Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79167 in Music
• Released on: 2006-10-23
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import

Customer Reviews

Lavish theatrical pop woven with melancholic lyrics
Anna Ternheim is a young Swedish songwriting talent who has met with sparkling success in continental Europe (especially in Germany and in her own country where she has won the Swedish Grammy), but is practically unknown across the shores in Great Britain. This is a great shame and hopefully it won't stay that way, since she is a tremendous find: a singer of pared-down acoustics and sensitive lyrics who can rock and pop. Her voice - which betrays a light Swedish accent - is best served (I find) on the quieter tracks, where a sense of fragility seeps through. Following her first album - "Somebody Outside" of 2004 - which was characterised by a brittle authenticity, this one is more poppy, theatrical and orchestral, accompanied by dramatic cover photography of Anna standing bowed before wind turbines and turbulent skies.

The album does seem to fly off in two directions: soaring, bombastic pop on the one hand ("Calling Love", "Feels like Sand" and "One to blame", which could almost serve as a James Bond theme tune) and the quiet acoustics and piano of "Tribute to Linn", "No Subtle Men" and "Such a Lonely Soul" on the other hand. These seem more deeply felt and are threaded with a greater perceptiveness. I've read in interviews that "Separation Road" was a reaction to the melodramatics of film noir and Nosferatu as well as a way of creating a more protective distance to her audience. Perhaps it was inevitable then that "Separation Road" resulted in a mixed bag and a more commercial sound. Lyrically, though, she's still a wonder: tales of suspecting infidelity ("she'll be watching you for sure / Afraid to find out what she already knows"), the unfulfilled promise of love ("how to get to fivepoints / how would I know / halfway with high hopes / of love"), a girl homebound by fearful apathy ("God knows I tried to leave her / `Cause she's got a constant fever") and a longing for partnership ("I've waited so long / Maybe my time has come").

If you are into lavish dramatics and heartfelt pop-based songwriting, try this (the limited edition of which contains eleven naked versions). If you like more delicate music that strums with a sensitive soul, you could start with "Somebody Outside" ("I'll follow you tonight" and "I say no" are gorgeous tracks).

Wholeheartedly recommended!