Jens Lekman

the david berman poem that the title and verse come from is good

"yoo-eh, ah go-ut boo-ested" is what makes "you are the light" awful, otherwise it's just a bit boring

finland and iceland and stuff are nordic but not scandinavian, maybe

finnish people may disagree, if they like

http://www.headphones-on.com/2007/04/sample_pirate_or_musical_named_1.html

I tried to like Oh You're So Silent Jens a few times over the past year and just couldn't get into it, but then for some reason it came up randomly on my ipod a few weeks ago and I thought it was very nice! in an older magnetic fields kind of way

oh you're so silent jens is still my fave, but i like the latest record a lot more than i expected to. postcard to nina may get old but that hasn't happened yet

'a postcard to nina' is fantastic songwriting, something that sets this kid apart from joe average. it does stand out quite prominently as the best track on the record, but there are other shining moments as well.

RJG, on scandinavia

Saw him last week -- I liked this much more than I expected, not being that familiar with the records. But this sounds not at _all_ like Magnetic Fields (any era) to me. It's much more like post-Modern Lovers Jonathan Richman. Lekman is whimsical and sweet and Magnetic Fields are really not.

Gabb, I'm pretty sure someone out there is keeping a full list of Lekman samples. It's funny -- I think a lot of the style of his first records actually has to do with his need to grab parts from 60s productions with heavy stereo separation! The sample of his I notice most (apart from Calvin Johnson) is pretty much down to him noticing that the string part on a Mamas & Papas song was all alone in one channel.

There's this song I've heard on the radio twice now (in two different stores) that sounds identical to one of his, but I don't know the identity of the song on the radio or the one it sounds like.

He uses some of the exact same samples The Avalanches use and they are mutual fans. He's also recorded a track with New Buffalo.

My name is Jens and i´m 20 yrs and living in Sweden. I´m currently study at a university, Gender issues.

current favourite songs: billie ray martin - "your loving arms", the gerbils - "crayon box", throw that beat in the garbagecan! - "a kiss from you", the go-betweens - "people say", lil kim - "suck my dick", television personalities - "favourite films", kicking giant - "fuck the rules" bratmobile - "cool schmool" ´lew kirton - "heaven in the afternoon" sea & cake - "afternoon speaker"

favourite bands: erics trip, jonathan richman/modern lovers, daniel johnston, b&s, tindersticks, skinned teen, field mice & other sarah stuff, lou barlow stuff, noise addict, helen love, teen anthems.

i don´t like: most jazz stuff (that i´ve heard), metal, too cheesy new romantic...well i like most stuff. oasis, stones (except one or two songs) the who, phillysoul, westcoast hiphop, FUNK....

-- Jens, Monday, 5 February 2001 01:00 (7 years ago) Link

WHOA

lol isn't being named jens in sweeden like being named mike in america?

also i don't think jens lekman dislikes things that are "too cheesy new romantic"

right age though.

This dude has the swine flu and now my friends are scared to go see him when he comes to Oporto :(

Haha, that phrasing makes it seem like he shows up here on a regular basis. Concert's on the 18th; dude is currently in home isolation and should be 100% ok by then.

postcard to nina may get old but that hasn't happened yet

it happened

current favourite songs: billie ray martin - "your loving arms", the gerbils - "crayon box", throw that beat in the garbagecan! - "a kiss from you", the go-betweens - "people say", lil kim - "suck my dick", television personalities - "favourite films", kicking giant - "fuck the rules" bratmobile - "cool schmool" ´lew kirton - "heaven in the afternoon" sea & cake - "afternoon speaker"

I don't know any of these songs. Anything worth checking out?

Regarding Jens Lekman, I love 'Black Cab' 'Rocky Dennis Farewellsong to the Blind Girl' and 'I saw her at the anti-war demonstration'. He was pretty loved at Stylus iirc, it's odd to read he's not that well appreciated over here.

people say is a great song. cool schmool is great lo-fi fun

the sipping on the sweet nectar remixes are ok

"People Say" is great. The Television Personalities are an acquired taste. Sea and Cake can be great at times IIRC

The Kicking Giant song's pretty good but People Say is one of my favourite songs ever.

I don't know that TVP song off the top of my head tbh

I love some of Jens' songs but his preciousness is too much at times. I use to lump him together with Sufjan Stevens, but while I think Lekman is the talent they share similar aesthetic faults (schoolboy bashfulness, solipsism, too fey, perhaps too literary and introspective as well).

But the songs are so pretty...

the TVP is the one that name drops Tom Courtney's "King and Country" and other kitchen sink drama.

I love this album.

Now the sun is out this album makes more sense than in cold, dank February.

One of my favorites of the year.

Yeah, this is a wonderful album. I do prefer his previous two, but there's so much to love here. Looking forward to playing it more now the sun is out as Dan says.

how can i tell him is so devastatingly pretty

i found this album a bit disappointing but i am really looking forward to seeing him in march, the venue has a capacity of 50 so it should be very intimate

I loved it enough for it to place

the first three tracks are great but then the rest was just ok, which is only disappointing by his very high standards

“Evening Prayer” is a beautiful song, conceptually and musically.

Best album of 2017.

My list of a dozen good 'uns..

Good #1 pick, that's an all time great song for me.

great strings

Great choices. Your Arms Around Me is the only real omission. Easily my favourite Jens moment.

Great list. The only ones that I would rate higher than most of these are Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill, which nicks the Martha Reeves Heatwave progression to great effect, and the recent How Can I Tell Him, a gorgeous ballad I listed at #5 in my 2017 singles list

Anyone been keeping up with the CORRESPONDENCE tracks he's been quietly releasing? Forever Young, Forever Beautiful is really nice.

Also, I saw him earlier in the year and he covered Do You Believe In Magic? to open his set, and it was wonderful.

I’d missed the Correspondence tracks so will go and seek them out, thanks!

Really loving "Revenge of the Nerds" from CORRESPONDENCE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgSC6Kh0N5s

this song is so touching

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxJb9qeAmL4

a new version of julie