Ny grym recension för TOANWTS

The Owls Are Not What They Seem

Innan jag börjar gotta mig i den nya fina recensionen min skiva The Owls Are Not What They Seem har fått så vill jag gärna pålysa lite tråkiga nyheter om den svenska media- och musikbranschen. Eller jag nyheter är det väl inte direkt, i alla fall inte för oss independent-artister som kör vårt eget race med egna skivbolag.

Mitt bolag Makaki Music som jag drivit sedan 2006 är givetvis med i SOM – Svenska Oberoende Musiker. Och idag fick jag den här hemska statistiken från dem i ett mail:
“Under vinterns arbete i SOM kring sammanslagningen EMI/Universal har statistik framkommit som visat på en ännu mer massiv dominans inom media än vi tidigare trott (90-95 % majorreleaser på Europeisk nivå) och då främst på radio.”

Det är tufft som det är för oss DIY-artister. Men att svenska media är så jävla köpta (ursäkta kraftuttrycket) får mig att må smått illa. Jag släpper skiva ungefär med 1,5-2 års mellanrum och TOANWTS är min 5e(!) skiva. Varje gång kämpar jag hårt med inspelning och sedan minst lika hårt med promotion. Men vad hjälper det när man är borträknad direkt för att man inte ligger på ett storbolag?

I November förra året tog jag mitt pick och pack och drog till USA för att turnéra på obestämd tid framåt (vi siktar på 2 år). Idag känner jag att det var det enda rätta, för jag har ju ändå ingen chans att få in mina låtar på rotation på svensk radio – även om 7 Miles Wide från min nya skiva blev framröstad av både jury OCH svenska folket som veckans överlägsna vinnare i p4 radio stockholm för ett tag sedan. Vad svenska folket gillar bryr sig nämligen inte radio och tidningar om. Låter jag bitter? Well kanske lite, men kan ni klandra mig när statistiken är som den är?

Nåväl, på grund av detta blev jag extra glad idag när Uppsala Nya Tidning gav TOANWTS en GRYM recension! Just därför tänker jag ta och publicera hela här och nu!

[quote]SINGER/SONGWRITER.

På sitt femte album låter förra Uppsalabon Sofia Talvik sin akustiska musik bli än mer avskalad men samtidigt också än mer mångbottnad. Den spröda, sårbara sången och de skimrande vackra refrängerna skapar drömska stämningslägen, där en känsla av skymning och ett ödsligt, vidsträckt nattlandskap kommer allt närmare ju mer man lyssnar.

Trots ett synbart vänt anslag målar musiken fram bilder av ett annalkande mörker där oanade faror lurpassar. Kontrasterna mellan det sköra och det hotfulla gör att skivan känns allt annat än förutsägbar och helheten är synnerligen fängslande.[/quote]
Av: Stefan Warnqvist

Interview me and win wristbands to SXSW

Sofia Talvik live on the Drivin' & Dreaming Tour
Sofia Talvik live on the Drivin' & Dreaming Tour
Sofia Talvik live on the Drivin' & Dreaming Tour

Hey guys!

I have two exciting things to announce! I’m playing at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX in March and here’s two ways you’ll be able to join me there! Firstly I’m going to be a part of “Discover Me @ Austin” which is a video interview made by Twenty.Me.

The Twenty.Me app is free from the iTunes store but is currently in BETA. Fans will be able to learn more about bands playing at SXSW by typing in the band name, in my case; SofiaTalvik@. There you can listen to my music and learn about the me, as well as get my SXSW schedule. The interview will be made on February 21st at 1pm CST on the Spreecast site.

Spreecast is a social video platform that lets people broadcast together and create shared experiences. In a Spreecast social video stream, up to four people at a time can interact face-to-face on screen, while hundreds of others can watch, chat, and participate by submitting comments and questions. The creator of a spreecast uses producer controls to determine who comes on camera and when. That means that if you want to come online and ask me questions for the interview you can create your own account and do that at Spreecast. You can join with your own spreecast or simply submit questions. The great thing is that it’s early enough for the US so that all you Europeans can join too. The local time in Sweden will be 8 in the evening.

So the second way you can join me at SXSW is actually by getting a free wristband. And here’s how you do that:

Sonicbids has an official party at SXSW and by voting for me once a day and helping me get to the top list I’ll get to play at the party. If you go vote for me now you have to chance to win TWO wristbands for the party!!!!

