Love Shop "Blues Europa" (2023)

Blues Europa

release date: Oct. 13, 2023

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]

producer: Mikkel Damgård

label: Risiko Records - nationality: Denmark

14th studio album by Danish project Love Shop is yet another ambitious chapter in the band's long and winding career. The album showcase the familiar mix of melancholic tunes and lyrical depth that has come to charachterise Love Shop on their most recent albums. It's garnered with a original sound and with thought-provoking narratives, which just seems to stick to the profile of project-leader Jens Unmack.

Right from the start, you sense the special nostalgic mood and that unique reflectiveness Unmack is so sharp on. These new songs only miss some of the potent power of a recognisable touch and the album does feel less impactful compared to their last three albums. The predecessor, Levende mænd i døde forhold (Oct. 2021), was perhaps most notable for its lyrical depth and together with Brænder boksen med smukke ting (Mar. 2019) and Risiko (Mar. 2017) this trilogy all showcase well-crafted arrangements and emotional weight, cementing these as vintage years and also as some of the band's finest records. Blues Europa doesn’t fully replicate this tendency with the fourth in a row, though lyrically strong, it lacks some originality that are the trademarks of the predecessors.

On a national scale, the album has been met by what appears as universal acclaim, and as I do feel that it certainly provides a strong listen with tracks reflecting on themes of European identity and where the ambition is clear, I just sense that there's something in the execution that feels forced, making parts come out more like statements rather than a genuine musical journey. For all its minor flaws, Blues Europa still showcases fine moments, reminding fans why they love Love Shop in the first place. There's no big surprises in that regard - perhaps there's a sensation of going down well-known paths that makes it too evident, in a way. In the end, though, it's still an album worth exploring, especially for loyal followers of the band, who will probably see it as a confirmation of sorts, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the standards set by their recent works. I'm a bit doubtful about a conclusive grade, as I have come across some very positive reviews, and still, I'm not a convinced fan and have so far settled my mind on 3,5 out of 5 stars, as I feel that it doesn't reach the level of the most recent three, which in the end puts it more alongside Kærlighed og straf from 2014.

[ Gaffa.dk, Politiken 5 / 6 stars ]

Love Shop "Levende mænd i døde forhold" (2021)

Levende mænd i døde forhold

release date: Oct. 1, 2021

format: vinyl (first edition incl. 7'' single) / cd

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

producer: Mikkel Damgaard

label: A:larm / Universal - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "The Troubles" - 3. "Kun længes skygger mod aftenens fald" - 6. "Ægte Nordic noir" - 10. "Exitstrategi" - - 7'' single, A 1) "Andy Warhol's piger"

13th studio album by Love Shop following 2½ years after the album Brænder boksen med smukke ting (Mar. 2019), and the album (as well as band) is primarily the product by songwriter and vocalist Jens Unmack and keyboardist and musical composer, arranger, and producer Mikkel Damgaard, who has been an official member since 2011, although, he's taken part in the project since 1999.

The title of this new album translates to "Men Alive in Dead Relations", and death does play an everpresent part in this band. Firstly, it was a figurative presence when the band's main composer, guitarist, arranger, and producer Hilmer Hassig decided to leave the trio back in late 2003. It was a devastating decision that resulted in a practical disbandment - they couldn't possibly continue, and the disbandment was a reality. Together, they planned a farewell tour, still executed in late 2003. Hassig then settled as studio technician, arranger, instrumentalist, and producer, while Both Unmack and keyboardist / backing vocalist Henrik Hall initiated independent solo careers; however, after Hassig became the victim of a drive-by incident resulting in his sudden death in late 2008, Hall and Unmack initially reunited as Love Shop to honour their friend for several memorial concerts in 2009. The positive experience of playing together again led them to revive the band, and to write and compose new material, which saw the light of day with Frelsens hær ['Salvation Army'] (Nov. 2010). Death's ugly face appeared again when Hall died Jan. 2011 - following years battling with cancer, and then as opposed to ending their common revitalised life-project, Unmack instead decided to continue Love Shop, although, he is the only remaining member of the original line-up. The following album Skandinavisk lyst ['Scandinavian Lust'] (Oct. 2012) both honours Hassig and Hall and simultaneosly lights a torch of life in what appears as the strong will to carry on. In spite, and not to succumb.

