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- Date Released: June 18, 2007
- Genre: Alternative/Punk
- Label: Rough Trade
Former Concretes singer emerges with a solo debut.
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We Say...
A year ago, Concretes singer and co-founder Victoria Bergsman notoriously walked out on the band the very day they were due to appear on the BBC’s Jonathan Ross Show — that’s akin to bailing when you’re three feet away from a big fat neon sign saying, “After eleven years of honourable indie-circuit graft, here’s where you cross over and finally shift some records.” The Swedish band have floundered since, with their recent album a (poorly sung) disappointment. Bergsman now — via dalliances with Peter, Bjorn & John and Electrelane — emerges with her solo debut, which is as quiet, shuffly and minimalist as, well, the Concretes. If anything, it’s even more apologetic for taking up space, and will appeal to those of us who get irritated by people breathing too loudly on public transport.
Yet there’s a beguiling charm to this pastoral, bittersweet record, which evokes late summer evenings and gentle kisses. Sparse, recorded in six days, it’s from the same new Swedish school of fey beauty as Loney, Dear or Peter Von Poehl (as opposed to the banging Swedish dance-pop alternative). There are lovely surprises, not least in the title track, a string-driven instrumental which could soundtrack a new love affair, or even remind you of Shelleyan Orphan. “Tell Me” is both jaunty and weary, but on the single “Lost and Found,” Bergsman’s undemonstrative voice cracks its habitual reserve to suggest her languor is laced with longing. “Hours Pass Like Centuries” is begging for a sarcastic dig at her near-comatose laidback-ness, but the accumulative effect of all this haziness is deftly uplifting, more ether than concrete. -
They Say...
Victoria Bergsman's first project after 11 years fronting the Concretes is a minimalist, introspective affair. Instrumentation is sparse, mostly relegated to twinkling piano and lightly tapped drums. Bergsman co-produced the album with Peter Björn and John's Björn Yttling, recording all the tracks in just six days, stressing restraint to guitarist Andreas Söderström, percussionist and Yttling bandmate John Eriksson, and all the other players. Some listeners who found Bergsman whimsical and cheeky guesting on Peter Björn and John's worldwide smash "Young Folks," might be surprised with the more serious, chamber pop atmosphere here. Bergsman is known for her shyness and for featuring her cute cat Chico in her songs and on her website, and she's had a few well-publicized collapses from stage fright in the past. Open Field is the kind of hushed, romantic album one would expect from such a delicate artist. Inevitable hints of Nick Drake arise in the arrangements, particularly on the intermission-like title track, but it's Bergsman's cool singsongy vocals that dominate everywhere else. Highlights include the spooky, driven "Tell Me," which comes across like a midnight mission through the woods, the easygoing toe-tapper "Julia," and perhaps best of all the soaring Gainsbourg-esque "Lost and Found," composed by Camera Obscura's Tracyanne Campbell. One could criticize the album's generally downbeat mood and often repetitive songwriting style, and one could argue that Bergsman's fragile, sometimes broken voice would fare better with fuller musical backing. A subsequent, brilliant cover of the Guns N' Roses song "Sweet Child O'Mine" and Open Field's Campbell-penned "Lost and Found" suggest that with a little more time in the studio and fewer rushed compositions, Taken by Trees might reach a larger audience. That said, this sort of personal, raw effort from will delight longtime fans and inspire bedroom musicians from Sweden to the United States.
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| 01. |  |
Tell Me |
3:39 |
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| 02. | |
Julia |
4:02 |
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| 03. | |
The Legend |
3:55 |
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| 04. | |
Sunshine Lady |
2:31 |
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| 05. | |
Lost and Found |
2:59 |
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| 06. | |
Open Field |
3:19 |
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| 07. | |
Hours Pass Like Centuries |
1:52 |
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| 08. | |
Too Young |
4:31 |
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| 09. | |
Only Yesterday |
2:39 |
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| 10. | |
Cedar Trees |
5:10 |
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10 Total Tracks, 34:37 Total Length
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Credits
- Janne Hansson - Engineer // Henrik Jonsson - Mastering // Verity Susman - Piano // Verity Susman - Vocals (Background) // Mikael Andersson - Euphonium // Björn Yttling - Bass // Björn Yttling - Guitar // Björn Yttling - Piano // Björn Yttling - Producer // Björn Yttling - Engineer // Björn Yttling - String Arrangements // Björn Yttling - Mastering // Björn Yttling - Mixing // Andreas Forsman - Violin // Lasse Mårtén - Engineer // Lasse Mårtén - Mixing // Victoria Bergsman - Vocals // Victoria Bergsman - Producer // Victoria Bergsman - Paintings // Victoria Bergsman - Instrumentation // John Eriksson - Synthesizer // John Eriksson - Percussion // John Eriksson - Drums // John Eriksson - Marimba // John Eriksson - Vibraphone // Andreas Söderström - Guitar // Andreas Söderström - Mandolin // Andreas Söderström - Harmonium // Andreas Söderström - Mixing // Erik Arvinder - Violin
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