Are We Running Out Of Love? –
Furry White –
After my long break from LP Mondays, a lot has changed in my vinyl collection. However, there has been one significant factor in shaping my ever growing stash of records that I have to touch on. And that’s where this week’s LP comes from.
Skogens Frukter (2017), Daniel Norgren. An album printed and distributed by the online vinyl subscription service called Vinyl Me, Please. More about that at the end of this blog.
Daniel Norgren is a musician based out of Sweden and normally accompanied with a small band of one or two others. He has been releasing material since 2007, but none of it has ever made it stateside in an official physical release. Sure, you can go watch some excellent live versions of his tunes played in Brussels or have a copy of one his albums shipped from Sweden, but this compilation album was largely his break into the U.S. market back in May.
In the past few months since I discovered Norgren, he has easily topped my list of new artists for me to watch. Even though I’ve listened to a large sum of his work (multiple times now), I’m still left mostly speechless when anyone asks me to describe his music or compare him to another artist. At his core, “folk” is how I would generally describe his style. However, he constantly undermines your expectations by easing in several different sounds into his tunes. Whether it’s a touch of blues when he breaks out his harmonica, or a ballad with him at the helm on the piano, or the playfulness of his accordion (often ironically placed against bittersweet lyrics), or the other-worldliness of the organ numbers, or the lengthy jam sessions on his electric guitar. Norgren’s music somehow feels simultaneously old and deeply rooted in the past, and yet fresh and completely new.
The album title, Skogens Frukter is Swedish, meaning “Forest Fruits”. The album is something of a mixtape of Norgren’s greatest hits plus a few new, yet unreleased tracks. Printed on “Northern Lights Marble” and limited to 1000 copies (mine is numbered 260), it proved an excellent way for me to jump-start my initial interest in Norgren.
The song “Are We Running Out Of Love?” is both simple and profound in its statement. Its verses muse over different facts, such as “you give love when you get love”, and that at that moment – that moment of “love” – is when we are truly happy. The chorus then follows these statements with a question. How long will it take for everyone to experience love? And if more people aren’t experiencing love, then “Are We Running Out Of Love?”
The album’s closing song, “Furry White”, is one of the new songs released for the first time on record. It’s a little different than some of his other work. The track is nearly silent, save for a constant low hum of a synth and the occasional improvisations of a higher synth part (which almost mimics the sound of distant bagpipes). The track is calming and one can almost envision the northern lights dancing along the night sky as you listen to the tune.
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Alright, that’s about all I have to say on the record itself (and sheesh! was it a lot!), so let’s talk briefly about Vinyl Me, Please. I subscribed back in June, and boy, have I enjoyed it! I’ve discovered an impressive array of music through them, and they never cease to amaze me with their selections. Apart from the monthly vinyl LP sent your way, they have an impressive online store (which is available to even non-members, with a few select titles, discounts, and free shipping for members). If you’re into vinyl collecting, or just a music lover with a turntable, I’d HIGHLY suggest checking out Vinyl Me, Please!
One of the reasons, I chose Skogens Frukter is definitely to highlight the subscription service I’ve recently enjoyed, but also because Norgren’s very first U.S. tour begins this Friday. This is something I wouldn’t miss for anything, so I’m heading down to Denver to see what he’s like live. Go check out the tour dates to see if he’s coming to a city near you! (Most of the tickets I saw were really cheap)
->Daniel Norgren U.S. Tour<-
