Surrendering to the Swedish Invasion
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Track:God Knows (You've Gotta Give to Get)
A contingent of conquering Swedes – actually, three extremely talented female singer-songwriters - came to San Francisco on Sunday night, and took over Bimbo’s 365 Club, the long-lived nightspot in the historic North Beach district. And boy, was I glad I was there to succumb, along with the rest of an enthusiastic audience.My original motivation to attend was a chance to see baby-voiced dance-pop sprite Lykke Li whose insistently hooky single “Little Bit” had wowed me a few months back. But, to my gratitude, she was sandwiched between opening act Anna Ternheim - and show-closer Sarah Assbring, who records and performs under the name El Perro del Mar. I suppose that touring the U.S. together gave the women the opportunity to travel with peers who could speak the same language (not English). It also turned the show into a triple-treat for me.Both Anna – a more conventional/confessional songstress-with-a-guitar – and the sometimes cajoling/sometimes keening Sarah - specializing in wonderfully constructed compositions that span chamber-pop, folk and rock styles in the manner of Brian Wilson’s later material - offered something decidedly different from Lykke’s buoyant, accessible (and occasionally subversive) beat music. The honesty and forthrightness of Anna’s music hit home easily, while the strange, dark complexities and idiosyncrasies of Sarah’s set demanded and rewarded close listening.All three did themselves proud. If I was to have a favorite, I wouldn’t tell you. It was that much of a toss-up.After each set was completed, another bunch of converts would head out to the lobby where they could purchase CDs by the artist who had just played. More than a few patrons bought one or more discs from all three. I’d have been among them, but (heh, heh), my hard-drive was already hosting their best work.With the streaming audio above ("God Knows") and the video below ("Party"), I’ve included a couple tastes of El Perro del Mar, which translates from Spanish as “Dog of the Sea.” Believe me, Sarah’s no dog – and this ever-so-twisted, highly cinematic (think Hitchcock) clip that visualizes her song ”Party” will stick in your memory for a while.
Comments (17)
I liked the "Party", but "God Knows" didn't click with me. Thanks for the new music!
No prob. And that's why there's chocolate and vanilla.