Lykke Li - This summer's biggest hit?

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from Sweden, blogz 'n boardz r buzzin' like mad at the moment (the new Robyn! the new M.I.A.! the new Royksopp! etc)

http://www.lykkeli.com

http://www.myspace.com/lykkeli

StanM, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 08:51 (sixteen years ago) link

Good record. Could've been gooder.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 09:01 (sixteen years ago) link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJHdT1j6hH8

Acoustic live version with guests: Robyn, Adam & Bebban (Shout Out Louds), Daniel (The Concretes), Lars (Laakso) and Mikael (Hjalmar). Director: Ted Malmros + Christian Haag

I kind of love this.

The Macallan 18 Year, Tuesday, 5 February 2008 15:40 (sixteen years ago) link

pretty good song, although she seems to have trouble staying in tune, particularly on the b-side 'dance dance dance'.

i'm sure i'll despise this in six months time when everyone outside of sweden starts pulling their dicks about it

electricsound, Saturday, 16 February 2008 00:06 (sixteen years ago) link

diggin this.

BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, 16 February 2008 00:10 (sixteen years ago) link

Really enjoying this album. Though I keep finding myself playing "I'm Good I'm Gone" over and over.

A. Begrand, Saturday, 16 February 2008 01:07 (sixteen years ago) link

She's good. There's a nice intimacy to her voice.

chap, Saturday, 16 February 2008 01:21 (sixteen years ago) link

That video is creepy. But the song is alright

sonderangerbot, Saturday, 16 February 2008 01:48 (sixteen years ago) link

What's the point of this shit?

Dom Passantino, Monday, 18 February 2008 15:31 (sixteen years ago) link

It sounds pleasant.

chap, Monday, 18 February 2008 15:31 (sixteen years ago) link

Matas Berlin mix of 'Little Bit' gives it that ever-important disco lift

blueski, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 00:03 (sixteen years ago) link

She is among the acts I plan to catch at By:Larm in Oslo this week.

Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 11:38 (sixteen years ago) link

Can we get the obvious awkward bit out of the way and ask how the hell you pronounce her name?

The Lex is probably onto something about how people immediately jump on any female Scandinavian popstar in an 'OMG this is awesome!' way, mind.

Matt DC, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 12:59 (sixteen years ago) link

Probably pronounced like Lee-cuh Lee, although an actual scando might know better.

The Lex is probably onto something about how people immediately jump on any female Scandinavian popstar in an 'OMG this is awesome!' way, mind.

Happens with indiepop as well.

Bocken Social Scene, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 13:04 (sixteen years ago) link

Ly-cuh Lee would be more correct. At least in Norwegian, but I believe it's not much different in Swedish.

Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 13:20 (sixteen years ago) link

Happens with indiepop as well.

and American RnB pop, in Lex's case

blueski, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 13:22 (sixteen years ago) link

So it's 'lie-cuh lee', then?

Matt DC, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 13:22 (sixteen years ago) link

Ly as in Lycra.

Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 13:24 (sixteen years ago) link

No, not lie, more Ly as in Lynch. 'Ly-cuh lee' I suppose.

sonderangerbot, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 14:25 (sixteen years ago) link

Yes, Lynch.

Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 14:35 (sixteen years ago) link

swedish (and norwegian?) 'y' is like the german 'ü'.

cb, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 14:55 (sixteen years ago) link

exactly what I was going to say, cb.

Surely her name is pronounced something like Luca, but with the u having a sort of u-umlaut sound.

I'm off to see her live this evening, by the way.

Daniel Giraffe, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 16:03 (sixteen years ago) link

so, not "Likely"

But Lickly.

Mark G, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 16:10 (sixteen years ago) link

lookly.

Mark G, Wednesday, 20 February 2008 16:11 (sixteen years ago) link

The intro is nice and nearly every track here could potentially be a fantastic pop song but for god's sake, put your back into it woman.

Matt DC, Thursday, 21 February 2008 09:14 (sixteen years ago) link

swedish (and norwegian?) 'y' is like the german 'ü'.

At least almost. You can hardly hear the difference, although it is there.

Geir Hongro, Thursday, 21 February 2008 09:20 (sixteen years ago) link

The name Lykke Li is pronounced the same way as the danish word Lykkelig, which means Happy. (from some fashion blog)

This Swedish lo-fi popstrel (her name is pronounced ‘lick-a-lee’) (from Time Out)

Savannah Smiles, Thursday, 21 February 2008 09:53 (sixteen years ago) link

Actually I just listened to it again and although the tunes are there, they're handled so badly and her voice is so flimsy that they're wasted. I wish she'd actually put some force in there from time to time or make and effort to sound committed to anything other than this vague mimsiness. Is it possible to sound diffidently mimsy? Because she does.

It's not that I've got a tin ear for this sort of stuff, two of my favourite albums from the last couple of years were by Marit Larsen and Feist. But I spent most of this record wondering if it was hamstrung by its own delicate aesthetic or just cheap, flimsy and badly performed and the four songs at the end confirmed the latter. Breaking It Up in particular should have had something at least vaguely resembling a kick to it.

