Jens Lekman

Swedish troubadour Jens Lekman has developed quite a following for a guy who is happy to sing matter-of-factly about either trivial or serious subjects, often accompanied by nothing more than his ukulele or piano. Lekman’s wonderfully smooth voice and underlying dry sense of humour have made his releases a delight for indie kids everywhere to hunt down. Secretly Canadian have been putting out his material for North America for a little while now, and this new release captures pretty much everything that hasn't properly been available here to date, including the outstanding first three Swedish EPs, along with other material recorded in 2003 and early 2004. Essentially a catch-up compilation, this is an excellent collection that features some of Lekman’s catchiest songs, like "Black Cab,” "Julie” and "I Saw Her in the Anti War Demonstration.” There is a lot of musical range throughout the 17 songs, ranging from the delicate to the grandiose (at least in indie pop terms), with accompaniment from soft guitars, piano and strings. Lekman’s playful lyrical style can be an acquired taste, but his honest delivery and knack for classic storytelling on these early recordings show off the incredible and natural talent possessed by this young Swede.