Lisa Ekdahl "More of the Good" (2018)

More of the Good
release date: Nov. 9, 2018
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Mathias Blomdahl
label: Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

10th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl released a 1½ years following När alla vägar leder hem. All songs are written and composed entirely by Ekdahl herself and all songs are with English lyrics. Perhaps the has released this new album also to satisfy her relatively broad international fans coming from English-speaking countries and also more traditional latin jazz-associated countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy).
You may prefer her native Swedish songs, but you can't reject that she's a fine vocalist and interpreter of contemporary easy listening and latin jazz, which is what this album contains most of all. I'm not a huge fan of her English lyrics but it really is one of her better attempts with English songs. It does, however, sound much like a huge conglomerate of previously released material and there are no new surprises under the hood. But if you like what works, this is a solid release of well-established themes.

Lisa Ekdahl "När alla vägar leder hem" (2017)

När alla vägar leder hem
release date: Feb. 17, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Mathias Blomdahl & Lisa Ekdahl
label: Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "När alla vägar leder hem" - 4. "Famna jorden" - 6. "Välkommen morgon" - 7. "Jorden runt solen" - 9. "Lite svikt i steget" - 10. "Amelia" - 12. "Om bare du" - 15. "Sol vind & vatten"

9th studio album (11th counting her two collaboration albums with Peter Nordahl Trio) by Lisa Ekdahl shows her in a more polished, mainstream pop with full orchestrated arrangements. It's still with some jazz pop sensation, yet the overall style is somewhere in-between a singer / songwriter universe of folk pop and parts of sheer pop.
Tracks #1-9 are labelled "När alla vägar leder hem" - implying these songs are her new album compositions, and tracks #10-16 are labelled "Tolkningar 'Så mycket bättre' " - all cover-versions as the subtitle suggests. On vinyl, the album is released as a double with the last seven tracks as the second record.
It's far from bad, and finally show us Ekdahl back with Swedish lyrics in the way she initially started out, and which has been put aside for some time. Some reviewers have observed that the album marks return to her original roots, and I do concede to that, although the main difference is that this one also contains broader arrangements; however, it's really nice to hear her back in her native tongue again continuing the Swedish singer / songwriter folk pop tradition.
Imho, the album is her third best overall.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

Lisa Ekdahl "Look to Your Own Heart" (2014)

Look to Your Own Heart
release date: Oct. 23, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Mathias Blomdahl & Tobias Fröberg
label: Jive/Epic / Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Heavenly Shower" - 2. "Happiness Is Brief" - 7. "Look to Your Own Heart" - 8. "Moving On"

8th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl released 7½ years after Give Me That Knowing Smile. Before this she released the live album At the Olympia, Paris (2011) (commonly sold as a 2-disc album with a cd and a dvd). Quite often a new studio album from Ekdahl also means a new mix of styles, and in that way this is no different, although, it's a mix of musical styles she has tried out before. It's not entirely singer / songwriter nor folk, nor is it vocal jazz but all these genres are present with the addition of standards, jazz pop, and bossa nova. It's like the ultimate mix of all the styles she has released albums in over the years. All tracks are written and composed by Ekdahl herself but many tracks are with a strong influence from latin jazz and something that sounds as Ekdahl standards with the addition of big band arrangements.
It's all very sweet and quiet but not really close to great. I think, she should keep away from latin styles - somehow it doesn't suit her voice, and the album also lacks memorable compositions.

Lisa Ekdahl "Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile" (2008)

Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile
release date: Mar. 23, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Mathias Blomdahl; Tobias Froberg (4, 6)
label: RCA Victor / Sony Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Give Me That Slow Knowing Smile" (live) - 2. "I Don't Mind" - 6. "Don't Stop" - 7. "When"

7th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl is a more laid back album with hints of easy listening without being boring 'cause it's like her debut filled with interesting songs and fine melodies only this time all songs are in English. It's not the continued journey into a bolder folk pop and uptempo style as her most recent album Pärlor av glas (2006). Instead she returns to a subtler style of jazz pop and folk pop. It's not the first time she has recorded music with English lyrics, as her two albums with Peter Nordahl Trio were cover versions of old classic, but this is the first time she releases a full album of her own songs entirely in English. Her accent may be charming but it's also annoying (not unlike Björk), and frankly she's just so much better in Swedish.