Matt DC, Thursday, 21 February 2008 10:05 (sixteen years ago) link

Yeah, she def. can't sing as well as Lily All-waydaminnit! If SHE was that years biggest hit with that voice, why couldn't Luckily be?

StanM, Thursday, 21 February 2008 10:14 (sixteen years ago) link

'

StanM, Thursday, 21 February 2008 10:15 (sixteen years ago) link

Because we're already drowning in bland female vocalists and pretty much any of yer interchangeable Adeles or Duffys could have done a better job with this material?

It's not just the vocals, the production and arrangements are limp as well.

Matt DC, Thursday, 21 February 2008 10:19 (sixteen years ago) link

Twee is back (Juno sountrack and so on), maybe it's the Scandinavian version, twë?

StanM, Thursday, 21 February 2008 10:21 (sixteen years ago) link

I rather like the Duffy that I've heard ("Mercy" seems to be the uptempo single that sticks out like a sore thumb).

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 21 February 2008 10:31 (sixteen years ago) link

Actually I just listened to it again and although the tunes are there, they're handled so badly and her voice is so flimsy that they're wasted. I wish she'd actually put some force in there from time to time or make and effort to sound committed to anything other than this vague mimsiness. Is it possible to sound diffidently mimsy? Because she does.

Annie fans ought to be all over it, then

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 21 February 2008 11:04 (sixteen years ago) link

or indi3 fans full stop

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 21 February 2008 11:26 (sixteen years ago) link

"Little Bit" would sound terrible with Duffy or Adele singing it.

Savannah Smiles, Thursday, 21 February 2008 11:27 (sixteen years ago) link

It sounds terrible anyway!

Matt DC, Thursday, 21 February 2008 11:56 (sixteen years ago) link

'weak voice' is surely the point ala Shapiro

blueski, Thursday, 21 February 2008 12:25 (sixteen years ago) link

I dunno, it's weaker than that even, I think with Shapiro or Annie or anything like that it doesn't matter as much because they're supposed to glide over the backing, which is a lot fuller in any case. A lot of the music here is sparser, or more organic at least, and you'd expect the voice to fill that space and it just doesn't.

Matt DC, Thursday, 21 February 2008 12:30 (sixteen years ago) link

light voice over light music obviously works in some situations. i'm not feeling any particular imbalance in li's case yet (based on myspace songs only). not sure how much i'll actually listen to this tho.

blueski, Thursday, 21 February 2008 12:45 (sixteen years ago) link

I went to see her last night. Goodness knows why her management chose that venue: 9 out of 10 of those attending hadn't come for the gig - she was the entertainment at a club night - so there was a serious noise and general-lack-of-decorum problem.

That said, I enjoyed her performance. She has a nice line in moving about on stage and hamming up the songs. Whether that will make her the 'summer's biggest hit' (cf thread title) is another matter.

Daniel Giraffe, Thursday, 21 February 2008 16:12 (sixteen years ago) link

i like "little bit" if that's what you're talking about, but that's been out for a WHILE.

htshell, Thursday, 21 February 2008 16:53 (sixteen years ago) link

Saw her at By:Larm (Norwegian Equivalent of MIDEM) and she was absolutely brilliant. A very charismatic live act, and a great and unique voice. It was completely crowded, so obviously she was one of the "next big things" at the meeting.

Even though she was brilliant, Superfamily were even better though.

Geir Hongro, Friday, 22 February 2008 03:47 (sixteen years ago) link

Saw her at By:Larm (Norwegian Equivalent of MIDEM) and she was absolutely brilliant. A very charismatic live act, and a great and unique voice. It was completely crowded, so obviously she was one of the "next big things" at the meeting.

I was there too (the Thursday show), and yeah, I was floored. It was weird, though, I was jet-lagged and fell asleep and woke up a half hour before the first band went on, and I thought I wouldn't get in at all, but when I got to the club right before 9, there were only about five people there. So I got an ace spot in front...but yeah, did it ever get crowded fast. Anyway, Lykke Li, was far more energetic and charismatic than I expected. I had high hopes going in, but nothing like what we ended up seeing firsthand. She did an instore at the Platekompaniet record store the next afternoon, and did a much more low-key, but equally likeable performance.

Even though she was brilliant, Superfamily were even better though.

Egads. They're like the Killers as interpreted by Metal Skool. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

A. Begrand, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 05:20 (sixteen years ago) link

I wanted to catch Dylan Mondegreen at first (great band, lousy live performance), so I didn't get to Blå until around half an hour before. And by then it was very crowded. I did get in, but hardly got out afterwards. :)

Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 10:48 (sixteen years ago) link

awful

OskarM, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 15:43 (sixteen years ago) link

and srsly just one drop in the bucket of poorly conceived swede-twee

i guess once it crosses the ocean it becomes "sophisticated"

OskarM, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 15:48 (sixteen years ago) link

two months pass...

i like this album, but most of the songs sound like they could just take off into something really spectacular, but just dont. like maybe a remix cd would be amazing. anyways, just heard a nice remix.
http://www.thefader.com/articles/2008/5/6/freeload-lykke-li-everybody-but-me-diskjokke-remix

jaxon, Wednesday, 7 May 2008 22:13 (fifteen years ago) link

this album is like the female vocals from young folks stretched out over 45 mins, but it's nice

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 7 May 2008 23:21 (fifteen years ago) link

and not just cuz it's another swedish chick but the vocals have that same sleepy-eyed but kinda seductive thing to it

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 7 May 2008 23:23 (fifteen years ago) link

none of her other songs have grabbed me at all but i'm liking the one with Kleerup. More like that pls.

