Invigorating as a blast of Scandinavian air,
Loney, Dear (otherwise known as
Emil Svanängen) makes his Sub Pop debut with
Loney, Noir. This is power pop mellowed by chamber pop sensibilities, but
Svanängen shouldn't be confused with other indie multi-instrumentalists. In opposition to the typical "more is more" attitude of American indie acts like
Sufjan Stevens (the artist to whom
Svanängen will probably be likened, for better or worse), the throaty flutes and clarinets, optimistic handclaps, and tambourines embroider these songs rather than dominate them. As with other like-minded Swedes (Timo Raisanen,
Jens Lekman, and
Hello Saferide, just to name a few),
Svanängen is a hook-builder, and his sophomore effort is built on breezy, straightforward pop rather than
Stevens-esque orchestral noodling.
Svanängen, like Raisanen, is blessed with an unbelievably high falsetto, especially apparent on "Saturday Waits." He also possesses a peculiar, rasping voice (when he isn't singing falsetto) and an apparent love of
Brian Wilson, as demonstrated by the tight, soaring harmonies. The best moments on
Loney, Noir are glowing, rushing, and immediately infectious. The album's first single, "I Am John," encapsulates this with its ebullient drums and breathless, surging vocals. It's the kind of song that becomes the soundtrack for an entire summer.
Loney, Noir is an adolescent album, not because
Svanängen hasn't yet reached his full potential as a songwriter, but because these songs are deeply interested in adolescent experience ("I'm a teenager, I'm anxious"). More than anything,
Loney, Noir is almost ridiculously sweet, and this is by no means a bad thing. ~ Margaret Reges