I love this band's name. It sounds like something joint manufactured by Care Bears and Smurfs. They are anything but cartoonish though. Cloudberry Jam is a "pop-jazz-bossanova-soul" group from Sweden. They've been around since 1992. They're really big in Japan. From the beginning their albums were released in Japan and Sweden. If you check on the net there is a ton of Japanese fan sites. This band gets compared to Stereolab a lot and I can sort of hear that. Their sound reminds me more of their fellow countrymen Komeda and the Cardigans (and maybe a little bit Saint Etienne too). I like it . They have such a fun breezy positive energy. Some of their songs are almost too goobery for me to listen to but once I get in the groove I'm alright with it. This album I'm posting songs from is a greatest hits farewell album that was released in 1996. The lead singer Jennie Medin decided she wanted to go back to university and so the band broke up. They already had 5 albums and a couple of EP's by that point. The greatest hits features their "last" single "Time To Move On" as well as other album tracks, old demo material, and some live songs. If you've never heard of them and are interested at all I'd start here. There's also the compilation "Going Further" which combines their second and third album but I say just get those two albums instead and skip that. This greatest hits sold more than 100,000 copies in Japan so that should say something right there. In 2000 Jennie was approached by the guitarist Joren Warnstrom and they cut a solo album for her. Then in 2004 the band got back together again and all was right in the world of Swedish pop. They've put out 3 more albums. I can't really listen to those because they just go to far on the Pop side for my tastes but that might be what their Japanese fans want. At any rate if you see an older album I can vouche for it. They're good stuff. On a side note you gotta read the Wikipedia entry for "CLOUDBERRY":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudberry. I found it interesting and I want to eat some now. They sound delicious. That and drink some Cloudberry liquor.
fistula spume says
Dude you have no idea how jealous you just made me with that statement. They seem so delicious! I will have them in my lifetime. Even if I have to figure out how to grow them. Glad you liked the tunes too.
fistula spume says
Hey your a smart cookie scotfree! I didn't even think of Style Council but you are totally right. That's what happens when your brain is constantly elsewhere. :)
fistula spume says
For sure. It's that lounge and pure pop aspect. There's a lot of connections between Swedish pop and Japanese Shibuya-Kei. It's a love love relationship.
1234chainsaw says
If you have an Ikea anywhere near you, you can usually find cloudberry jam there (frozen cloudberries, maybe not) at their Swedish deli.
fistula spume says
Ivylander - For realz.
1234chainsaw unfortunately there isn't one near but there seems to be a lot of places selling the jam online. I just might go that route.
Cody B glad you enjoyed it.
Mike it is my goal to be big in Japan someday. It's a mark of something. What that is I don't know but it's a definitely a mark.
I love this band's name. It sounds like something joint manufactured by Care Bears and Smurfs. They are anything but cartoonish though. Cloudberry Jam is a "pop-jazz-bossanova-soul" group from Sweden. They've been around since 1992. They're really big in Japan. From the beginning their albums were released in Japan and Sweden. If you check on the net there is a ton of Japanese fan sites. This band gets compared to Stereolab a lot and I can sort of hear that. Their sound reminds me more of their fellow countrymen Komeda and the Cardigans (and maybe a little bit Saint Etienne too). I like it . They have such a fun breezy positive energy. Some of their songs are almost too goobery for me to listen to but once I get in the groove I'm alright with it. This album I'm posting songs from is a greatest hits farewell album that was released in 1996. The lead singer Jennie Medin decided she wanted to go back to university and so the band broke up. They already had 5 albums and a couple of EP's by that point. The greatest hits features their "last" single "Time To Move On" as well as other album tracks, old demo material, and some live songs. If you've never heard of them and are interested at all I'd start here. There's also the compilation "Going Further" which combines their second and third album but I say just get those two albums instead and skip that. This greatest hits sold more than 100,000 copies in Japan so that should say something right there. In 2000 Jennie was approached by the guitarist Joren Warnstrom and they cut a solo album for her. Then in 2004 the band got back together again and all was right in the world of Swedish pop. They've put out 3 more albums. I can't really listen to those because they just go to far on the Pop side for my tastes but that might be what their Japanese fans want. At any rate if you see an older album I can vouche for it. They're good stuff. On a side note you gotta read the Wikipedia entry for "CLOUDBERRY":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloudberry. I found it interesting and I want to eat some now. They sound delicious. That and drink some Cloudberry liquor.
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