Lisa Ekdahl "Pärlor av glas" (2006)

Pärlor av glas
release date: Jan. 18, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Lars Winnerbäck
label: RCA / Sony BMG - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Vraket" - 2. "Där ser du själv hur högt du når" - 4. "Hjärtat var rispat" - 6. "Ljudlöst och salt" - 7. "Ljug för mig älskling" - 8. "Kan någon själ begripa" - 10. "Korsförhör mig" - 11. "I badet"

6th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl sees her continuing at what she's best at, releasing her most uptempo folk rock album, and that really suits her nicely. It's almost like her American country folk album which also makes me think of Joni Mitchell. In my mind, this is her second best ever studio album, and I can only recommend it alongside her mighty debut from '94.
Recommended.

Lisa Ekdahl "Olyckssyster" (2004)

Olyckssyster
release date: Sep. 8, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Lars Winnerbäck
label: RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

5th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl. This is Lisa back on track. Instead of making cover versions and / or tribute releases, she has finally made another fine album of folk pop and singer / songwriter in Swedish, and then again her voice shines.
Imho, the album is one of her better, and just puts it outside her top-3 albums.

Lisa Ekdahl "Heaven, Earth and Beyond" (2002)

Heaven, Earth and Beyond (compilation)
release date: 2002
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: various
label: RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

Compilation album by Lisa Ekdahl with tracks from both her two studio releases with Peter Nordahl Trio: When Did You Leave heaven from '95 and Back to Earth from '98; and then a few previously unreleased songs, and some of the tracks from her most recent studio album: Lisa Ekdahl Sings Salvadore Poe from 2000, thus with the consequence that the selected material here is mostly vocal jazz and in the style of bossa nova and latin jazz.
I must confess that I still don't like it much when Ekdahl sings in English and in the style of bossa nova. Perhaps I think so, because so many other artists do (and did) well in the genre, or simply because Lisa Ekdahl's voice makes it noting more than indifferent, and both traditional vocal jazz and bossa nova may be very fine but brought into a sphere of jazz pop and or folk pop is simply not the best mix, imho.

Lisa Ekdahl "Sings Salvadore Poe" (2000)

Sings Salvadore Poe
release date: Oct. 27, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Salvadore Poe, Magnus Lindgren, Lisa Ekdahl
label: RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

4th studio album by Lisa Ekdahl released after the collaboration album Back to Earth (1998). This is her first album of bossa nova and latin jazz to lyrics and music composed by American composer, and husband, Salvadore Poe, and with additional orchestral music arranged by Magnus Lindgren.
Well, the lyrics may very likely be fine - I haven't been able to concentrate much on that part, 'cause the music isn't performed to my liking. I don't mind latin jazz, bossa nova or easy listening, but sung by Ekdahl, the lyrics, and music become somewhat tiresome. Her English is... not good, and her bright and light singing voice doesn't fit, I think. Of course it could be a lot worse, and the album is by no means a mediocre one, but for the standards of Ekdahl, this is probably her least favourable album.

Lisa Ekdahl "Back to Earth" (1998)

Back to Earth
release date: Oct. 23, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Patrick Boman and Peter Nordahl
label: BMG Classics / RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

2nd collaboration album featuring Lisa Ekdahl released as Lisa Ekdahl & Peter Nordahl Trio. This is her second jazz album with Peter Nordahl Trio and it's only slightly better than the first. Between these two jazz releases she released two solo studio albums - her second solo album Med kroppen mot jorden in 1996, and her third solo album, Bortom det blå (1997).
This album is another "cover" versions release from the huge vocal jazz standards catalogue, and it's very much like the '95 release. Her voice doesn't really add much new to the classics, nor does it put her on par with Ella Fitzgerald or the like but it may ensure the album as a favourite by many younger buyers because "it's just sooo good" when you want music as background noise for a romantic candlelight dinner.

