Kentuckyseven

I’m Kingfisher – Avian
Released 2014-09-17 (Kite/Playground)

Kentuckyseven has many favorites. It kind of comes with the trade somehow. You fall in love with the albums and tracks that you write about and consume.

There is somehow some artists that clings to your heart a bit tighter. One of them is I’m Kingfisher. Mr Thomas Jonsson from Sweden. His new album, his fifth,  Avian, was released last week.  The last album Arctic is still one of the best albums released on a swedish label in my book.

Avian is something very special. The songs and sounds of this album just blew me off my feet, from first listen.

Thomas Jonsson’s voice is so in tune with the emotions in every note, it is uncanny almost. I can not remember ever having felt so privileged before, when listening to music. The feeling of darkness and light combined in lyrics and harmonies is so delicately balanced, it is sometimes hard to tell which is which.

This is really something huge. A singer songwriter of this caliber is very rare in this country of many great artists.

I’m Kingfisher has created something that every artist probably just dreams about, a follow up album that lives up and exceeds all expectations. A masterpiece. I am totally in awe. On my knees. This is a true Kentuckyseven-Seven! Thank you for making music mr Jonsson.

7/7 – End of discussion.

One of Sweden’s most talented singer/songwriters I’m Kingfisher – Thomas Jonsson, released the video for ”Svalbard” from the great album ”Arctic” (Playground Music) today.

The album made it to the best of 2010, and keeps rotating on our lists. Arctic is an masterpiece. The video is no exception.

Listen to the album, find the magic.

I’m Kingfisher – Arctic

One of 2010 best albums,  came from this man. Thomas Jonsson, AKA I’m Kingfisher. The album, ”Arctic” was released by Playground Music, the harbour of great swedish music. I’m Kingfisher is one of the greatest in that crowd.

The man has toured with artists like Ed Harcourt, and has recorded stuff with artists such as Rosie Thomas (one of my all time favorites) Damien Jurado, Ned Oldham and other great acts.

He is currently on tour with Damien Jurado, and will be playing @ Pustervik (Woody West, again with the majestic bookings) and later in Malmö and Stockholm.

Thomas is a man with a plan, Arctic is just a part of a trilogy plan, and one can only imagine the great stuff that is coming our way. We’ll be waiting. Impatiently, but still.

Got a word with the awesome swedish singer-songwriter that is I’m Kingfisher…

What are you listening to right now?

– A lot of instrumental drone stuff. I just fell in love with Earth’s newest album ’Angels of darkness, demons of light I’. This year I think Earth, Mogwai, Tennis, Thomas Hine and James Blake have done really good stuff.

I’ve also recently listened a lot again to last year’s best album ”St Bartlett” of Damien Jurado, since I just got it on vinyl after our show in Copenhagen a couple of days ago. And oh, it has also been a lot of Efterklang’s newest.

Best book read during 2010?

– Der Ganze Weg by Kristin Berget, Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, Fantasiön by Henrik Brandao Jönsson and Poetry of Birds (anthology)

Your hopes for this year?

That I will tour as much as I want while finishing the recordings of my next album, as well as an album with a new Swede-Swede-French collaboration project I’m a part of. That mink farming will be banned once and forever. That sound engineers on my shows from now on and forever will set my guitar sound as loud as I want without questioning me.

Three artists who inspire you?

Recently: Victoria Legrand, singer of Beach House.
For the Arctic album: Six Organs of Admittance. Forever: M Ward.

Who deserves a breakthru in 2011?

– Dear Euphoria, my favorite Swedish band, whose 2010 EP ”This Night will Flee” contains ”Rescue”, one of last year’s two best pop singles (together with Sleigh Bells’ ”Rill Rill”). It’s on Spotify!

I for one, is going to see I’m Kingfisher on sunday, and I know for a fact that you can still pick up some tix.

Listen to the magic that is ”I’m Kingfisher”…

I’m Kingfisher – Artic by Playground Music

Photo: Olle Kirchmeier

The Concretes, one of Sweden’s unhidden treasures in indiepop-music, are on the road, ripping the US apart from coast to coast.

The band has released four full-length albums, since 2003, and has been alive since 1995. After the album ”Hey Trouble” in 2007, the band was on hold for a while, but regrouped stronger than ever and released the album WYWH in the autumn of 2010.

We caught up with Lisa Milberg, multi-talented singer of the awesome band, on the road, to see what gets her going on the tour-bus…

What are you listening to – right now?

– At this very moment: Running On Empty by Jackson Browne. Because apparently it’s a required listen when on the way to LA in a tour bus…

– Other than that I am all about R Kelly now.

Best book read during 2010?

– Just Kids by Patti Smith. Such a beautiful read.

Your hopes for this year?

– Peace, love, understanding. and a driver’s license.

Three artists who inspire you?

– Right now Alex Colville’s images really speak to me. They all have at least one song in them.

– Dirty Beaches Lord Know Best remains stuck in my mind.

– And Joni Mitchell warms my heart. Now and forever. Generally I find I am back to a lot the classics again. People who I have always loved, I love now more than ever.

Who deserves a breakthru in 2011?

– How To Dress Well.

Check out The Concretes @ The Concretes.com or on Spotify