Who do we ultimately have to blame for so many Scandinavian pop singers sounding so *diffident* these days? A lot of these would be great songs but that mopey wet delivery just kills them.
― Matt DC, Friday, 10 April 2015 14:46 (nine years ago) link
this album must be getting written about somewhere--it's currently rateyourmusic's #9 album of 2015
― Is It Any Wonder I'm Not the (President Keyes), Friday, 10 April 2015 14:50 (nine years ago) link
A lot of these would be great songs but that mopey wet delivery just kills them.
I could not disagree more strongly.
― Johnny Fever, Friday, 10 April 2015 15:27 (nine years ago) link
Yeah that's the most wrong thing ever written on ilxor.
― abcfsk, Friday, 10 April 2015 15:59 (nine years ago) link
Greatest vocalist among scando pop stars atm by far.
you mean Lykke Li? i agree
great record
― nostormo, Friday, 10 April 2015 20:47 (nine years ago) link
Honestly, this is one of my favourite albums ever.
― ewar woowar (or something), Sunday, 12 April 2015 12:15 (nine years ago) link
The quiet songs are weaker here imo
― nostormo, Sunday, 12 April 2015 12:52 (nine years ago) link
I listened to this again and I think diffident was the wrong word, but she shares with Lykke Li this very widescreen croon that makes these songs feel so much less intimate and human than they should, it sweeps but it leaves me completely cold. It's the same thing that puts me off Lana Del Rey.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 12 April 2015 12:52 (nine years ago) link
But that's equally wrong, she has a very specific delivery, a raw, human virtuosity and balls-out-ness more similar to early kate bush than someone like lykke li.
― abcfsk, Sunday, 12 April 2015 13:05 (nine years ago) link
Florence sprung to mind most on my couple of listens so far
― lex pretend, Sunday, 12 April 2015 13:09 (nine years ago) link
Her higher register is much more enjoyable, but really a "raw, human virtuosity and balls-out-ness" is the exact opposite of what I hear. I hear broad brush strokes, whereas with Kate I hang on every word.
Florence is particularly harsh though.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 12 April 2015 13:17 (nine years ago) link
I kind of agree with Matt (I wouldn't say mopey, but a little detached?) but it honestly doesn't bother me at all. I love Lana, too. I think both Lana and Susanne do heroic scale music and while they both keep up vocally it's maybe difficult to get intense and intimate as well, idk. We can't all be Kate Bush.
― Leonard Pine, Sunday, 12 April 2015 14:01 (nine years ago) link
I like Lana and can kind of hear similarities on some of the slower songs but I think the range, control and ability to sell a line put her much closer to Agnetha Faltskog territory, which is as about as high as praise gets imo. I hear something new in her delivery almost every time I listen to the album.
It's a phenomenal record and probably one of my two or three favourites this decade.
― Ethnically Ambiguous / 28 - 45 (ShariVari), Sunday, 12 April 2015 16:31 (nine years ago) link
As a fan of Lykke Li, this is miles better both in terms of ~songcraft~ and delivery. On something like "Slowly" Lykke Li would sound strained and contrived and reaching for emotion, whereas Sundfør sounds much rawer, more honest and open. I think this album really works because there's a sense of committed earnestness to the performance of the songs, and while I can see how that element of theatricality could be off-putting, the mix of grandiosity and vulnerability is what holds this album together and makes it so great.
― boxedjoy, Monday, 13 April 2015 00:02 (nine years ago) link
currently so obsessed with "kamikaze"
A-HA-A
― uberweiss, Monday, 13 April 2015 02:27 (nine years ago) link
good song but i hate it when she prounounce the word as "kamika-tsee"
― nostormo, Monday, 13 April 2015 05:52 (nine years ago) link
I wrote the five-star Guardian review. Had never heard her before, and wasn't expecting much. But it just blew me away. It seemed so fantastically ambitious in its formalism: there's a real streak of classisism in it, but equally it doesn't just dwell on cliches. Brilliant record.
― Unsettled defender (ithappens), Monday, 13 April 2015 16:24 (nine years ago) link
Still caning this...quite surprised at its longevity, the only song I'm getting fed up of is "Accelerate".