Levende mænd i døde forhold is then of course with reference to those who are here. In the band Love Shop, it's Unmack and Damgaard, and perhaps it's not to be taken too literal, but the title suggests that despite seeming alive, you can may still live your life with a presence / an implication of something that appears dead. This could be an ever-present sensation of people playing a major part in your life - it could also be taken more literal, suggesting your personal relations appearing dead.

Nevertheless, Unmack and Damgaard have proven to have much to offer. Their songs are not surprisingly often dealing with existentialism, and Unmack is forever bound to a Scandic melancholy. He would probably refer to it as "Nordic noir" - something in the DNA of people of the North, which may be found in the works by Hammershøi, Krøyer, Grieg, Sibelius, Munch, Bergman, Von Trier, Björk, Brun, Kent...

The album seems like the second chapter to the 2019 album, not as a copy, but more as the very essence of a sound that has become grounded in the name of Love Shop on its now most recent three albums, starting with Risiko from 2017. I find that the new album is very much in the spirit of the former two - not that it's a lesser work of art, it just feels more like a condensation, an album that doesn't show us something new, but more as new angles on the same view, which can both contain surprises as well as recognition of what we already know.

Not their best, but still far from their lesser works, and definitely worth the price. And then, I absolutely just love the inclusion of a 7'' inch bonus single stressing that vinyl format is very much alive.

[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6, Politiken, Berlingske 4 / 6 stars ]

Love Shop "Brænder boksen med smukke ting" (2019)

Brænder boksen med smukke ting
release date: Mar. 8, 2019
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm / Universal - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Folkets hus" - 2. "Til jorden kommer" - 3. "Underdanmark" - 5. "Leve er at dø med stil" - 6. "British Racing Green" - 7. "Brænder boksen med smukke ting"

12th studio album by Love Shop released exactly two years succeeding Risiko from 2017 is the continued one-man project band by Jens Unmack, who keeps the old flame burning. Around him, a handful of stable collaborators help shaping a sound and style that pays tribute to the heritage of a band that basically ceased to exist in 2003, but which was re-awoken in the shape of a reduced duo in 2009 only to be cut down to a single-man project in 2011. Officially, that is, because some of these musicians have played on several Love Shop albums and toured as part of the live set. Mikkel Damgaard has been an essential keyboardist of Love Shop since 2003 - he has produced the band's studio albums since 2009 - and he has become an unofficial core member at the point when Unmack decided to continue Love Shop in 2011. Guitarist Mika Vandborg has been part of the project since 2009; Nis Tyrrestrup has played bass on the band's last three albums (since 2014), and Thomas Duus has played the drums in Love Shop without becoming official member ever since 1994, which means he is only absent on the band's first two studio albums. With this in mind, it's still a one-man project kept alive for as long as Unmack has the will, but Love Shop is also held together with musicianship that is more than mere nostalgia.
Brænder boksen... is a mature delivery, which bonds perfectly with the Love Shop heritage on one hand but also transports the band onto new solid territory laid out by the last four studio releases. A slow transformation has been on its way, arguably since the start of the band, but with the reduction of official members in the last two decades, we have witnessed various attempts in continuing a familiar style with new elements - sometimes bolder, sometimes more subtle, and with the last three albums it has become clear that a new sonic balance has occurred. Kærlighed og straf (2014) was the first to really embrace the combination of uptempo synthpop and evident singer / songwriter styles. That tempting outing was very successfully continued on Risiko, and with this, I think Unmack and co. have made another strong conglomerate of what is the essence of Love Shop. Unmack has always been a fine lyricist, and in the past that may have been secondary to the musical output, but since 2012 it has become quite clear that he has sharpened his pen, and together with a handful of strong musicians who make up a solid backbone, Unmack has created a very fine and strong document of this band's vitality where the true strength is the complete picture rather than the single songs.
Highly recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk, Soundvenue 4 / 5 stars ]

