Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Kite
- Cat.no: KCD1080
- Released: February 2006
- Rating: 10/10
In the short space of about 5 years, Thomas Denver Jonsssonhas dispelled the myth that Sweden only spawns great pop groups like Abba,his countryman Jose Gonzalez: and IKEA.
Twenty six year old Jonsson who resides insmall-town Grums between Oslo and Stockholm, draws influences from M. Ward,of whom he says, “His album Transistor Radio was my favourite album fromlast year. It’s a low-fi Americana kind of tribute to the old radio stationsin the States. It’s certainly in my top 10 from 2005”.
Other Americans havea big part to play, as he revealed in a brief telephone interview, “I’m abig fan of The Beach Boys, especially their melodies and harmonies. I’vealso discovered Neil Young along the way. His 2000 album Silver and Gold isexcellent. Martha Wainwright is also very good. I think I need to check outher brother Rufus as well.”
Inevitably, due to his warbled vocal style,comparisons will be drawn with early Neil Young; his harmonica work isreminiscent of the master too. Together with working band The SeptemberSunrise: Fredrik Wilde, Carl Edlom, Tomas Lindberg, Henric Stromberg withadditional musicians Nina Kinert, Ned Oldham and Anna Sahl, the collectivehave captured the spirit of freewheeling Americana to perfection.
From the lazy opening strums of I’m With You.., we’re immersed into hismusical mindset, enticing you to discover more of his simple, easy buteffective repertoire. Just like the American terrain, there are sublimepeaks and valleys tantalisingly spread over 13 sumptuous tracks, lastingnearly 50 minutes, during which time he opens – up his heart. With lineslike, “Do you know I keep losing weight, and my ears scream at night, as myshirt still smells a little from your skin..” you know he’s coming at you ona personal level.
As a musical landscape, Jonsson isn’t afraid to ventureforth into the indigenous genre using pedal steel, harmonica, glockenspiel,accordion and regular format of guitars and drums. Most striking, are hisachingly beautiful vocals, bringing out the longing of the presentation.
Playing out his musical fantasies, he heads for the frontiers withconfidence on a sophisticated CD format, bringing out the best incollection.
Strange that a Swede living in a relatively remote region of the country hassuccessfully pulled it off, on only his second full length album, originallyreleased in Sweden in October 2005.
‘Shaky’ would be with him all the way.
Top tracks – Time Stops When I Hold You, his dreamy duet with Nina Kinert onDreams At The Film Club and Reprise, A Day From A Year, Eyes Of Blue,Working Star, Good Night.
Also check outHope To Herfrom 2003.
Weblink:Thomas Denver.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. I’m With You All The Way
2. Strange Luck
3. Time Stops When I Hold You
4. Dance Floor Borders
5. Dreams At The Film Club
6. Silver Boy
7. Don’t Cry
8. A Day From A Year
9. Walther
10. Eyes Of Blue
11. Working Star
12.Good Night
13.Reprise
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.