Swedish folk supergroup Väsen celebrates 30 years with the release of a new album on April 19. The title “Rule of 3” refers to these three decades as well as their favorite time signature, shared by both polskas and waltzes, forms which which they often play. The band is a trio, forming of course a… Continue reading Vasen: Rule of 3
A handful of times in your life, you hear a band or a soloist who rocks your world. You hear the music on the radio or at a live show, or at a friend’s house, and you fall in love. Sometimes that song or that record will become a “gateway drug” to a whole new… Continue reading Väsen: Brewed
Annalisa Tornfelt first came to my attention as the singer for Black Prairie (Portland, Oregon), a folk-rock group that began in 2007 as a side project for members of The Decemberists and has since evolved into an influential force in Portland’s exploding indie music scene. Her new solo album The Number 8 is set for release… Continue reading Annalisa Tornfelt: The Number 8
I’ve gushed about Väsen before. Forgive me for doing it again, but this trio of Swedish tallboys keeps getting better and better, if that’s possible. Their new record is called Mindset (NorthSide NSD6097). Superlatives seem inadeqaute to describe the music of Väsen. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen them live, swaying and sawing and smiling as… Continue reading Väsen: Mindset
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