Jonas Game

As their profile is currently rising over here, it’s getting harder and harder to not talk about the Tough Alliance and their Sincerely Yours label, even though they release only a handful of records a year (their catalog may be high numerically, but much like their music they use satire to build it, stamping "yours00--” to anything from merch like bulletproof vests to solutions to making Stockholm a better city to a Gwyneth Paltrow photo). Thankfully though, freebies also make up some of their inventory (as they say, "It's new and it's free, isn't that all you need to know you little info slut?”). The Tough Alliance’s ”Taken Too Young By TTA” remix of Victoria Bergman’s Taken By Trees single, for instance, is an exclusive, but even more recent is the lead self-titled track from latest signing Jonas Game’s (formerly of Bad Cash Quartet) new album, ADHD. Not exactly living up to its so-called disorder, Game’s summery pop partiality keeps in line with his cavalier label’s calling card. With a voice that recalls the lovelorn lips of Orbison and hardened storytelling vigour of Springsteen, his vocals alone can engage your soul (is that too much?). But the recipe of guitar jangle, new wave synths and bongo badum-ching perfect a hybrid of delectable pop music traits that help single him out something more than your commonplace singer-songwriter. "New City Love” (see video below), meanwhile, boasts the same kind of aching-heart goodness of Shout Out Louds, with a taste of the Pogues provided by some tasteful accordion. Hopefully one day Game will provide some kind of life story or CV of interesting facts because his anonymity is killing me — though I love the Yankees cap on a Swede. It’s a nice touch.

Download "ADHD”