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Music Picks
Music

Through a Jens Darkly

Meet the Ingmar Bergman of barbed summertime pop.

Kate Reid 4 Jun 2009TheTyee.ca

Kate Reid is a freelance writer and illustrator who lives in Vancouver. She's the co-founder of Narwhal magazine and interns at Geist.
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"Oh bugger, I'm having another episode of old-fashioned existential malaise…"

Yes kids, summertime is finally here and 'tis the season to be idle, so in celebration of all things shiftless, I recommend blasting some Jens Lekman while you loll about the pool on your inflatable alligator. Let Lekman's bouncy orchestral pop and winsome lyrics score your hazy afternoon grilling sessions and lessen the guilt as you slap the extra mayo on your bun.

Lekman sounds a lot like other famous bon vivants -- his voice on the 2004 debut When I Said I Wanted to be Your Dog recalls Stephin Merritt's lavish baritone, and he borrows a certain wit and playfulness from Jonathan Richman on the 2007 fan favourite, Night Falls Over Kortedale -- but with his unique smattering of sunny hooks and tricky logic, Lekman’s managed to find his own alcove in the sybarite garden.

For example, a line from "Black Cab”, a song from the Maple Leaves 7" that recalls the youthful wanderlust of Simon & Garfunkel's "America", tells us: "You don't know anything / so don't ask me any questions". With Lekman's jocular lyrics, you're never sure if he's stalking or courting you, but therein lies his charm.

Lekman's songs may advocate high living, but he refrains from full-blown hedonism with some good old-fashioned existential malaise that brings to mind the darkly humorous films of fellow Swede, Ingmar Bergman. Lekman may not delve as deeply into the human condition as the iconic filmmaker, and I doubt he'd get slapped with the unfair "pretentious" label (Lekman usually gets "precious" instead), but the two artists share a taste for the absurd, and it's easy to imagine a Bergman protagonist relaxing to one of Lekman's lilting, incidental ditties on the radio -- before his insouciant wife switches it off, of course.

Like all pleasure-seekers, Lekman chooses to colour his memories as he sees fit. "Do You Remember the Riots" uses the 2001 Gothenburg Riots as a backdrop but focuses less on the protest and more on the girl whose hand Lekman was holding. When he shouts, "Burn down the avenue!" you have to wonder what's burning more -- the streets, or Lekman's loins.

Okay, so political activist he's not, but if you're compiling a mixtape for your new summer flame, there's no better choice than "Kanske Är Jag Kär I Dig". Ever the advocate for love, Lekman sings, "I think I'm gonna drop my cool now / the best way to touch your heart is to make an ass of myself". And in case you're wondering, the Swedish title translates to "Maybe I'm In Love With You". Give the guy a listen; the feeling just might be mutual.

Jens Lekman plays on Sunday (June 7) at Richard's on Richards.

[Tyee]

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