By Henry Lipput
Christian Kjellvander should be writing soundtracks.
This statement should take nothing away from his talent with lyrics; but his music, especially on the new album A Village: Natural Light, is cinematic and could definitely be used to underscore one of the currently popular Scandinavian noir television series.
Kjellvander was born in Sweden but grew up in Seattle. He returned to Sweden in the 90s and formed The Loosegoats who became the best-selling Americana band in Sweden. Since then he's released a series of well-received solo albums.
A Village: Natural Light is dark, haunting, and beautiful. "There is too much dark in natural light," a lyric from the song "Dark Ain't That Dark," is the flipside of Leonard Cohen's "There's a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in."
Kjellvander’s voice is deep and world weary (with a touch of country), not unlike that of Cohen or Nick Cave. Karla-Therese Kjellvander adds lovely harmony vocals to “Shallow Sea” and “Gallow” that recall the balance that Sharon Robinson and other female vocalists brought to Cohen‘s recordings. There’s even a bit of Bon Iver-sounding backing vocals on “Dark Ain’t That Dark” and “Good Child.”
Although not technically a concept album, A Village: Natural Light is the story of a small Swedish village and the lives of the people who reside there in the same way that Under Milkwood was about a village in Ireland. Kjellvander has said that he wrote much of the album while working part-time in a cemetery, and many the songs contain references to cemeteries, burials … and sex.
In "Midsummer (Red Dance)" he sings of a woman who has captivated him, a woman who "went away and you came back riding a unicorn" and he pledges that, "I will follow you into the grave." Part of "Riders In The Rain" takes place in a graveyard: "Do you remember when we made love in the cemetery / You told me, baby, don't worry / They can't see / They can only feel." The man in "Misanthrope River" pleads, "Don't bury me with these strangers / You see my love / They made me lose hope / When it's my turn take me down to the river / And let me go." And in 'Good Child," we listen as a gravedigger does his job: "I will dig until the world splits in two / It's labor's work / So sad / What else can I do?" He also lets us know, "I really was a good child," as if asking himself what made him end up working in a graveyard.
Musically many of the songs contain spare guitar and piano backing that's just right for Kjellvander's lyrics. However, on "Dark Ain't That Dark" there's a prominent bass line and some funky guitar that wouldn't be out of place on a Blue Nile album. "Staghorn Sumac" has an old-school jazz piano and drum foundation that might remind you of something by Dave Brubeck. There's also some really good solo guitar work especially on "Misanthrope River" in which the solo is given room to breathe and its moody, nearly angry sound tells a story without words. Just like a soundtrack.
A Village: Natural Light is out now on Tapete Records.
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