I've been waiting a long time for this... new music from Jason Lytle, ex of Grandaddy. Since dissolving the best beardo band ever, Lytle has fled native California for nowheresville Montana, talent up the ying yang (and drummer) in tow.
Jason Lytle's first solo effort is out in three weeks (apparently).Lead off (and title) track, "Yours Truly, The Commuter" is a song about "getting out into the great and gnarly unknown, getting up to who knows what kind of trouble and eventually, gratefully, limping back home".
Lately I have been stuck in the upper BPM levels of electro-dance music through recently released and highly satisfying albums from both Pet Shop Boys and Röyksopp. I have come up for air occasionally via 60’s and 70’s AM radio classics (as part of my “research” for a future Top 25 Albums That Changed My Life post) but otherwise it has been a non-stop dance party around here. Thankfully, I found Hello Saferide and have been afforded a rest.
Swedish band Hello Saferide released their second album, “More Modern Stories From Hello Saferide”, this past September. Led by the heartfelt and just-quivering-enough-to-be-described-as-mildly-unique vocals of Annika Norlin, Hello Saferide is now, slowly perhaps, starting to gain some much deserved momentum outside of Scandinavia. Or maybe they’re already huge and I’ve just been oblivious. Out a week ago, Arjeplog is the new single off of “More Modern Stories…” and is a song about country vs. city, love, and spooning without one arm getting numb (so says Annika). The video was filmed at Vittjåkk for $0 and took five minutes (Vittjåkk would appear to be a rather wonderful looking - on a sunny day at least - ski resort). Never mind the DIY aspects and the shaky camera, sometimes simple is the most beautiful…
Also check out Hello Saferide’s fantastic Detektivbyrån-backed performance of “Anna” at Sweden’s 2009 P3 Guld Awards show. Annika Norlin’s performance, through her sincere vulnerability and tenderness, yields an awkwardly effective stage persona. Meanwhile, a theremin is employed and Jon Nils of Detektivbyrån (now ex of Detektivbyrån - yikes!) plays the scissors!