Roz, Saturday, 17 May 2008 08:02 (fifteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...

this is really good. why didn't anyone tell me how good this is?

Creeztophair, Friday, 13 June 2008 05:52 (fifteen years ago) link

four months pass...

this album is like the female vocals from young folks stretched out over 45 mins, but it's nice

That's cuz Bjorn from the group that did "Young Folks" produced this.

curmudgeon, Sunday, 19 October 2008 01:47 (fifteen years ago) link

this album is like the female vocals from young folks stretched out over 45 mins, but it's nice

this sentence makes no sense

lykke li is fucking disgusting

lex pretend, Sunday, 19 October 2008 03:40 (fifteen years ago) link

her music tries way too hard but she seems like a really rad girl

Was This Review Helpful? Yes No (J0rdan S.), Sunday, 19 October 2008 03:44 (fifteen years ago) link

i will never ever comprehend the appeal of twee. god, white people

lex pretend, Sunday, 19 October 2008 03:48 (fifteen years ago) link

this album is like the female vocals from young folks stretched out over 45 mins:

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0002CH9DW.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

DavidM, Sunday, 19 October 2008 09:52 (fifteen years ago) link

lex otm here, it's hard to see why there would be any global craving for this

sonderangerbot, Sunday, 19 October 2008 15:01 (fifteen years ago) link

I haven't heard the album, but this is brilliant:

Tape Store, Sunday, 19 October 2008 17:13 (fifteen years ago) link

On tour she is closing with A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It," with the audience doing the sampled Lou Reed humming. I thought it was goofy but fun, although I'm sure some folks here would find her rapping as annoying as they do her singing. "Little Bit" is so catchy, although her vocals worked better on cd than live. Her voice now sounds less little-girlish live, although it's still far from impressive.

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 14:16 (fifteen years ago) link

The name Lykke Li is pronounced the same way as the danish word Lykkelig, which means Happy.

It is pronounced the same way as the Norwegian word Lykkelig. The Danish one would be pronounced Lyyge'li, and that is a bit different. :)

Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 14:22 (fifteen years ago) link

I dig that vocal/string mix. I think that Kleerup song is better than her album. Subject to change when I actually pay attention to the album, of course.

Gukbe, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 16:42 (fifteen years ago) link

She was mostly fun live but her voice was weak. I read some blog posters and others calling her gig at Black Cat in DC the best gig they saw in DC this year. That seems a little over-the-top to me.

curmudgeon, Friday, 24 October 2008 12:24 (fifteen years ago) link

She is unlike anyone else. Which is something that, for some, may be exciting at once. But once you get used to it, it may not be as fascinating as it was.

Still a pretty much OK album and I did find her live appearance rather fascinating. But there is better music from 2008, surely.

Geir Hongro, Friday, 24 October 2008 12:56 (fifteen years ago) link

She is like 1/10th as good as Marit Larsen when Marit is at her laziest.

Matt DC, Friday, 24 October 2008 12:58 (fifteen years ago) link

one month passes...

i like a few of these songs a lot (off Youth Novels) and... i find her to be really hot

san frandisco, Thursday, 18 December 2008 02:45 (fifteen years ago) link

seven months pass...

I just heard something by this person on the radio in a cafe. the bassline of the song seemed completely stolen off of Phil Spector's "He Hit Me (and it Felt Like a Kiss)." I thought it was a sample at first!

Mike Crandle, Financial Analyst, Bear Stearns, New York, NY 10185 (res), Monday, 27 July 2009 18:12 (fourteen years ago) link

two months pass...

It's been out since August but I just saw her performance at KCRW: http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb090804lykke_li

She's really good. One of the best sounding performances I've seen on the show.

Moka, Friday, 16 October 2009 05:26 (fourteen years ago) link

one year passes...

one of her songs is currently playing on a Pandora station for me and I was thinking "oh this is pleasant, kind of forgettable" and then she said "I keep my legs apart for you" and I was like "wait waht"

ali-baba-boob-job-bomb.jpg (DJP), Wednesday, 24 November 2010 15:42 (thirteen years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TTPGAy5H_E

i'm feeling this. reminds me of some 80s tropical cosmic groups that i dig. Belle Stars, Via Afrika, etc

jaxon, Wednesday, 24 November 2010 16:04 (thirteen years ago) link

love the beat on "get some", cringe at the lyrics

sean gramophone, Wednesday, 24 November 2010 16:46 (thirteen years ago) link

two months pass...

really looking forward to her new album after 'get some' and then seeing this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-0A7_B-ZnM

jaxon, Tuesday, 25 January 2011 07:21 (thirteen years ago) link

also, damn girl

http://sidewalkhustle.com/wp-content/uploads/46689405.png

jaxon, Tuesday, 25 January 2011 07:23 (thirteen years ago) link

http://soundcloud.com/dynmk/lykke-li-i-follow-rivers

jaxon, Tuesday, 25 January 2011 07:28 (thirteen years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYLQXz0D9LU

loooooove this

The Brainwasher, Tuesday, 25 January 2011 07:29 (thirteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

I Follow Rivers is great! Sounds like she's turned down the mimsy a lot and she sounds so much better for it. Needs better drums though, maybe a Ewan Pearson/Courtney Tidwell style remix would work, something to make the most out of that descending marimba line anyway.