Love Shop "Risiko" (2017)

Risiko
release date: Mar. 8, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm / Universal Music Group - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Verdensmestre" - 3. "Skøjteløb på Bagsværd Sø" (4 / 5) - 4. "De forelskedes smag i din mund" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Mørkets hastighed" (4 / 5) - 7. "Triumf" (4 / 5) - 8. "Mennesker har brug for at tale om natten"

11th studio album by Love Shop, aka the ongoing solo-project by Jens Unmack where he teams up with producer, keyboardist and co-composer Mikkel Damgaard and likewise plays with a small unit of 'usual suspects' including guitarist Mika Vandborg, bassist Nis Tyrrestrup and lon-lasting collaborative drummer, Thomas Duus. Aside from a few featuring guest artists it's worthwhile mentioning that Sune Rose Wagner (formerly The Raveonettes) plays additional guitar & keyboard on most tracks.
Stylistically, this is just the way it would have been expected with the small change that this is much more a fusion of what has been associated with Love Shop on one side - and here you can almost pin-out the exact tracks in their style - and with solo albums in Unmack's own name: The more quiet and lyrical compositions. This has both the uptempo dynamics and the slow subtle singer / songwriter fingerprints on it. I think that in the past, Unmack must have made clear decisions about the musical direction, and that you may confirm that he has done likewise with this, but with the twist of definite conviction that this album as well as the project Love Shop should have room enough for all of his varied expressions. Now, it would be really interesting if he comes out with a solo release after this, because that could only mean that it would be something completely new.
The radio hit "De forelskedes smag i din mund" is a typical Love Shop uptempo synthpop song without just being some old travesty, but the album contains other and more long-lasting quality songs.
Now that Kent is no more [sigh!] - and without further comparison - I do believe that the Love Shop-project could at least give us a bit of the same melancholic Scandinavian magic of Nordic noir, which is nicely present on Risiko.
I find that this is not only bettering the band's solid releases in the last decade, but it's simply the best Love Shop album since Billeder af verden from 1994, and it truly shines as the band's most coherent collection of compositions where music and lyrics make up a beautiful whole.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 5, Politiken 5 / 6 stars ]

2017 Favourite releases: 1. St. Vincent Masseduction - 2. Paul Weller A Kind of Revolution - 3. Love Shop Risiko

Love Shop "Kærlighed og straf" (2014)

Kærlighed og straf
release date. Oct. 20, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm Music / Playground - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Bellavista regn" - 2. "I morgen" - 4. "Nede ved floden" - 5. "Danmark Bye-Bye" (4 / 5) (live) - 6. "Den længste drøm er alt for kort" (live) - 7. "Tåreflammer ned" - 9. "Evaklubben" - 10. "Du kyssede morgenlyset bort"

10th studio album by Love Shop, or: released as 'cause the band is in essence reduced to a Jens Unmack solo project. However, it's a playground for this talented Danish artist to release material that has a more uptempo pop / rock feel than his releases under own his name tend to be. The album is likely an attempt to follow the strong Skandinavisk lyst from 2012 with its stronger synthpop sound thanks to Mikkel Damgaard's keyboards and programming, which stir up the old soul of the band but also takes its sound further up stream.
My initial verdict was a luke-warm reception, and I found it like a lesser copy of the band's most recent album, but I have come to enjoy it much more and on its own premises. It's slightly less synthpop based and frankly more in the tradition of the classic Love Shop albums, which I first saw as an attempt to revive the past, but it turns out to work more than just Okay. I do think, Unmack, with the aid of Damgaard's keyboards and programming, successfully has found back to the playground that once was by adding new dimensions to the picture.
This album is a grower and a recommended listen.

