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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most delightful albums of 2006 -- an utter gem , September 11, 2006
I find it almost impossible to feel anything but delight when I listen to this album. Trying to explain why it is so great is far difficult than just playing it for someone and showing them why it is so great. On one level, the songs are inconceivably simple. A song about the various countries the singer owns stamps from? How could that possible be anything to unlistenable? Yet, "Collection of Stamps" is an irresistible delight. What about a song about a treehouse of which group leader Emanuel Lundgren sings in a continuously repeated lyric:
I have built a treehouse
I have built a treehouse
Nobody can see us
'Cause its a you and me house
OK, those are not great lyrics, but the song is almost indescribably joyous, with a huge chorus singing along with Lundgren. It almost reminded me of those old Coco Cola commercials where a group of people on a hillside wanted to teach the world to sing.
I'm From Barcelona is a band I have been unsuccessful in finding much about. They are not from Barcelona (though perhaps some members are); they are from Sweden. I know that it is a 29-member collective led by singer/songwriter Emanuel Lundgren. He would seem to play about the same role with this band that Stuart Murdoch does for Belle and Sebastian. Lundgren is the defining presence in the band. Although he is literally backs by a choir of voices on every song, he takes the lead on every song. Also, most of the songs bear the clear stamp of a truly unique songwriter. So although this is a huge band, Lundgren dominates throughout. For those who wonder if the band sounds Swedish, I can state that they sound like they could be from anywhere. Lundgren himself sings in perfect English, without the tiniest hint of an accent.
I would love to know if the band's name has any reference to the John Cleese/Connie Booth comedy show FAWLTY TOWERS. In that show one of the recurring jokes involves confusion surrounding their Spanish waiter/bellboy Manuel. Whenever he is either confused or makes a mistake or is wrongly blamed for something that is in fact innkeeper Basil Fawlty's fault, Basil inevitably says, "Don't mind him. He's from Barcelona."
I wish I could communicate how wonderful these songs are. And on such improbable subjects! For instance "Rec & Play" talks of making one's own mix CD, one that will be from here on be your favorite album. I've mentioned "Collection of Stamps" already. But even songs not on quirky subjects are superb, such as "Oversleeping."
Who do these guys sounds like? I find it almost impossible to compare them to anyone. The closest I can come is perhaps to San Francisco's Beulah, but then only to their very early work. And Beulah was never as quirky as these guys. The music has some of the same effect that both Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura have, in that all of them simply make me very, very happy when I listen to them. I do think that Bell & Sebastian fans will flip over this album.
My favorite album of 2006 so far has been Howe Gelb's 'SNO ANGEL LIKE YOU, but this now emerges as a very close second. I almost feel like they are now my friends and I'm going to do my best to introduce them to everyone I know.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most delightful albums of 2006 -- an utter gem, October 6, 2006
I find it almost impossible to feel anything but delight when I listen to this album. Trying to explain why it is so great is far difficult than just playing it for someone and showing them why it is so great. On one level, the songs are inconceivably simple. A song about the various countries the singer owns stamps from? How could that possible be anything to unlistenable? Yet, "Collection of Stamps" is an irresistible delight. What about a song about a treehouse of which group leader Emanuel Lundgren sings in a continuously repeated lyric:
I have built a treehouse
I have built a treehouse
Nobody can see us
'Cause its a you and me house
OK, those are not great lyrics, but the song is almost indescribably joyous, with a huge chorus singing along with Lundgren. It almost reminded me of those old Coco Cola commercials where a group of people on a hillside wanted to teach the world to sing.
I'm From Barcelona is a band I have been unsuccessful in finding much about. They are not from Barcelona (though perhaps some members are); they are from Sweden. I know that it is a 29-member collective led by singer/songwriter Emanuel Lundgren. He would seem to play about the same role with this band that Stuart Murdoch does for Belle and Sebastian. Lundgren is the defining presence in the band. Although he is literally backs by a choir of voices on every song, he takes the lead on every song. Also, most of the songs bear the clear stamp of a truly unique songwriter. So although this is a huge band, Lundgren dominates throughout. For those who wonder if the band sounds Swedish, I can state that they sound like they could be from anywhere. Lundgren himself sings in perfect English, without the tiniest hint of an accent.
I would love to know if the band's name has any reference to the John Cleese/Connie Booth comedy show FAWLTY TOWERS. In that show one of the recurring jokes involves confusion surrounding their Spanish waiter/bellboy Manuel. Whenever he is either confused or makes a mistake or is wrongly blamed for something that is in fact innkeeper Basil Fawlty's fault, Basil inevitably says, "Don't mind him. He's from Barcelona."
I wish I could communicate how wonderful these songs are. And on such improbable subjects! For instance "Rec & Play" talks of making one's own mix CD, one that will be from here on be your favorite album. I've mentioned "Collection of Stamps" already. But even songs not on quirky subjects are superb, such as "Oversleeping."
Who do these guys sounds like? I find it almost impossible to compare them to anyone. The closest I can come is perhaps to San Francisco's Beulah, but then only to their very early work. And Beulah was never as quirky as these guys. The music has some of the same effect that both Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura have, in that all of them simply make me very, very happy when I listen to them. I do think that Bell & Sebastian fans will flip over this album.
My favorite album of 2006 so far has been Howe Gelb's 'SNO ANGEL LIKE YOU, but this now emerges as a very close second. I almost feel like they are now my friends and I'm going to do my best to introduce them to everyone I know.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Um., May 18, 2007
Kinda facile, isn't it? I mean, I like groovy, twee space-out music, too, but I guess I go more for David Kilgour, or even the Beta Band. Not to begrudge those who are having fun listening to this disc, but it didn't do much for me.
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