Jens Lekman: Night Falls Over Kortedala

by Andres Jauregui • December 17, 2008

Jens Lekman
Night Falls Over Kortedala
(Secretly Canadian, 2007)

It's been a year since Jens Lekman released Night Falls Over Kortedala, and even though Sweden's favorite chanteur hasn't yet broken into the American mainstream—to the tune of, say, ABBA—the buzz about him today is anything but oh so silent.

Lekman has been a darling of the indie-pop web ever since his 2003 single, "Maple Leaves." With its ornamental sampling, memorable hooks, and lyrics that ring with both humor and poignancy, this song has stood as an example of Lekman at his best. But Kortedala demonstrates an even higher level of Lekman's capability. It is a stronger, more confident recording than any of its predecessors, and the collection that best showcases Lekman's potential as an international superstar. The best pop music is relatable, fresh, and innovative. Lekman's style is all of those things, and Kortedala is—to date—the apex of Lekman's style.

Kortedala is a turning point in terms of production and songwriting. It is a record comprised almost entirely of would-be hits: Distilled essences of life, musical episodes brimming with personal weight, conveyed through witty narratives that get better as the album progresses. Although it is difficult to pick a favorite song on this album—and I often waffle between several songs—the one I love best most frequently is "The Opposite of Hallelujah." As the older brother of a younger sister, I can relate to the song in more ways than I'd care to mention here. And, as a lover of soul music, nothing else quite does it for me like Lekman's masterful evocation of the Chairmen of the Board's "Give Me Just a Little More Time."

Throughout his recording career, Lekman has indicated an eclectic and worldly taste in music through his choices of samples, but on Kortedala, the arrangements often say more. The more I listened to it, the more I came to realize how Kortedala oozes a kind of blue-eyed, Swedish soul. In addition to the aforementioned reference, soul influences run strong on "A Postcard to Nina" and "If I Could Cry"; there's a meshing of African and Latin influences on "Into Eternity", while "Kanske Är Jag Kär I Dig" ("I Think I'm in Love With You") exhibits elements of soul, funk, and in its beat, hip-hop.

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