Matt DC, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 09:51 (thirteen years ago) link

This is becoming one of my most anticipated albums in a long time. All the press I keep reading sees her dismissing the "twee" parts of Youth Novels in interviews, I'm hoping she replaces it with the muscular strength and energy that her music would benefit from.

o0o00h really? (boxedjoy), Wednesday, 9 February 2011 10:20 (thirteen years ago) link

This is probably my favourite album of the year so far.

Stevie T, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 10:21 (thirteen years ago) link

psyched for this, + am sort of surprised

just sayin, Wednesday, 9 February 2011 10:35 (thirteen years ago) link

Halfway through and this is a really good listen! Tight and short and very full-sounded, especially compared to Youth Novels, which sounded very anemic. There's a lot more support of her voice here (both like...how she sings...and how the production bolsters her).

It kind of splits the difference between girl-group Phil Spector Be My Baby-isms and 'tribal' drums or whatever.

Alex in Montreal, Sunday, 20 February 2011 20:12 (thirteen years ago) link

There's a lot less of that mimsy, ultra-girly high-pitched whine-singing on this than the debut album (think "Time Flies"), the sonics of this record and her voice suggest she has grown as much as the press narrative indicates. First impressions are of an album that's a bit front-heavy but still a massive leap forward.

o0o00h really? (boxedjoy), Monday, 21 February 2011 19:00 (thirteen years ago) link

Stream the entire album on soundcloud

and yeah, great record.

Thee Macallan 18 Year, Wednesday, 23 February 2011 18:11 (thirteen years ago) link

i'm very happy that she's actually singing on this record, but i can't help but feel a bit disappointed (after only a few listens) about the move to a more 60s girlgroup sound. that might be the influence of the producer, but either way, it just seems so obvious given the emotional content of the record. it might grow on me, but what drew me to her in the first place was just how weird everything sounded on her debut.

borntohula, Thursday, 24 February 2011 02:06 (thirteen years ago) link

sounds more like fever ray / xx (all the dark space) than girl group to me. i like it a lot, LOVE that opening track

NI, Friday, 25 February 2011 00:46 (thirteen years ago) link

im liking this also; reminds me some of AZURE ray, inna slow dirge-y way

johnny crunch, Friday, 25 February 2011 00:51 (thirteen years ago) link

i think the fact that bjorn from peter bjorn and john produces influences that 60s girl-group sound i'm talking about. i hear it mostly on "youth knows no pain" "rich kids blues" and "sadness is a blessing." but even without bjorn's involvement, there's a lot of 60s pop signifiers all over this record, especially in the drums and the layering of her vocals in places. i get the fever ray sound too though, "silent my song" floored me when i first heard it because of how closely it resembles stuff from that record.

borntohula, Friday, 25 February 2011 05:36 (thirteen years ago) link

can't even get over how sexy that spin cover is
http://culturepop.me/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/spin-lykke-li.jpg
every time i'm at the bookstore i pick it up, and then realize spin sucks and doesn't even top 80pages a mag. i can't even believe these guys continue to exist sometimes.

mamma mia pizzeroni (kelpolaris), Friday, 25 February 2011 06:08 (thirteen years ago) link

yeah I can hear the FR in Silent My Song too but obv also Pet Sounds. Touchstones aside, it's so massive! makes me wanna hear her + bjorn do an album of gospel hymns.

Cosmo Vitelli, Friday, 25 February 2011 07:50 (thirteen years ago) link

it's so immediate and indebted that it's a surefire contender for backlash-of-the-year.

Cosmo Vitelli, Friday, 25 February 2011 08:39 (thirteen years ago) link

lol @ that spin cover THE INSANE FUTURE OF RAP

johnny crunch, Friday, 25 February 2011 13:39 (thirteen years ago) link

ofwg no doubt
i mean not no doubt
but no doubt

bang-proof-bling-mans (forksclovetofu), Friday, 25 February 2011 14:53 (thirteen years ago) link

xpost

well the article was actually about Odd Future but i managed to lol in store as well.

mamma mia pizzeroni (kelpolaris), Friday, 25 February 2011 18:38 (thirteen years ago) link

the futures is nutzo, y0!~

Thee Macallan 18 Year, Friday, 25 February 2011 18:38 (thirteen years ago) link

free official remix by The Magician (apparently, he's a Belgian DJ) : http://soundcloud.com/themagician/lykke-li-i-follow-rivers-the-magician-remix

StanM, Monday, 7 March 2011 17:13 (thirteen years ago) link

(pretty shameless attempt at a piano house hit, but it works, imho)

StanM, Monday, 7 March 2011 17:15 (thirteen years ago) link

One half of Aeroplane

willem, Monday, 7 March 2011 17:15 (thirteen years ago) link

The Magician is the guy that left Aeroplane, he's great.

