolved over a short period of time. At the time of its release I was somewhat disappointed about it. It was too much art pop and synthpop for my liking, and I had just really hoped for another energetic outburst, but they were over with that, and had moved on. It didn't take me long to appreciate the new sound and today, I find this another great Danish album of the 1980s, and I guess my rating has gone from 2,5 (then) to the 4 stars I feel it rightfully deserves. The considerable change of style also reflects how they evolved. When they began playing concerts, they played punk rock with a twist of new wave and art pop, and in a span of only a few years, they were in another position, which may explain why they felt inclined to split up a project constantly in extreme progress.
After this - their only second album - the band toured with its new material featuring Hilmer Hassig, and then they went on a hiatus to realise other musical projects. Lars Hug initiated an interesting solo career (and later became Lars H.U.G.), he worked on and released his solo debut album City Slang (1984), while the remaining three band members, Johannes "Voss" Møller, Jens "Valo" Danielsen, and Anders "Brill" Gilberg, went into the studio and as Voss Torp Brill the trio released the album ++Dobbelt plus (1984). Hug toured in late '84 with his solo album, and then the quartet rejoined as Kliché. The band composed several new songs to be included on a third album but it was never realised 'cause in '85, Lars Hug publicly announced that Kliché had disbanded. Some of the compositions for the band's third album actually ended up on Lars Hug's second solo album, Kysser himlen farvel (1987). Johnny Voss and Nils Torp worked together and released Den store lysfest (1987) as Voss / Torp, and from 1992, Nils Torp formed the lasting duo Souvenirs with his wife Sofie Bonde, and Hilmer Hassig continued his musical career in the band Naive for a short period before finally eventually forming the band Love Shop together with Jens Unmack.

Kliché "Supertanker" (1980)

Supertanker [debut]
release date: 1980
format: vinyl (MdLP 6021) / cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,85]
producer: Kliché, Poul Bruun
label: Medley Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) 1. "Igen og igen" - 2. "Havets blå" (live) - 3. "Hetz" - 4. "Militskvinder" - 5. "Panorama" - - B) 1. "Aldrig mere" - 2. "Stjernerne i deres øjne" - 3. "Bodyguards" - 4. "Masselinjen"

reviewed Nov. 21, 2004
Studio debut album by the Danish band Kliché at this point consisting of Lars Hug [Lars Haagensen] on vocals and guitar, Johnny Voss [Johannes Møller] on bass and vocals, Jens Valo [Jens Danielsen] on keyboards, and with Anders Brill [Anders Gilberg] on drums. In my mind this is not only the most important Danish rock album but also the best. It was like a lightning from a clear blue sky when the album was released. Undoubtedly they had made some original singles and a noteworthy appearance on the Danish punk compilation Pære Punk but what sound (compare to other albums of the time), and what originality - it just blew you away! They dressed like Devo but the music was much more inspired by Eno (well, it was of course better!), Bowie and Roxy Music. However, they had hit the gas pedal and simplified and modernized the music. The album has no weak spots and it contains several truly original classics. Alas, they lit up so strongly and lasted only few years releasing only two albums - "but what a debut outta the blue!" This album is a must if you are interested in Danish rock. My top 3 of Danish albums: 1. Kliché Supertanker (1980), 2. Steppeulvene Hip (1967), 3. C.V. Jørgensen I det muntre hjørne (1989).

1980 Favourite releases: 1. Joy Division Closer - 2. Kliché Supertanker - 3. The Jam Sound Affects

[ collectors' item ]

... and one of their first singles: "Farvel" (not on this album)