Lisa Ekdahl "Bortom det blå" (1997)

Bortom det blå
release date: Oct. 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Georg 'Jojje' Wadenius
label: RCA / BMG Sweden - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Bortom det blå" - 3. "Två lyckliga dårar" - 5. "Vi tillhör varann" - 8. "Du var inte där för mig"

3rd solo studio album by Lisa Ekdahl shows new sides to her talent. Musically, she has moved into a more traditional pop / rock sphere. The album is nicely produced with broader arrangements and also more uptempo songs without touching on rock, although, there's still room for acoustic-driven compositions. It's still with focus on story-telling and songs about relationships - happy as well as unhappy ones. The overall impression leaves me thinking it's a little too much honey - it's as if her sincerity is washed away with the sugary arrangements, and it makes me long for her more simple compositions.

Lisa Ekdahl "Med kroppen mot jorden" (1996)

Med kroppen mot jorden
release date: Mar. 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Janne Hansson, Lennart Karlsmyr [recorded by]
label: RCA Victor / BMG Sweden - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Inte kan ödet vara så hårt" - 2. "Himlen och jag" - 3. "Små onda djävlar" - 6. "Skäl att vara motvalls" - 9. "Hösten"

2nd solo album by Lisa Ekdahl is like her '94 debut album a collection of stripped-down compositions featuring Ekdahl's vocal and acoustic guitar together with a small handful of primary musicians: Kenny Håkansson on guitar, Patrik Boman on double bass, Bill Öhrström on congas, percussion & harmonica, and with Jörgen Ringkvist on drums. All songs are written and composed by Ekdahl and the album appears as the debut like mere studio recordings - the album has no producer credits, which also suggest that the album is recorded live in studio.
Stylistically, it follows closely on the path laid out on her fine debut and by that doesn't share common ground with her most recent collaboration with Peter Nordahl Trio When Did You Leave Heaven from 1995 and its vocal jazz standards. This is Swedish folk pop/ easy listening in a singer / songwriter universe with bonds to folk music and world music. It's like the second half of two solo albums that are closely related - her debut and this could nicely be fitted on a double album without pointing in various directions.
Nice and solid.

Lisa Ekdahl / Peter Nordahl Trio "When Did You Leave Heaven" (1995)

When Did You Leave Heaven
release date: Oct. 13, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Patrik Boman and Peter Nordahl
label: Arietta Discs - nationality: Sweden

1st collaboration album released as Lisa Ekdahl / Peter Nordahl Trio. The album comes in various editions - and it's also issued as a Lisa Ekdahl solo album without mentioning that it's actually a collaboration album.
The extremely popular Swede shows her love for the big vocal jazz standards. The album is fine but not really great. Too many better vocal jazz singers have made their golden versions. Although the music in essence is jazz it becomes easy listening or lounge with Lisa's fresh and innocent voice (lest we forget her Swedish English), which almost makes the tracks less interesting. Fine for a night in company when you just need background music that doesn't stir up anything.

Lisa Ekdahl "Lisa Ekdahl" (1994)

Lisa Ekdahl [debut]
release date: Feb. 18, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Gunnar Nordén
label: EMI Svenska - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Öppna upp ditt fönster" - 2. "Benen i kors" - 3. "I tveksamhetens tid" - 4. "Jag skrek" - 5. "Åh gud" - 6. "Sanningen i vitögat" - 7. "Det är en nåd" - 8. "Vem vet" - 9. "Jag bara vet" - 10. "Flyg vilda fågel" - 11. "På jakt efter solen" - 12. "Kunde jag vrida tiden tillbaka" - 13. "Du sålde våra hjärtan" - 14. "Ro och Lisa"

Studio debut album by Lisa Ekdahl, the Swedish song bird. The album was a huge success all over Scandinavia, and no matter what cafe, movie theater, or restaurant you went in to that year, it seemed that they played her cd all day long. And it's a great and highly original debut filled with personal and witty stories wrapped up in nice and original compositions. This album is a 'must-have' of the genre.
Highly recommendable.

Lisa Ekdahl

~ ~ ~

Lisa Ekdahl (born Jul. 29, 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer / songwriter who started as a folk pop singer / songwriter but she has released albums in more traditional pop as well as in the vocal jazz and bossa nova genres. She has become a leading solo performer in Scandinavia with trademark of her high pitched, clear and delicate innocent singing voice.

~ ~ ~