Loney, Dear

Loney, Noir (Sub Pop)

If Scandinavian freak-folk needs a savior, then Sweden’s Emil Svanängen may be it. Performing and recording under the Loney, Dear moniker, Svanängen has been haunting his parent’s basement for years, cranking out rather twee recordings that share sonic wavelengths peculiar to Brian Wilson and the transcendent, clairvoyant Sufjan Stevens. Backed by Sub Pop, one can only hope that the shimmering song-craft of Loney, Dear finally garners righteous attention. As the title indicates, debut Loney, Noir has dark moments, yet peppy numbers such as “I Am John” bounce along over layers of sharp acoustic strumming, ignoble chimes, and an array of other naive sounds. A multi-instrumentalist with the ability to create unique vocal harmonies on his own, Svanängen’s bright falsetto holds his miniature musical tapestries together. (Wednesday, March 14, Emo’s Lounge, 10:30pm)

All Showcases Subject to Change

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This article appears in March 9 • 2007.

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