― courtney barnett formula (seandalai), Friday, 24 April 2015 00:02 (nine years ago) link
the classical/pop tug of war reminds me of seili by jenni vartiainen
― nxd, Friday, 24 April 2015 09:50 (nine years ago) link
this left me cold a month or so ago - it's
― lex pretend, Friday, 24 April 2015 11:07 (nine years ago) link
this left me cold a month or so ago - it's quite an edifice - but really clicked today.
It's heartstoppingly goodCan't wait to see her next month
― got a long list of ilxors (fgti), Friday, 24 April 2015 11:55 (nine years ago) link
Had a chance to listen to it start to finish on a road trip today. Felt almost symphonic, the way the moods and rhythms ebbed and flowed.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Friday, 24 April 2015 19:31 (nine years ago) link
Kind of drops off for me after "Memorial," at least right now
― fuck me, archipelago (Simon H.), Friday, 24 April 2015 20:59 (nine years ago) link
this record rules
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Friday, 24 April 2015 21:03 (nine years ago) link
it is dissolving my hangover rn
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Friday, 24 April 2015 21:07 (nine years ago) link
Well yeah Memorial is the best song
I kind of think she's achieved peak ESL-charm on this, it opens my ears without alienating it, I wanna start using all her weird expressions
― got a long list of ilxors (fgti), Saturday, 25 April 2015 00:11 (nine years ago) link
otm
― courtney barnett formula (seandalai), Saturday, 25 April 2015 00:59 (nine years ago) link
wanna write a book about "slowly"
― insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Saturday, 25 April 2015 21:41 (nine years ago) link
Wow, Fade Away. This is an amazing song.
― jmm, Saturday, 25 April 2015 22:04 (nine years ago) link
http://www.roughtradenyc.com/event/816951-susanne-sundf-r-brooklyn
― Premise ridiculous. Who have two potato? (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 25 April 2015 22:18 (nine years ago) link
i was baffled at this but okay having gone to look at it i didn't realise she was singing e.g. "done with intent without repent"
i listened through her back-catalogue today while doing the housework and i was surprised to find that as well as two records of broadly similar intent with i guess more invested in synthiness and less in poppiness, there was a double-album digital-synth ambient record and a piano-and-vocals record sounding like regina spektor with an answer song to 'hallelujah'
weird
― ♛ LIL UNIT ♛ (thomp), Friday, 8 May 2015 17:15 (nine years ago) link
The latter (her debut s/t) has several really, really catchy songs. The production is so basic I think I prefer the 'Take One' stripped version of the album.
― abcfsk, Saturday, 9 May 2015 09:32 (nine years ago) link
This album just keeps on giving, I don't think I've gone two days without blasting it since I got hold of it.
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 9 May 2015 19:57 (nine years ago) link
iirc spotify only had the 'take one' version
i have been going back to 'the silicone veil'. i am tending towards being a fan, though, in general, of everything
― ♛ LIL UNIT ♛ (thomp), Sunday, 10 May 2015 11:56 (nine years ago) link
wondering how i could ever have not been utterly besotted with this album
the mad organ solo on "accelerate" >>>>>>>
and i love how "fade away " seems to nod to t-swift's "style" - obv unintentional but exactly the same feeling
― lex pretend, Monday, 18 May 2015 10:14 (nine years ago) link
Yeah the image of them together pops up everytime I listen to that song.
― abcfsk, Monday, 18 May 2015 16:28 (nine years ago) link
tremendous live show, except the part where the record wasn't available for sale. even rough trade (who was hosting) didn't have it in stock, which strikes me as an oversight
― katherine, Saturday, 23 May 2015 04:16 (nine years ago) link
― lex pretend, Monday, 18 May 2015 10:14 (5 days ago)
Glad somebody else said this; I was half-convinced any resemblance I heard was merely due to her using the word "style" in the lyrics.
"Accelerate" into "Fade Away" is wonderful; together they seem to encapsulate so much Scando-pop history. Don't quite get the "goth ABBA" tag insomuch as my brain autocompletes that as Propaganda.
