Jens Lekman

For a couple of years now, I'd been engaged in some kind of obscurely-motivated obstinate refusal to listen to Jens Lekman. But yesterday faced with the imminent expiration of some Emusic downloads, I got Oh, You're So Silent Lens and, um, just like everyone says it's awesome. And, indeed, When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog is awesome, too. And I'm pretty sure that if he has other albums, they'll be awesome as well.

The moral of the story, in short, is that I've got to spend more time paying attention to the conventional wisdom. Similarly, when you find everyone touting the Nordic model (here too, but you need a subscription) of economics as well as indie pop, then maybe it's time to just embrace it.

Comments

and, um, just like everyone says it's awesome

everyone is wrong.

Posted by cleek | November 12, 2007 4:29 PM

Same thing for me with The Hold Steady. Everyone was raving about them and the more they raved the more I refused to listen. Eventually, I did buy "Boys and Girls in America". And, I love it. I wonder if this is really Matt's tentative baby steps toward a Hillary endorsement. She's awesome, just like everyone says.

Posted by citizen (world) | November 12, 2007 4:36 PM

please check out separation sunday, a far superior hold steady record.

Posted by yo,citizen | November 12, 2007 4:43 PM

You spelled "Jens" wrong.

Posted by Cryptic Ned | November 12, 2007 4:48 PM

The moral of the story, in short, is that I've got to spend more time paying attention to the conventional wisdom.

Dude, how's that popular-in-the-conventional-wisdom war you were so into a few years ago working out? Or is, viewed in this context, the foregoing quote a sly acknowledgement that your taste in music is, like the Iraq war, something you're going to be a embarrassed about in a couple years? (If so--brilliant post.)

Posted by James Gary | November 12, 2007 4:57 PM

"I got Oh, You're So Silent Lens and, um, just like everyone says it's awesome."

Yup. Jens is good.

"The moral of the story, in short, is that I've got to spend more time paying attention to the conventional wisdom"

Good to see you're finally endorsing John Edwards. You're late to the party, but there's still plenty of room.

Posted by Petey | November 12, 2007 5:17 PM

I don't particilarly care for Your Dog or So Silent (except for a couple of songs), but his new album Night Falls Over Kortedala is excellent.

Posted by matthew | November 12, 2007 5:17 PM

you know, I saw a Jens video that sounded exactly like old The Divine Comedy but unfortunately the rest of his stuff does not.

Color me unimpressed.

I heard a Hold Steady song somewhere and I thought it was someone doing a parody of 1980s Springsteen. I guess it's not. Are they meant to be taken seriously?

But, what do I know? I hate the Arcade Fire too -- at least Nicky Wire agrees so I'm not alone in my hatred.

Posted by glenn | November 12, 2007 5:23 PM

Not to be confused with Jens Lehman, the German goalkeeper. In fact, I thought Matt was misspelling and Jens Lehman has a singing career on the side.

Posted by Neil | November 12, 2007 5:33 PM

I heard a Hold Steady song somewhere and I thought it was someone doing a parody of 1980s Springsteen. I guess it's not.

In point of fact, it's a guy reciting a high school sophomore's approximation of Beat poetry over a parody of 1970s Springsteen. So you weren't entirely off base.

Posted by Uncle Kvetch | November 12, 2007 5:39 PM

I've been resisting the Jens Lekman thing too. No offense, Matt, but your recommendation doesn't exactly change that.

Posted by Tom Hilton | November 12, 2007 6:10 PM

I feel the same way about The Fiery Furnaces - but I'm pretty sure they are actually awful and annoying.

Posted by RebeccaS | November 12, 2007 6:42 PM

Rebecca-
The new Fiery Furnaces Cd is more accessible and (wow!) actually makes a little sense. The new, um... single? was on the radio the other day ... good stuff.

Posted by more | November 12, 2007 6:48 PM

Jens is excellent. Your notion of "conventional wisdom" is quite precious.

Posted by lowellfield | November 12, 2007 6:51 PM

I'd heard "Black Cab" a long time ago, but it was just this month that I heard the rest of it, and there's lots of fun stuff on there.

Posted by Neil the Ethical Werewolf | November 12, 2007 8:01 PM

you know, I saw a Jens video that sounded exactly like old The Divine Comedy but unfortunately the rest of his stuff does not.

Color me unimpressed.

I heard a Hold Steady song somewhere and I thought it was someone doing a parody of 1980s Springsteen. I guess it's not. Are they meant to be taken seriously?

But, what do I know? I hate the Arcade Fire too -- at least Nicky Wire agrees so I'm not alone in my hatred.

This is the most patronizing thing I've ever read. Congratulations.

Posted by Cryptic Ned | November 12, 2007 8:09 PM

Jens reminds me too much of the Magnetic Fields. That's not to say he's not enjoyable, but I think his sound has been done better elsewhere.

Posted by zoidberg | November 12, 2007 8:59 PM

Jens is full of himself. These days I'm more into Manuel Alumina.

Posted by Arsene Wenger | November 12, 2007 9:34 PM

Music has become so diffuse these days it's almost pointless to talk about it: everyone raves about obscure acts.

As for the Nordic economics, why don't we start by borrowing their lower corporate income tax rates while we consider which other policies of theirs will work in a country that lacks their small, homogenous, high-IQ populations.

Posted by Fred | November 13, 2007 12:37 AM

Get his new album, Night Falls, it's even better. Or just buy A Postcard to Nina, it's the best song on the album.

Posted by Justin | November 13, 2007 9:17 AM

Jens is great live, too. Maybe not the best show musically I've ever seen, but I've never felt so much joy at a musical performance.

@Arsene: Jens is hardly full of himself. The guy quit playing music for a year because he was afraid that nobody liked what he was doing. If you email him, he responds. He was the sweetest, most guileless performer I've ever seen.

Posted by not mark | November 13, 2007 11:53 AM

Holy crap, a football joke. Sorry about that, Arsene.

Posted by not mark | November 13, 2007 11:58 AM

Jens Lekman is great, I just saw him in Philly. Why hold out? Why not give people a chance? Why be a hater a priori?

Here's my review of Lekman from last year:
http://www.printculture.com/item-627.html

And if you want to get in on the ground floor, here's a tip: Beirut's new album "The Flying Club Cup" is fantastic, if you like Rufus Wainwright, Sufjan Stevens, or Arcade Fire.

Posted by Said Shirazi | November 13, 2007 1:14 PM

"I've got to spend more time paying attention to the conventional wisdom."

Or just paying more attention to pitchfork. Geez...

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19579-when-i-said-i-wanted-to-be-your-dog

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19580-oh-youre-so-silent-jens

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/45319-night-falls-over-kortedala

Posted by archer | November 14, 2007 4:42 PM

"I've got to spend more time paying attention to the conventional wisdom."

Or just paying more attention to pitchfork. Geez...

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19579-when-i-said-i-wanted-to-be-your-dog

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19580-oh-youre-so-silent-jens

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/45319-night-falls-over-kortedala

Posted by archer | November 14, 2007 4:53 PM