Jens on repeat

'A Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill' - Jens Lekman

Nothing makes you more happy than a song sung by Jens. Another artist that graces the playlist at work - I'm still trying to explain to interested customers how to pronounce his name and the place he hails from 'Gotheburg' (although he moved to Melbourne in 2008). If you haven't already listened to Mr Lekman, you clearly haven't done your Swede-based homework. There are few songs that capture the essence of summer (and a Swedish version of summer at that). But Jens manages to do so with his campfire style sing-alongs along with toe-tapping trumpet, sax and the group singing 'Bompa -bompa bomp' ('can you hear the beat of my heart'). This song is all about reminiscing and will literally make it impossible for you not to want to dance. As many people say, with Jens, his songs make everything fun. Seeing him live back in 2008 in lil' ol' Adelaide was probably one of the most joyous evenings I'll ever have, and gazing at the lovely swedish cheek bones on smiling faces just made it infinitely more enjoyable.

I once had a conversation with my Mum about contemporary music and the bands I listen to. For someone from her era I would say she has good taste (I was brought up on Lou Reed, Ian Dury, The Band, Nirvana, Jeff and Tim Buckley, Joplin, Bowie, Young and the Stones). She was saying how very depressing and boring music had become, how our generation was never going to have the great musicians they had. I guess I could agree somewhat, but I like to think there are still a lot of happy bands out there. If only people would stop making break-up albums, then maybe the music world would be a much happier place. But no, there will always be 'fragile' artists that cry at the drop of a hat and find beauty in plastic bags floating in the street (ha...ha), and there will always be heartbreakers, and homewreckers.

I played her Jens Lekman's 'Night falls over Kortedala' album and suddenly she said "Oh, well who's this then? Is he old?"

So please Jens, more happy, silly sounds.

He plays Union Chapel in London on Tuesday 3rd of August.




Also...here is a lovely cover of 'You can call me Al'