Night Falls Over Kortedala’s sound is a swirl of sparkly ’60s orchestration and horns — an achievement worth a thousand days of Night.
Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman returns for his genre-conquering second album, encompassing baroque pop, Northern soul, and Swedish beach-party disco.
Night Falls Over Kortadela is witty, pretty, silly, and wise; and filled with instantly memorable melodies, thrilling moments of surprise in the arrangements, and laugh-out-loud lyrics.
I think we should all be thanking our respective Higher Power right now that his hiatus was brief, because the album he would eventually make, the stunning Night Falls over Kortedala, is among the best of the year.
Ultimately the Swede’s absorption into his own mind gives him the throat of a man who sounds in control. This control is one of the things that make Kortedala Lekman’s most assured, comfortable record yet.
There are times when he seems on the verge of sounding as pretentious as the next indie rock darling, but he always ends up knocking himself back down to earth, coaxing a smile out of his audience.
It seems that those who hate this album have lost their pure happiness.
this is really tremendous stuff all the way through, and it contains the best song ever written that begins "I was slicing up an avocado". it's an indie pop masterpiece.
Jens Lekman's album is a world of paradoxes, where joyful melodies and depressing lyrics live hand in hand. The main appeal is his impeccable storytelling skills and the way he utilizes samples to amplify certain emotional aspects of his narratives. He incorporates large orchestral swells that bloom into triumphant choruses throughout the record. Night Falls Over Kortedala sounds like a collection of contemporary fables written and performed by a master storyteller. It is a ridiculous album, ... read more
You may get worried that too much of this cotton candy can give you a toothache or make your belly hurt. I agree, that the album is not for everyone and can get a little weary - when I first started writing this (or rather trying to get my thoughts together), I was much more critical, deeming some of it kitschy and too saccharine. And I still feel it, but it's just too hard not to admire Jens's songwriting abilities, not to fall in love with some of this album's starry-eyed sentimentality. Love ... read more
sad its off streaming :/
Such a beautiful and sweet album. Will always hold a very special place in my gourd
1 | And I Remember Every Kiss 2:59 | 87 |
2 | Sipping on the Sweet Nectar 4:11 | 93 |
3 | The Opposite of Hallelujah 4:21 | 85 |
4 | A Postcard to Nina 5:00 | 89 |
5 | Into Eternity 3:45 | 79 |
6 | I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You 3:48 | 75 |
7 | If I Could Cry (It Would Feel Like This) 3:23 | 75 |
8 | Your Arms Around Me 5:02 | 83 |
9 | Shirin 3:56 | 92 |
10 | It Was a Strange Time in My Life 5:08 | 80 |
11 | Kanske är jag kär i dig 4:43 | 84 |
12 | Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo 4:16 | 77 |
#11 | / | Pitchfork |
#11 | / | Prefix |
#11 | / | Tiny Mix Tapes |
#11 | / | Treble |
#17 | / | No Ripcord |
#21 | / | Paste |
#28 | / | PopMatters |
#48 | / | Gigwise |
#49 | / | Drowned in Sound |
/ | AllMusic |