― etc, Saturday, 23 May 2015 05:02 (nine years ago) link
Felt it was a half weak live show saved by the strength of the material, which was soooo strong. She may be my favourite melody writer
― got a long list of ilxors (fgti), Saturday, 23 May 2015 08:16 (nine years ago) link
I think this is my favourite album of the decade so far.
― Kitchen Person, Tuesday, 2 June 2015 23:08 (nine years ago) link
This album is still incredible. Got it on vinyl this week and it is quite something. Comes with a massive poster and the the fourth side of the record is etched.
― Kitchen Person, Saturday, 20 June 2015 23:20 (eight years ago) link
wheeeeeeee tickets bought for koko in october excited
― nxd, Wednesday, 22 July 2015 11:30 (eight years ago) link
Just got around to checking this out: this absolutely, completely and totally rules!
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Friday, 7 August 2015 00:24 (eight years ago) link
"Kamikaze" -> "Memorial" -> "Delirious" -> "Slowly" is a perfect sequence.― courtney barnett formula (seandalai), Wednesday, April 8, 2015 11:11 PM (3 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― courtney barnett formula (seandalai), Wednesday, April 8, 2015 11:11 PM (3 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
OTFM!
'Memorial' surely must be one of the tracks of the year?
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Friday, 7 August 2015 01:00 (eight years ago) link
You can watch her show from the Øya festival here http://www.aftenposten.no/webtv/#!/video/101657/oeya-2015-susanne-sundfoers-storslagne-avslutning
― abcfsk, Tuesday, 25 August 2015 13:16 (eight years ago) link
That's cool, thanks!
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 25 August 2015 15:15 (eight years ago) link
Holy crap this record
― Evan R, Monday, 28 September 2015 19:25 (eight years ago) link
ikr?!
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 28 September 2015 19:26 (eight years ago) link
I wonder what the song was for the first dance
― octobeard, Sunday, 20 November 2022 08:53 (one year ago) link
Digging through various Fleetwood Mac-youtubes looking for Christine nuggets, I found this magnificent Stevie-cover from Norwegian TV (yes, the host at the start is Happy Tom from Turbo). Notably, Susanne is convering the 1981 rehearsal version, which is among the most beautiful things known to man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f65ffDfGGac
― Mule, Thursday, 1 December 2022 23:29 (one year ago) link
Hadn't heard about the soundtrack she did for the movie Self Portrait, looking forward to listening.
― what have I done to deserve you (lukas), Thursday, 9 February 2023 20:44 (one year ago) link
New music coming?
23rd February 2023 pic.twitter.com/jhi8RqgHwE— Susanne Sundfør (@susannesundfor) February 14, 2023
― groovypanda, Tuesday, 14 February 2023 15:59 (one year ago) link
!
― ⓓⓡ (Johnny Fever), Tuesday, 14 February 2023 16:08 (one year ago) link
Please let it be new music
― abcfsk, Tuesday, 14 February 2023 16:51 (one year ago) link
new line of chandeliers
― la vie wokisme (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 14 February 2023 17:04 (one year ago) link
https://www.stereogum.com/2214704/susanne-sundfor-alyosha-leikara-ljod-blomi/music/
― blue6ave, Thursday, 23 February 2023 04:57 (one year ago) link
i like these a lot more than anything on the last album
― ufo, Thursday, 23 February 2023 05:19 (one year ago) link
pretty fantastic stuff
― ufo, Thursday, 23 February 2023 05:33 (one year ago) link
I can't listen now but excited
― what have I done to deserve you (lukas), Thursday, 23 February 2023 06:10 (one year ago) link
the second of these has an extremely unfortunate first two minutes. i was on the cusp of a denunciatory post and then she started doing vocal harmony things. still don't think we particularly needed to hear sundfor's idea of gospel music, and as i type she's abandoned the harmony stuff and gone back to the cringe. wasn't into the first single too much either but it was about the level of the previous album. the more she releases the clearer it is that TLS was a once-a-career work
― imago, Thursday, 23 February 2023 11:45 (one year ago) link
Well she's allergic to doing the same album twice so in that way I agree TLS is probably a once-a-career work. It's natural if it remains her best work too, considering how good it is. She also said she was burnt out after producing all those bangers mostly by herself.
