Album: Jonestown /  Artist: Sofia Talvik /  12 tracks /  Chamber Pop--Acoustic Pop
 

If you live in North America, get used to hearing the name Sofia Talvik, because those music fans who reside in the United States and Canada are about to discover what the Swedes have known for several years, and that is that the singer/songwriter/musician has good pop sensibilities and supports her lyrics with subtle strings arrangements and a stripped down chamber styling. Riding the success of her two earlier CD releases, Blue Moon and the 2007 album Street Of Dreams, on which she sang a duet (“It’s Just Love”) with British rocker Bernard Butler, Talvik released her newest collection of songs, Jonestown, in August.

 

Two singles from Jonestown have already been released in Sweden, the first track, “As Summers Pass,” and “My James Dean,” the later tune was inspired by the American film icon, whose life came to a tragic and premature end. During our recent and soon to be published interview with Talvik she confessed that she wanted to write a song about those times when a woman wants to fall for the guy who has a bit of the ‘bad boy,’ in him. The song which received good support from Sweden’s four pop radio stations showcases Talvik’s beautiful, ethereal vocals. Joakim Lundgren and Tobias Fröberg are responsible for the background string arrangements, and Talvik accompanies herself on acoustic guitar. Lundgren also serves up a delicious, but brief piano solo three quarters of the way through the song.  

 

Americans got their first glimpse of Talvik at Chicago’s Grant Park, when at the beginning of August she performed at the Lollapalooza Festival. She turned more than a few heads with her performance, and in March of 2009, she will be appearing in Austin, Texas at SXSW, as well as in Toronto, Canada at Canadian Music Week.

 

“Lower Case Letters,” is a stunningly beautiful song, in which the singer tells her lover that she is speaking in gentle, quiet tones, in an attempt to reconcile their differences. “I’m speaking in lower case letters / no shouting no cursing.”  Unlike so many edgy rock songs that settle for bashing one’s lover or former lover, Talvik’s lyrics, invite her man to talk this through, “I’m waiting for you.”

 

Although she is Swedish, Sofia Talvik’s understanding of the English language and her ability to craft sensitive, emotive verses in English, should make it easier for her to realize a big breakthrough in the North American music market in 2009. She already has all the other tools, pretty, flawless vocals, and a knack for impeccable phrasing. She boasts a strong supporting cast of musicians in, cellist Christian Horgren, Joakim Lundgren (piano, drums, percussion), guitarist Marcus Högquist, trombonist Kristoffer Jonsson, and Tobias Froberg who arranged the strings with Lundgren, as well as played backing guitar, bass, drums, percussion and keys on, “As Summers Pass.” Henrik Ekberg appears playing bass on, “Summer Ended Yesterday.” 

 

With “Summer Ended Yesterday,” Talvik once again demonstrates her ability to explore deeper issues, while enveloping her words in organic instrumentation. Talvik effectively fuses chamber pop with acoustic folk pop, in “Prove Me Wrong,” as Horgren’s bow coaxes an incredibly sweet, mellow accompaniment from his cello.

 

Fröberg and Talvik recorded Jonestown, while Hans Olsson mixed and edited the music at StudioTvå, in Gothenburg, Sweden.

 

You can order Jonestown through Sofia Talvik’s website or through CD Baby

 

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Reviewed November 2008