The Hickensian

27.02.08 Jens Lekman - The Opposite of Hallelujah

13 comments
Tagged with: foundsounds, podcast

It’s been a while since I posted a foundsound (which by the way, for ease of updating is now integrated with the journal – I know it makes the RSS redundant – sorry!). Just when I feel I’ve exhausted the free downloads out there, along come Jens Lekman. I bought ‘Night Falls Over Kortedala’ last year after a Last.fm recommendation, and it took me a few listens to get hooked (but hooked good and proper). Jens is a superb songwriter in the vein of Pelle Carlberg – retro sound with contemporary lyrics.

My favourite off that album is “A postcard to Nina” the tale of being made to ‘meet the parents’ and pretend to be the boyfriend, but ‘The Opposite of Hallelujah’ is a close second, and gives a good flavour of the album.

Download Jens Lekman – The Opposite of Hallelujah. There’s more available on Jens’ site

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No.1

∞ Doug said 753 days ago:

great great album, need to revisit this one, one of those that gets lost that needs to be found.

No.2

∞ Olof Lönnroth said 753 days ago:

Really nice to see that our small swedish artists make their way to the UK. Jens is well known here in Sweden (though far from our biggest artists like Kent or Robyn), but he deserves international attention!

No.3

∞ Peter Flaschner said 753 days ago:

Great find. Love the name of the label: Secretly Canadian

No.4

∞ simon said 753 days ago:

If I can remember the album name by the time I get home, I`ll listen on lastfm

No.5

∞ Andy said 753 days ago:

Jens is a genius. This is my favourite song on the album (the Chairmen of the Board sample gets me every time). If you like this album you should get the others, especially the collection of early stuff, Oh You’re So Silent Jens. Thanks for prompting me to revisit this one.

No.6

∞ Frode Danielsen said 753 days ago:

Oo, I’m from Norway and have never heard of him. Really liked the sample song, so I’ll definitely check out the album. Kind of reminds me of some Sufjan Stevens stuff.

By the way, he is a guy and his first name is Jens, so it should be “Jens’ site” I guess? ;)

No.7

∞ Doug said 752 days ago:

Also check out other secretly canadian artists “swearing at motorists”. They have been around a while (different sound than Jens) and each album is excellent. I believe the lead singer now calls the UK home (originally from Dayton Ohio).

No.8

∞ Justine said 752 days ago:

There is a great live version of “A Postcard to Nina” floating around. I posted it here , thought you might enjoy.

No.9

∞ Jon Hicks said 751 days ago:

Excellent, thanks Justine!

Incidentally, I seem to be falling for Swedish singer/songwriters a lot these days, so please do recommend anyone else you think I should check out.

No.10

∞ 3stripe said 751 days ago:

“A postcard to Nina” – YYEEEESSS! What a song.

I also love the one where he’s cutting an avocado, the way the verse/choruses progress is brilliant…

It took me a good few listens to get into the album but it’s in my top 10 for 2007, no doubt.

(It also makes me think of http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/, lol)

No.11

∞ Fredrik Wärnsberg said 749 days ago:

If you’re into Swedish singer/songwriters I’d recommend (from the top of my head):

Hello Saferide (Säkert! is her name when she performs in swedish)
Tiger Lou
Moneybrother (Pengabrorsan when performing in Swedish)
Ane Brun (I think the originates from Norway though)
Anna Ternheim (Norweigan)

I hope you manage to find something you like among those artists :)

No.12

∞ Fredrik Wärnsberg said 749 days ago:

Oh my bad, Anna Ternheim is Swedish. Feel free to edit my comment and remove this one :)

No.13

∞ Svante Adermark said 747 days ago:

Here are a few more for you to seek out (thanks to plindberg for helping out):

* Nicolai Dunger * Laleh * Jenny Wilson * Håkan Hellström * Frida Hyvönen * Anna Järvinen (I have never heard this girl myself) * The Knife (aren’t singer/songwriters, but worth mentioning)