Matt DC, Monday, 7 March 2011 17:15 (thirteen years ago) link

duh - I even knew that! :-/
thx for reminding me though.

StanM, Monday, 7 March 2011 17:17 (thirteen years ago) link

This is an impressive second record. I love the first, but I could see this one eclipsing it given time.

EZ Snappin, Monday, 7 March 2011 18:22 (thirteen years ago) link

There's nothing on here I love as much as Little Bit but on the whole I think this is a stronger record. It's fast becoming my album of the year so far.

Kitchen Person, Monday, 7 March 2011 18:27 (thirteen years ago) link

^^^^ I pretty much agree 100% with this post.

rendezvous then i'm through with HOOS (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 7 March 2011 19:47 (thirteen years ago) link

really looking forward to seeing her live again this year

I just want to give a shout-out to Buzzy Beetles (forksclovetofu), Monday, 7 March 2011 19:48 (thirteen years ago) link

honestly never knew it was pronounced 'licky lee' until i saw her on fallon last wk

johnny crunch, Monday, 7 March 2011 20:14 (thirteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

I sort of skipped her the first time around even though I liked "Little Bit," but this album is really good. Will be listening to this a lot, I think.

something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 23 March 2011 22:20 (thirteen years ago) link

Really surprised how much I like this - 'Sadness Is A Blessing' is a fantastic song. Toning down the mimsiness and going widescreen and Spectoresque has really helped.

Matt DC, Thursday, 24 March 2011 11:58 (thirteen years ago) link

get some is great but it does sound like I want candy to me.

akm, Monday, 28 March 2011 05:31 (thirteen years ago) link

i look forward to forks posting a clip of nardwuar interviewing everything from now on

thomp, Monday, 28 March 2011 05:38 (thirteen years ago) link

will do!

slight even by tweet standards (forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 March 2011 12:04 (thirteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

This album is great.

I'm not sure how you pronounce her name for sure, but I'm pretty convinved that the way Greg Kot keeps calling here Lick-e-uh Lee doesn't seem right at all.

'what are you, the Hymen Protection League of America?' (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 14 April 2011 15:16 (thirteen years ago) link

Kot is wrong.

It's Lick-ee. Simple as that.

That's why they call me (Johnny Fever), Thursday, 14 April 2011 15:17 (thirteen years ago) link

Wouldn't be the first time. His over-pronunciation was driving me crazy!

'what are you, the Hymen Protection League of America?' (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 14 April 2011 15:20 (thirteen years ago) link

What do you expect from a guy who pronounces "persona" as per-SAHN-uh.

jaymc, Thursday, 14 April 2011 17:29 (thirteen years ago) link

check her interview with narduwar to hear her pronounce her own name

brotherlovesdub, Thursday, 14 April 2011 17:48 (thirteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

lol swedish act gets stellan skarsgard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-b3u5jDiU

Gukbe, Friday, 29 April 2011 17:33 (twelve years ago) link

also something about lykke <3 <3 <3

Gukbe, Friday, 29 April 2011 17:33 (twelve years ago) link

good performance on conan last night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOGJ1pXK-eE

jaxon, Friday, 29 April 2011 17:47 (twelve years ago) link

On Later... earlier this week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlMpS-r5Ryg&feature=watch_response

Hippocratic Oaf (DavidM), Saturday, 30 April 2011 13:20 (twelve years ago) link

i strongly dislike "sadness is a blessing"

j lol (surm), Saturday, 30 April 2011 13:27 (twelve years ago) link

sometimes my boyfriend puts it on in the house on saturday mornings (i hope not this one) - just feels trite

j lol (surm), Saturday, 30 April 2011 13:28 (twelve years ago) link

i mean this in the least dickish way possible but i love everything about her except her music. i want to like it but it's just too gimmicky.

sonderangerbot, Saturday, 30 April 2011 13:43 (twelve years ago) link

"sadness is a blessing" is the perfect example of how it is oft best to show, not tell

j lol (surm), Saturday, 30 April 2011 14:06 (twelve years ago) link

two weeks pass...

'sandess if a blessing' fulfills my desire for spector

THAT'S LIGHTWEIGHT DICKERY (dayo), Monday, 16 May 2011 08:03 (twelve years ago) link

actually it kind of sucks the more you listen to it

THAT'S LIGHTWEIGHT DICKERY (dayo), Monday, 16 May 2011 16:24 (twelve years ago) link

two years pass...

http://www.lykkeli.com/splash/icantexplainbut

New album on May 5th. Very excited about this.

