LA and the giant sandwich

I played at the dinner that A&R Worldwide and the Swedish Consulate held yesterday. (A big thank you to the organizers for having me, it was a great honour!) It was nothing like I had expected. I thought it was going to be more of a networking thing, where people would mingle and talk while I stood in a corner singing. Instead there were a hundred seated people, totally quiet, just looking at me. I got so nervous I thought my knees would shake me off the planet! But I got through it and then Kristin, Peter and Warren took me to the Troubador.
I’m going home today so I’m having my last american sandwich…

…which is basically a sandwich monster. I bought one yeaterday, so this is actually the left over half of that one. I can’t imagine why they want to overstuff their sandwiches like this.

I’m actually so glad I’m going home today. First of all since I get to go home to Jonas, second because my ears hurt from all the english. It gets kind of intense after a while, and I think the phrases I’ve used most during these two weeks have been:
“That’s cool”
“That’s awsome”
“That’s a good thing”

and of course “Thank you so much” which I am also saying now to you guys for following my tour blog. I hope you got to see one of my showcases in Austin, where I had my lovely band with me (I missed you guys so much yesterday). Good by America!

That 70’s feeling.

My producer Tobias Fröberg is bringing a new sound to the next album “Jonestown”. Today he even brought some extra 70’s feeling to the studio, a cozy psychedelic lamp to go with the music. Well I think it did the trick. I’m in the groove so keep an eye and an ear out for more upcoming news about it all.
I’ll try to post a tune for you all later.

Here’s a video of the lamp:
[flv:/video/70talslampa.flv 320 240]

December – mp3 of the month

Salvo Magazine appoints December their mp3 of the month in their upcoming issue. Read it first here!

MP3 of the Month
Sofia Talvik – December

It’s not very often I come across Folk music that’s to my taste. Maybe it’s just a genre that doesn’t really do that much for me, I don’t know. Now, before all Folk artists out there get all defensive and start writing in complaining that I’m dissing them as a collective, please, save your venting, you couldn’t be further from the truth.

You see, although I’m not the biggest lover of Folk music in general, when it’s done properly, like pretty much any genre (especially Classical but that’s a totally different story), it can be stunning.

Look at artists like Gemma Hayes, Kathryn Williams, Nick Drake, Tom McRae or Cara Dillon, with the latter especially being truly sublime. Folk absolutely is a genre that’s both under appreciated whilst also being a backbone to music as a whole and one we must all embrace ‘for the greater good’.

That’s what leads me onto Sofia. We decided to choose December as our MP3 of the month above all other tracks off her most recent long playing effort Street of Dreams as it would be too easy to choose the single It’s Just Love based on the facts that 1 – it’s a single already and 2 – it’s a duet with one of my personal heroes, Bernard Butler, now, that would bias the vote ten fold.
No, what sets December apart from the bunch is that it’s just so much more delicate than the others.

With a vocal range tinged by echoes of Dolores Mary O'Riordan Burton from the Cranberries blended with a light heartedness that in some ways isn’t too distant from Joni Mitchell in her heyday all those years ago, December has managed to remain on constant replay for a good while now and will continue to do so until another track off the album takes our fancy.
Featuring an accent that does at times sound Irish it’s almost unnoticeable that she is in fact from Sweden. Don’t worry. We’ll keep the Abba references to a minimum.

Sofia has obviously been working as a solo artist for long enough now to realise where she wants to get, it’s abundantly clear that she’s working with people who are on her wavelength and are helping her do that

If there was ever a time for artists like Sofia to be in the forefront it’s got to be now, we’ve got others Acoustic Soloists like James Morrison and Blunt pushing acoustic based song writing into the mainstream and whilst we really shouldn’t pin all of our hopes on artists like these, god help us if we did, it is great to see that every now and then artists like Sofia do get the spotlight shone in their direction. 2007 should be the year that spotlight gets turned to face her and we wish her all the best when it does.

I am also green with envy that she’s worked with a hero, but I’ll get over that so don’t worry too much..

www.myspace.com/sofiatalvik

Duncan Buchanan

Indie Chic Magazine goes nuts…

…about the new album. Indie Chic Magazine reviews "Street of Dreams"

Sofia Talvik – Street of Dreams

Word on the music street is that soultress Sofia Talvik's new cd "Street Of Dreams" is a remarkable hit,
Indie Chic went out to prove such a thing.
With amazing vocals and beautiful melodies, this cd is "To Die For" in music lovers eyes!  A struggling female artist on the verge of stardom? Indie chic thinks so, the music hit our ears and we had to write a review on such a tasteful sounds and wonderful lyrics. "Its Just Love" is an astonishing song flows with melody and great vocals.
This wonderful swedish artists is amazing, if you like The Sounds or if you like Lauren Hoffman, Sofia Talvik is definently one to remember and check out.
More songs on the record that was remarkable in our eyes… "December" and "Street Of Dreams", both songs can be heard on her MySpace –  www.myspace.com/sofiatalvik

The album was released January 30th. Street of Dreams is her second album, her debut "Blue Moon" is available on iTunes Music store and was released last year with raving reviews from the media.

Darling piano and strings

I've had a busy week listening to various adds to the album, we've finished strings and piano and it's time for a little sample again.

Erik Jansson has been more than creative arranging some beautiful string orchestras for a couple of the songs. Erik also works with Jay Jay Johanson and has been a part of Jay Jay's set for many years now. And Jozsef has added a finishing touch to his amazing piano. It has all come together.

Here's a beautiful sample of their work conjoined. Never mind the irritating buzzing noice that my computer added when I bounced the song to mp3. I promise it won't be there on the album 😉

"Mother's way, Father's way"