Jens Lekman | Coming to Boston | Oct 29

Next Monday, the Swedish King of Pop, Jens Lekman, arrives in Boston for a show at the Paradise. As of Monday night, when I bought my ticket, there were still tickets available for the show. It's a hassle to drive all the way down to Boston for a show but there are a few reasons why I'm willing to make the trek this time.

1) His show at Bennington College two years ago was one of the most enjoyable shows I saw that year. The guy comes loaded with great tunes and an engaging stage demeanor.

2) The show starts at 8pm but rather than have an opening act, he's having a closing act which means getting back on the road at a decent hour.

3) His new album, Night Falls Over Kortedala, is a beautiful combination of timeless hooks, lush orchestral instrumentation and disarming self-awareness. It's in the running with The National's Boxer for my album of the year.

4) If you like a musician that reinterprets his music in concert, Lekman is your man. The guy constantly strips down, speeds up, re-builds, etc. his songs and, as proof of a well-built song, his music works whether it's just him and a ukulele or a full orchestra. For example, check out the recordings below. The first two are different versions of his song "Your Arms Around Me" and the other two are "You Are the Light". The versions are very different in their scopes but are still fab.

Your Arms Around Me

Jens Lekman | Your Arms Around Me (album version) | Buy

Jens Lekman | Your Arms Around Me (ukulele version)


You Are the Light

Jens Lekman | You Are the Light (album version) | Buy

Jens Lekman | You Are the Light (acoustic version)


So, if anyone else is driving down from central Vermont, let me know if you want to carpool. You can use the email address on the sidebar.