Kitchen Person, Thursday, 27 February 2014 19:42 (ten years ago) link

really want to like this but the single, or whatever it is, is dreadful

katherine, Monday, 3 March 2014 06:40 (ten years ago) link

sounds quite ok to my ears

nostormo, Monday, 3 March 2014 21:20 (ten years ago) link

Apparently "Every song will be a power ballad."

http://www.popjustice.com/thenews/lykke-lis-new-album-now-has-a-tracklisting-to-go-with-it/125002/

Not sure which song you were referring to Katherine, but if it's the one linked on the PopJustice article I sadly have to agree. It does nothing for me at all.

Kitchen Person, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 15:51 (ten years ago) link

Really like the song on popjustice.

Eyeball Kicks, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 16:17 (ten years ago) link

wounded rhymes was one of my favorite albums that year but this is terrible, it's taking the worst parts of "I want to be a singer-songwriter, not a pop artist!" and "Greg Kurstin collaboration" and coming out tuneless and dreary and all ballads

katherine, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 17:41 (ten years ago) link

Love Me Like I'm Not Made of Stone is gorgeous.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 20:18 (ten years ago) link

don't like it.
also, her make up is dreadful

nostormo, Tuesday, 4 March 2014 20:29 (ten years ago) link

two weeks pass...

i want to like everything lykke li releases, but these first two songs from the new album are . . . uninspiring.

Daniel, Esq 2, Wednesday, 19 March 2014 15:23 (ten years ago) link

yeah, this is shaping up to be my biggest disappointment of 2014 so far

katherine, Wednesday, 19 March 2014 15:25 (ten years ago) link

I could barely get through the single.

Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 19 March 2014 15:48 (ten years ago) link

really sad because the last album was so good.

Daniel, Esq 2, Wednesday, 19 March 2014 15:49 (ten years ago) link

I like this single more than the first track but yeah sadly I have to agree that these songs are not that inspiring.

Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 19 March 2014 22:39 (ten years ago) link

four weeks pass...

POW! https://soundcloud.com/lykkeli/gunshot

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 17 April 2014 15:37 (ten years ago) link

The new album is the biggest disappointment of the year so far for me. Liked the first album and loved the second one but sadly this does nothing for me. The songs are just bland and don't move me in anyway. Maybe it's a grower but on my first listen it was hard to get through which is strange as it's so short.

Kitchen Person, Saturday, 26 April 2014 03:17 (nine years ago) link

I didn't think No Rest for the Wicked was anything to write home about, but I've absolutely loved Love Me Like I'm Not Made of Stone and Gunshot (as in LOVE, as in they're two of my favorite Lykke Li songs yet). Acquiring the whole thing right now as I type this, so I'll weigh in later.

Johnny Fever, Saturday, 26 April 2014 03:19 (nine years ago) link

If you like those you'll probably like the rest. I'll have to give the album another go as Wounded Rhymes is one of my favourite albums of the decade so far and I want to love this too.

Kitchen Person, Saturday, 26 April 2014 03:34 (nine years ago) link

even though i'm not into what i've heard from this record, i'm still a fan, and glad to see she's getting some solid early reviews.

Daniel, Esq 2, Monday, 5 May 2014 05:03 (nine years ago) link

Don't really understand the negativity in here. Played it through 3 times yesterday, and it sounded quite pretty, but much less twee than the first couple of records.

ginuwine's cousin (monotony), Monday, 5 May 2014 05:45 (nine years ago) link

^^ my exact thoughts when listening to that track

voodoo chili, Thursday, 8 May 2014 16:51 (nine years ago) link

i love this record

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 8 May 2014 21:45 (nine years ago) link

these very sad songs are extremely sunlit

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 8 May 2014 21:46 (nine years ago) link

While I feel glad she's ditched a lot of the twee affectations from her first two albums, I wish she had written some stronger hooks. This is nice enough but I listened to it twice in a row and I'm struggling to remember anything about it other than it could with some drums and more dynamicism in the songwriting. Hopefully now she's got the break-up ballads out her system she can make an album that's a bit more rounded - I'm not saying she would ever suit confrontational abrasiveness but the mature swagger (well, comparative at least) of Wounded Rhymes suited her better.

boxedjoy, Thursday, 8 May 2014 21:59 (nine years ago) link

Pretty much agree with this. I'm all for a nice stripped down heartbreak record (Something similar to the last Goldfrapp album maybe?) but the songs are just not strong enough. I can't remember anything about it after a couple of listens whereas the last album the songs got stuck in my head very quickly. I just kind of assumed because she made such a leap in quality from the first album to the second that it would continue with this one. Will probably give it another chance because Wounded Rhymes is such a great record. I'm jealous of the people getting a lot out of it.

