A short album with a broad vision. That's how composer Nico Muhly describes the new Loney Dear album. The project of the Swedish singer / songwriter Emil Svanängen does indeed come up with an album that leaves more impression than the 34 minutes on the display of the CD player suggest. In terms of popularity, Loney Dear has been overtaken left and right by bands like Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear
… since their official debut Loney, Noir (2007). Even the old support act Patrick Watson has developed better commercially. Of course this has nothing to do with qualities in the musical field. Svanängen is hardly inferior to his more popular colleagues, at most he is less infectious. For the rest Hall Music does have the same left harmonies and the drawn-out arrangements of Vecktimest, Grizzly Bears classic from 2009, which was made with Muhly as the arranger. That Svanängen manages to achieve the same without his help - the modern composer only wrote the liner notes - says a lot. (JE)more