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[ read more: www.jensunmack.dk ]

Love Shop "Skandinavisk lyst" (2012)

Skandinavisk lyst
release date: Oct. 12, 2012
format: cd (UNI 3718293)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm / Universal - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Kvælertag" - 3. "Himmelskibet" - 6. "Mere vil have mere" (live) - 7. "Skandinavisk lyst" - 9. "Skyggehjerte" (4 / 5) - 11. "Sommeren der aldrig kom"

9th studio album by Love Shop. Jens Unmack now single-handedly continues Love Shop and that's really just great news. The album, which is more of a collaboration work with producer and keyboardist, Mikkel Damgaard, really proves its purpose. It's the strongest album by the 'band' in 18 years (only surpassed by Billeder af verden, 1994, and Go!, 1997). The untouchable classic is "Skygehjerte" but other fine tracks are "Kvælertag", "Himmelskibet", "Mere vil have mere", and "Sommeren der aldrig kom". This fine release could be the result of great workmanship, or simply from playing together for many years, but could also be a product of their experiences from the previous album, Frelsens Hær (2010), on which I think, Mikkel Damgaard may have taken a too dominating role. On this, he sort of builds on, and contributes to, a Love Shop tradition (as developed by Unmack, Hassig and Hall) and simply adds his own personality and great ideas, which in the end, and in a most strange way, makes it an almost classic Love Shop release although the only founding member left, is Jens Unmack.
Album dedication: "In memoriam HH & HH", [Hilmer Hassig and Henrik Hall].
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 5 stars - read more: www.jensunmack.dk ]

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 ]

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 "1990" (1990)

1990 [debut]
release date: May 29, 1990
format: cd (2000 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,55]
producer: Hilmer Hassig
label: Pladecompagniet - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Idag så bedre ud igår" - 2. "En nat bliver det sommer" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Øjne jeg aldrig har set" (4 / 5) - 4. "Radio Kalundborg" - 7. "Alt jeg ser er hendes ryg" - 9. "21" - 11. "Til stjernerne" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by Danish indie pop, pop / rock band Love Shop originally released on the label Garden Records. The band is merely a trio consisting of lead vocalist Jens Unmack (formerly bassist in Næste Uges TV and more recently in the band Greene), Hilmer Hassig (from Scatterbrain and Naïve) on guitars, and with Mikael Dehn (from Russia Heat) on backing vocals. Most tracks are co-written by Hassig and Unmack with the latter being responsible for lyrics and the two as composers of the music. With this scarce instrumentation within the band they have gathered a small unit of additional musicians, which include Kåre Bjerkø on keyboards, Flemming Muus on bass, and Stefan Grabowski on drums, who would all work with the band on several albums. Later full member Henrik Hall is also credited for adding harmonica on the album.
The album was launched to positive reviews, but Garden Records was struggling economically, and the album was hardly promoted at all, which may explain its poor sales. A year later, the label was declared bankrupt, and the newly founded label Pladecompagniet [established by Anne Linnet and Jan Degner] re-issued the album as 1990/91 with a different track list, but with no great success. Furthermore, the first cd issue of the album from '90 had been issued with bad sequencing, which is why the remaster (with the original track list and cover) eventually was issued in 2000 - still with Hassig in control of the remastering. The remaster sounds pretty neat and basically is better produced than the band's two succeeding non-remastered albums. Anyway, this the studio debut from Love Shop is a fine and strong album, on which the band immediately initiate a long tradition of writing tracks that would become Danish classic pop / rock compositions. On this it's undoubtedly the track "En nat bliver det sommer", with lyrics co-written by former Kliché bassist Johnny Voss [aka Johannes Møller]. Rumour has it that Voss initially helped Unmack who initially struggled with his songwriting in Danish as opposed to English language they had all been set-up for, but the record company had pursuaded the trio to stick to their native Danish because they saw it as something different that would help define the band in a time characterised by English copy-bands of American and British artists. So, whoever at Garden Records pushed on with this, it proved to be a lasting idea - at least for Love Shop.

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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