You know you want to – Do it now and do it here: https://playsxsw.sonicbids.com/BandDetails.aspx?b=30837

My culinary tour

If you’ve followed me on Facebook before you know that I enjoy cooking (understatement!) and like to post pictures of whatever food I make. In the RV it’s a little bit more challenging to go on any culinary adventures. I try my best but work space is limited as well as cupboard space and having lived in this thing for about two months I’m not quite stocked up on spices and tools either. We’re also on a budget whereas at home we almost never got around to eating those leftovers.

But as someone said – musicians tend to find each other everywhere, so it seems foodies do too. On this tour so far we’ve been invited for some lovely meals, both in people’s homes and to restaurants – something that we starving artists always appreciate. In Tampa we happened to meet the chef/ owners of the hot new restaurant The Refinery which has been written about in fancy publications such as Condé Nast Traveller. They invited us for dinner, the day after my gig at the great beer bar The Independent, and by chance their neighbor had dropped off a couple of pheasants which they prepared for us.

In Birmingham, AL I visited the radio show Oh Brother and the owner of MIX, a very nice bakery/restaurant in downtown wrote on my facebook wall and invited us for lunch. We had some great gumbo but was most impressed by the gorgeous sour dough breads that they had for sale. Good bread is something that’s very hard to find here in the US I think. I might be spoiled though because back in Sweden the bakery of the Swedish champion in bread baking is just next doors to my apartment.

When lunching at MIX the chef and co-owner Phil Dupont came out to say hi and all of a sudden we were invited to his upscale restaurant Cafe Dupont for dinner. We were totally blown away by the beauty and atmosphere at Cafe Dupont but even more so by the food. My favorite was the tuna starter (I’m a sucker for good tuna and Asian flavors) and Jonas favorite was the veal starter. And don’t get me started on the Cosmo!!!

In New Orleans we’ve been taken out to experience the best of the city by our newfound friend photographer Marc Pagani, who not only showed us the Hi Ho Lounge, made us the strongest drink ever but also took us for a culinary tour at La Petite Grocery on Magazine street. Food and ambience was great and I’d go back anytime if I could.

We ended our last night in NOLA with a visit to Lola’s, an unpretentious little Spanish restaurant in Mid-city which was also very enjoyable. We really had our mind set on the authentic kitchen of Liuzza’s by the track but unfortunately they were closed on Sunday’s. Good thing we already had the catfish po-boys and beignets the days before.

But as enjoyable restaurants are the most satisfying is a really good meal you’ve cooked yourself. I never thought I’d do the Swedish cabbage rolls in the RV (the best kind of comfort food) but that’s what I did the other day. And people who think you have to live off microwave meals and eat off paper plates are either too lazy to use their kitchen or just not creative enough. I even made a quick version of beef teriyaki the other day. Or how about some Vietnamese salad wraps?

If I’d just have some more space and would be able to find fresh yeast I’d be baking too. Actually it’s probably just the lack of yeast that stops me 😉

Fan reviews of TOANWTS

write your own review

Just had to share some of these great fan reviews I’ve received for the new album. After all the real critics are the listeners:

[quote] Sofia Talvik’s mastery of the acoustic has never been more evident than in her latest album – The Owls Are Not What They Seem. Her fifth album, in which Sofia has ‘gone back to basics’ is a stunning display of her vocal prowess and lyrical talent… unpretentious, yet powerfully moving. I have had TOANWTS for only a few days now, but have listened to it probably a dozen times now… and each time is even better than the last. Thank you, Sofia! [/quote]
Veronica Marie Lewis-Shaw (USA)

[quote] You’ve really outdone yourself on the sound on this album Sofia. I always expect great music from you, but this has gone way past those expectations. [/quote]
Allison Renee (Canada)

write your own review
write your own review

“TOANWTS” is out TODAY!

The Owls Are Not What They Seem
The Owls Are Not What They Seem
The Owls Are Not What They Seem

Today I’m releasing my 5th album “The Owls Are Not What They Seem”. Thank you everyone who pre-ordered the CD and to all my fans who pledged for the four EPs in L.O.V.E that preceded this album. (To make it clear for those of you who haven’t heard the EPs – this is a totally different production.)

I’m shipping all of the pre-ordered signed albums today. You who have pre-ordered will also get your download codes today. And for you who missed out on the physical release here’s some links to where you can listen. You will still be able to listen and purchase a download in any format you prefer here: Sofia’s music store.

If you’d rather go through the middle man, you can listen and purchase a download here (and probably a bunch of other online stores too):

Spotify
CDbaby
Amazon
iTunes (please rate and write something here if you like it)

Here’s a live video of one of the songs from the album performed at Moonlight on the Mountain in Birmingham, AL on my Drivin’ & Dreaming tour that I’m currently doing in the US.