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Night Falls Over Kortedala

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 55 ratings

$9.78
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Audio CD, October 9, 2007
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Vinyl, Live, October 9, 2007

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Bloomington, Indiana, sometime in the mid-Nineties. A long-since-lost Billboard article painted the Midwestern college town’s scene as the next Seattle, a promising incubator for up-and-coming bands. But for all the mainstream attention bubbling on the surface, it was the energy humming beneath that beckoned. The romanticism and seemingly-endless possibilities of rock ‘n’ roll thrived, the basements concrete harbors for weirdo, arty kids, young and in love with the idea of what music could be.

Amidst all of this, the seeds for Secretly Canadian were planted.Chris Swanson met Eric Weddle in 1995 as sophomores at Indiana University. Both were involved with the campus radio station, WIUX, and, more importantly, were record fanatics with an insatiable appetite for crate digging. Swanson soon met Jonathan Cargill, a fellow music obsessee, via a job in the Collins cafeteria on campus. Ben Swanson, the final piece of the SC puzzle, made his way to Bloomington shortly thereafter, leaving the Swansons’ hometown of Fargo, North Dakota for the thriving DIY mecca his older brother had become immersed in.

1

Track Listings

1 And I Remember Every Kiss
2 Sipping on the Sweet Nectar
3 Opposite of Hallelujah, the
4 Postcard to Nina, a
5 Into Eternity
6 I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You
7 If I Could Cry (It Would Feel Like This)
8 Your Arms Around Me
9 Shirin
10 It Was a Strange Time in My Life
11 Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig
12 Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Like a modern day Chet Baker, Jens loves to sing about heartache. This is his first album in over three years and Kortedala refers to a neighborhood in his hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden - "a depressing suburban hell". It also refers to a vague musical pop sound with hints of tropicalia that has been coming out of Gothenburg's clubs the last few years. NIGHT FALLS OVER KORTEDALA features many previously unreleased live favorites and guest vocals from label-mate Frida Hyvonen and El Perro del Mar.

Amazon.com

Halfway through the first track of Jens Lekman's finest offering yet, "And I Remember Every Kiss," a Lekman neophyte might be sure they've got him pegged. Here's another Scott-Walker-worshipping yungin; a precocious string-section crooner. To be sure, there's plenty of string-soaked melodrama here, and Lekman puts that modest Morrissey-esque croon to work throughout the album. But after the high camp Copa-Cabana disco of "Sipping on the Sweet Nectar," the breezy latin-flavored "Into Eternity," the acoustic lullaby of "Shirin" or the, uh, drive-in vibe of "Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo," it's clear Lekman's ambition and sense of humor can't be confined to one small corner of imitation or appropriation. Appropriation--in the literal sense, for that matter--is one of Lekman's great strengths, as evidenced by the new context he gives his many perfect samples, be it a drum loop from the Residents and Renaldo & The Loaf record Title in Limbo, or any number of lifted orchestral bits. Lekman weaves many of his samples so seamlessly into his presentation, one is often at a loss to distinguish samples from live instruments. The end result is something like a new millennium Brill Building, with songcraft at the helm, but awash in modern production technique. Lekman's world masterfully pairs the electronic with the human. Lekman's also a pro at the sort of wry lyrical melancholia one associates with the aforementioned Morrissey, or other contemporaries like Stephen Merritt of the Magnetic Fields. He's a lot less caustic, but still plays the biographical narrator stewing in life's near misses. He's got a real silly streak, however, just as quick to pen couplets like "my heart is beating, beating like Ringo/as I pull into the drive-in bingo," or "I took my sister down to the ocean/but the ocean made me feel stupid." These lyrical gems illustrate one certainty. Night Falls Over Kortedala is unabashedly precious. Lekman's meticulously crafted, symphonic indie-pop is all saccharine indulgence, but hey, he owns it, and that makes the payoff all the more sweet. --Jason Pace

Product details

  • Language ‏ : ‎ Italian
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 5.71 x 0.43 inches; 3.46 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Secretly Canadian
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 3378038
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2007
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ August 21, 2007
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Secretly Canadian
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000V6KDL4
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 55 ratings

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
55 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2009
    I am enjoying this album immensely. As someone who has purchased a few Jens's songs before, along with one album, I knew that I liked his style, but some of the quirkier songs could be just that bit too "kitsch" for me. Still, there were enough standout tunes to make me take notice. And I always found him interesting and worth a listen. This album is catchy and certainly has its kitsch factor, but it's deceptively well-crafted, and there are nuggets of depth in the seemingly mundane lyrics. I think this is a steal at the current price, especially for the MP3 version. If you like the snippets, I think you will definitely like the whole album..
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2021
    Good shape. No scratches
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2013
    I thought this album was about cutting hair. I was upset when it wasn't. Still love it, though. Yours truly, Maine sweater ; )
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2016
    Excellent record. Delivered on time and with care.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2009
    He didn't sound this good live, but it's only because he doesn't have the money. The melodies and lyrics are smart and he inches everything possible from his slight baritone. The melodies and extras are more well constructed than his previous one. Doesn't master the perfect "Black Cab," from his last, but like the Vulgar Boatmen's more straightforward, "Please Panic," almost every song shines here. He takes the quirkiness of Jonathan Richman and adds some pop craft.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2014
    This is my favorite album of his, and it sounds great.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2008
    This album is totally awesome. I saw Jens play live after a friend told me about him. The day after the concert I bought this album and I've loved it ever since.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2007
    Melancholy sweetness. This cd is true bliss; if you like his other albums you'll love this. A must have for fans of The Smiths, Sufjan Stevens and Andrew Bird.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Sido.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Música maravillosa.
    Reviewed in Spain on March 31, 2022
    Obra atemporal por su belleza.
  • Jin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great music
    Reviewed in Canada on November 4, 2019
    Great music with whimsical lyrics. Jens Leklman in underrated.
  • Robert Hahne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Musik toll, die Pressung weniger...
    Reviewed in Germany on December 20, 2019
    Ein abwechslungsreiches musikalisches Kleinod (*****), das in Vinyl (**) leider schon ab Werk verkratzt und wellig daherkommt.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2016
    brilliant album
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on December 4, 2017
    Like a modern day Morrisey. Quirky lyrics and catchy tunes.