Kitchen Person, Thursday, 8 May 2014 23:03 (nine years ago) link

these songs definitely get stuck in my head. particularly "no rest for the wicked" and "gunshot". I do empathise with the idea that the album is a bit underwritten, and I'm sad that a song like "Love Me Like I'm Not Made Of Stone" was left as a spare guitar demo - it deserves more ceremonial production.

ginuwine's cousin (monotony), Thursday, 8 May 2014 23:26 (nine years ago) link

the hooks aren't the problem, it's the wall of blah reverbed sound that engulfs everything, like an entire record of "sadness is my boyfriend," and one of those was enough. (I also think a lot of the biographical criticism is forced and overstated -- she got her HEART BROKEN! and MOVED TO L.A.! ...and as a musician the reason you move from Sweden to L.A. is more likely so you can do things like work with Greg Kurstin.)

katherine, Friday, 9 May 2014 11:08 (nine years ago) link

otm. I had the same problem with Angel Olsen, this year's other acclaimed singer-songwriter album. The mix and arrangement choices leaned too heavily on the lugubrious.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 9 May 2014 12:16 (nine years ago) link

usually i find an excessively reverbed landscape dulling and alienating but something about this one is really enveloping and inhabitable for me

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 9 May 2014 13:58 (nine years ago) link

would love to hear emmylou harris sing "love me like i'm not made of stone"

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 9 May 2014 14:55 (nine years ago) link

Sadness is my Boyfriend is great. One of my favourites on the last album.

Kitchen Person, Friday, 9 May 2014 15:28 (nine years ago) link

I think "Love Me..." is absolutely stunning as-is and feel even the slightest bit more of any production flourishes could possibly have ruined it.

Johnny Fever, Friday, 9 May 2014 15:46 (nine years ago) link

I'm not usually a fan of shticky reverb, but I don't mind it at all here. It just feels like a really natural way of presenting these songs

Evan R, Friday, 9 May 2014 16:01 (nine years ago) link

three or so listens i think i've determined this album is just too much of too little to hold me

I think "Love Me..." is absolutely stunning as-is and feel even the slightest bit more of any production flourishes could possibly have ruined it.

otm

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 9 May 2014 16:29 (nine years ago) link

for Brad's sake I'm gonna listen again

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 9 May 2014 16:33 (nine years ago) link

idk alfred this might not be a record for you

it is definitely a record for me

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 9 May 2014 16:34 (nine years ago) link

like the vast dimensional swaths of reverb actually lend a warmth and drama to the songs, reminds me of a more functional lanois production

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 9 May 2014 16:41 (nine years ago) link

xp I dunno, this seems like a pretty direct, earnest album that anybody could get behind.

I don't get the "omg she worked with Greg Kurstin" dismissal at all. It's like like Kurstin is Max Martin or something, and I really don't hear his stamp on this at all. For all its uumph, I think the production does a great job staying out of the way

Evan R, Friday, 9 May 2014 16:44 (nine years ago) link

it isn't a dismissal -- two out of his three tracks are the best ones on the album! -- and if anything this needed *more* of him. but I just don't think it's good criticism to be like "she moved to L.A. to ~*find herself*~" when if you look at the industry (and "I Follow Rivers" being a surprise(?) chart hit after the fact) there are more likely reasons. (the same goes, fwiw, for "you just need to break up with someone, then you'll understand")

katherine, Friday, 9 May 2014 16:59 (nine years ago) link

Yeah, I rolled my eyes a bit at the break-up narrative, since it's one of those tropes critics have a way of overstating. Mirah also just came out with a new album the same week that was also born of A Really Hard Break Up. Break-ups aren't nearly as rare or exotic as critics make them out to be sometimes; they're a pretty universal experience.

But I understand why they play it up for albums like this. It's pretty clearly a break-up album, and having that autobiographical context, however oversimplified, really does help listeners connect to records. And since critics play up and overstate any narrative they're handed (It's their first album in three years! First album with a new bassist! First album after moving from one indie label to another! Etc) I don't think there's anything that unusual about how they framed this one

Evan R, Friday, 9 May 2014 17:07 (nine years ago) link

for the record i think the pr narrative about this record both overexplains and hinders it, and personally i am a fan of luxuriating semi-identical sadnesses but i might find them tiresome if the whole thing exceeded 30 minutes

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 9 May 2014 17:10 (nine years ago) link

four months pass...

the new one has grown on me a ton

Mordy, Wednesday, 17 September 2014 23:21 (nine years ago) link

I was in the midst of a break-up depression when it came out so I listened to it once and put it away. Perhaps it's time to reassess.

Insane Prince of False Binaries (Gukbe), Thursday, 18 September 2014 00:11 (nine years ago) link

this record will probably attach to fall nicely

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 18 September 2014 01:03 (nine years ago) link

two weeks pass...

^^ It really, really does. Love how unabashedly honest this record is. Frequently getting This Mortal Coil vibes too, which make it all the more autumn-y. Love it.

three years pass...