HOWEVER, she's definitely put out synth pop songs as good as some of those on TLS before that album. And other incredible songs before and after.
The snippet that ends the 2nd tracks is the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle played pretty traditionally, I think it'd be fun if she explored that more on the new album. Both these songs slap.
― abcfsk, Thursday, 23 February 2023 13:14 (one year ago) link
She also said she was burnt out after producing all those bangers mostly by herself.
Which is why a Susanne Sundfør LP co-produced by Röyksopp makes so much sense!
― what have I done to deserve you (lukas), Thursday, 23 February 2023 22:08 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYLoNtbWWpk
kind of an incredible move releasing your wedding video as an actual music video. congrats Susanne!
(April 28 gonna be a big album release day for me between this, Avalon Emerson and Jessie Ware)
― Roz, Wednesday, 19 April 2023 05:47 (one year ago) link
love that
― bulb after bulb, Wednesday, 19 April 2023 14:14 (one year ago) link
<3
― abcfsk, Wednesday, 19 April 2023 15:38 (one year ago) link
pretty good album, i like it a lot more than music for people in trouble but it's obviously no ten love songs.
three of the ten tracks being spoken word is a little much for my taste but the second of those at least has a cool instrumental
― ufo, Friday, 28 April 2023 03:40 (one year ago) link
I was a bit nervous about the spoken word songs ruining the flow similar to the latest Lana Del Rey, but they totally work here. Need to spend time with this album as there's so much to take in but there's some really gorgeous moments here. I love how loose it all feels.
― kitchen person, Friday, 28 April 2023 19:16 (one year ago) link
I gave it one listen yesterday. It was pouring rain here - perfect weather to light a candle and put on a singer-songwriter album. Don't have any specific comments off that one listen, but I really enjoyed it.
― peace, man, Sunday, 30 April 2023 00:47 (one year ago) link
xp well it helps that two of the spoken word tracks are just the intro and outro and the other has a compelling enough backing
― ufo, Sunday, 30 April 2023 05:32 (one year ago) link
There are some great songs here, like the entire "ashera's song" -> "rūnā" sequence (Susanne doing Scott 4/psych-folk-ABBA is a good look)...though I'm not sure the whole album adds up, the back half is (so far) a bit dispensable apart from "alyosha".
― TWELVE Michelob stars?!? (seandalai), Monday, 1 May 2023 15:19 (one year ago) link
The flute part in sannu yarru li reminds me of a relatively famous jazz or funk song. it's on the tip of my tongue and I feel like an idiot for not recognizing it.
― peace, man, Tuesday, 9 May 2023 12:35 (one year ago) link
I gave it one listen yesterday. It was pouring rain here - perfect weather to light a candle and put on a singer-songwriter album. Don't have any specific comments off that one listen, but I really enjoyed it.― peace, man, Saturday, April 29, 2023 8:47 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink
― peace, man, Saturday, April 29, 2023 8:47 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink
Just here to repeat this, basically. This is a great, chill album. Just flipped the disc from Fare Thee Well to Leikara Ljóð. Great sequencing there.
Still wondering about the flute part I mentioned in my last post. We have some kind of rolling thread for recognizing melodies on ilx, but I can't remember what it is off the top of my head.
― peace, man, Wednesday, 21 June 2023 15:30 (eleven months ago) link
Found it! I was thinking of Fishbone: Can anyone identify which song used this melody?
― peace, man, Thursday, 22 June 2023 00:47 (eleven months ago) link
nice bigger-band live version of blómi: https://susannesundfor.bandcamp.com/track/bl-mi-feat-rohey-taalah-live-from-trondheim
― TWELVE Michelob stars?!? (seandalai), Sunday, 17 December 2023 02:29 (six months ago) link
beautiful
― peace, man, Monday, 18 December 2023 14:20 (six months ago) link