Release Date: September 19, 2011
After a four-year hiatus, Swedish pop-folk heartthrob Jens Lekman has released An Argument with Myself, an EP of concert favorites and new songs, chock-full of quirky one-liners and intricate storytelling.
After “quitting” music a few times, Lekman couldn’t help but share his stories with the world again. Tales about waiting for Kirsten Dunst outside her hotel, Google directions and a sick friend have proved that this lustful Swede just can’t get away, and we’re OK with that.
Lekman’s style of poppy beats smothered with ukulele and horns began with his first full-length album, 2004’s When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog, and it hasn’t changed since. He uses a formula of bubbly melodies and beautifully witty renditions of everyday activities that goes unmatched. Lekman’s literal songwriting is his staple. He doesn’t mask his struggles, happiness or daily deeds with layers of metaphors.
Die-hard fans often wish for their all-time favorite band never to change what they fell in love with, and Lekman’s dreamy tone, straightforward lyricism and heartfelt stories have remained mostly untouched.
This EP is influenced by Lekman’s time spent in Melbourne, Australia, and it is most obvious in the title song, “An Argument with Myself,” where he questions his move during a walk home at night. He continuously battles with himself: “Can we just try to figure this out? Can we just talk about this please? Nah, I don’t want to talk to you. OK, you want to keep fighting? Yeah, I wanna keep on fighting. Alright, fair enough.”
Lekman finds the perfect orchestration to accompany his soulful banter. His rendition of reggae blends into the pop-backbone very subtly, allowing the tropical influences from his time in Melbourne to sit tightly next to the whimsical folk beats from the use of horns, flute and various string instruments.
The album closer has a very tropical melody. Light-hearted comedic tune “So This Guy at My Office” is a witty bit of sarcasm. A perfect note to end the EP on, this tune is an enchanting take on an annoying co-worker—a topic that all can relate to, but no one can relay quite as perfectly.
Lekman’s undeniably feel-good tunes are so toe-tapping, head-bobbing delicious. Spitting out catchy-as-hell banter, he puts himself into a category with no other comparisons. An Argument with Myself is frankly, too short, and gets better and better with every listen.
Jens Lekman – An Argument with Myself tracklist:
- “An Argument With Myself”
- “Waiting for Kirsten”
- “A Promise”
- “New Directions”
- “So This Guy at My Office”