New album coming in June called, So Sad So Sexy. Sean from Drowned In Sound has said the new songs he's heard sound like Aaliyah and Prince. Apparently it's her return to pop and two new singles are coming next week. Looking forward to this even though her last album didn't really do anything for me.

kitchen person, Monday, 16 April 2018 01:58 (six years ago) link

Sean from Drowned In Sound has said the new songs he's heard sound like Aaliyah and Prince

I would bet this is completely inaccurate

boxedjoy, Monday, 16 April 2018 20:59 (six years ago) link

You're probably right, but it did get my hopes up.

kitchen person, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 02:07 (six years ago) link

The album is out June 8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLO408PZgek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ5zqTEDeHc

01 hard rain
02 deep end
03 two nights [ft. Aminé]
04 last piece
05 jaguars in the air
06 sex money feelings die
07 so sad so sexy
08 better alone
09 bad woman
10 utopia

monotony, Thursday, 19 April 2018 04:54 (six years ago) link

Not sure about these new songs. They're ok, they just don't have the character of her first two albums. Hopefully they'll grow on me.

kitchen person, Thursday, 19 April 2018 14:12 (six years ago) link

Major 3LW vibes on "Deep End"

Evan R, Thursday, 19 April 2018 14:39 (six years ago) link

06 sex money feelings die

flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 19 April 2018 14:47 (six years ago) link

I really like these! It's nice to hear some grit behind her soft voice, even if it is borrowed sadcore-trap vibes from Lana Del Rey.

"sounds like Aaliyah and Prince" is gonna be my new ironic refereence in talking about people who don't understand anything remotely r&b influenced in the present.

boxedjoy, Thursday, 19 April 2018 20:41 (six years ago) link

99% of the time, a trap beat makes me tune right out. No different here.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 19 April 2018 21:32 (six years ago) link

"deep end" is pretty cool but considering it was produced by jeff bhasker, malay & t-minus it also feels a bit like less than the sum of its parts to me. nb ive never had a use for her music but the way ppl were talking about this one got me to check it out

J0rdan S., Thursday, 19 April 2018 21:37 (six years ago) link

The swimming pools / indigo / deep blue hook in Deep End is real nice.

triggercut, Friday, 20 April 2018 05:36 (six years ago) link

one month passes...

Really disappointed with the new album. Totally passed me by the couple of times I listened to it.

kitchen person, Thursday, 7 June 2018 22:50 (five years ago) link

What’s it like?

Slippage (Ross), Friday, 8 June 2018 12:40 (five years ago) link

im liking it

johnny crunch, Friday, 8 June 2018 14:40 (five years ago) link

Same!

Slippage (Ross), Friday, 8 June 2018 14:49 (five years ago) link

Albums super short. Template seems to be the prior collab with ASAP and the Lynch ballad

Slippage (Ross), Friday, 8 June 2018 16:27 (five years ago) link

Why in God’s name did she use vocoder on this

Slippage (Ross), Friday, 8 June 2018 20:50 (five years ago) link

man this album is a grower, it's great

Slippage (Ross), Sunday, 10 June 2018 15:39 (five years ago) link

i've only heard "two nights" so far, like it

dyl, Monday, 11 June 2018 21:18 (five years ago) link

Record is very dense production wise. Full of miniature details and very self contained. I absolutely love the opening song

Slippage (Ross), Tuesday, 12 June 2018 00:42 (five years ago) link

The general reaction for this album seems above average, critically and just user opinions I’ve read. Which is fair as the album is so short and ends on “utopia” which is a stunner of a song, at 34 mins this is succinct.

This record feels transitory to me in that her last one was a fairly bummer ride compared to previous work, but here she seems to be reconciling? Not as much a shift as sundfors last two to draw a comparison.

Slippage (Ross), Wednesday, 13 June 2018 00:19 (five years ago) link

in love with this record

the concise nature makes every song shine, it's gorgeous

sunburst N snowblind (Ross), Tuesday, 19 June 2018 06:14 (five years ago) link

three weeks pass...

wow someone really loved "High By The Beach" a lot eh

boxedjoy, Monday, 16 July 2018 17:26 (five years ago) link

I had put off listening to this because the last one was such a washout but this is much better, maybe lacking a great single but possibly her best full album?

boxedjoy, Monday, 16 July 2018 17:28 (five years ago) link

Great record

Ross, Monday, 16 July 2018 18:31 (five years ago) link

I'm still not enjoying this as much as I want to. It certainly is a step up from the last album, but it's nowhere near the quality of her first two albums for me. Wounded Rhymes is my favourite.

kitchen person, Tuesday, 17 July 2018 04:19 (five years ago) link

I never learn is a masterpiece u philistines

Larry Elleison (rogermexico.), Tuesday, 17 July 2018 05:19 (five years ago) link

this one has some good bits but imho they’re the most familiar bits (bad woman, last piece)

Larry Elleison (rogermexico.), Tuesday, 17 July 2018 05:22 (five years ago) link

I'm starting to come around to this album. I keep getting the chorus to Jaguars In The Air stuck in my head.

kitchen person, Saturday, 21 July 2018 14:58 (five years ago) link

two weeks pass...

the 'u got it bad' cover is decent

https://open.spotify.com/track/4Dg5moVCTqxAb7Wr8Dq2T5?si=Wr6xOHL6RWSldgf4TvY6Tg

maura, Friday, 10 August 2018 14:57 (five years ago) link

three years pass...

No comment as yet it seems on her most recent album EYEYE - it's extremely doleful, maybe even more so than I Never Learn. I wasn't wild about the last album but this one seems like a big improvement to me.

monotony, Friday, 3 June 2022 06:19 (one year ago) link


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