5. BEN LEE - "Awake Is The New Sleep"(New West, 2005)
You know that one album by a particular artist that turns you from a casual listener into an ardent fan? The one that makes you buy not only all of its CD-singles (for the B-sides), but also the artist's whole back-catalog? Well, this was the album that so galvanized my devotion to Ben Lee. I had heard and liked some of his stuff in the past, but when I picked up the advance EP for this album I ended up falling head-over-heels for its charms before I knew what had happened. From what I've read about Lee, he seems to have an enlightened and unconfined mind, and that sensibility tends to carry forth into his music -- especially on the anthemic but untreacly "We're All In This Together" -- and to me that makes both the man and the music all the more likeable. When you hear songs like "Begin", "Into The Dark", and "Gamble Everything For Love", you know they're from his heart.
4. A-TEENS - "Teen Spirit"(Stockholm, 2001)
Putting out an album of only ABBA covers as their first effort could very easily have rendered the A-Teens not only a one-album flash-in-the-pan, but also a pop-culture punchline. Fortunately, they had a strong and very appealing battery of original songs at the ready for their second album. Of course, it helped that the kids were likeable and seemed to enjoy and appreciate their burgeoning pop stardom. Whether it's upbeat tunes like "Halfway Around The World" and "Slammin' Kinda Love", ballads such as "Firefly" and "For All That I Am", or the mid-tempo treats "...To The Music" and "That's What (It's All About)", the energy and feeling that Dhani, Sara, Amit and Marie poured into each of the songs is almost contagious. As sugary as this album is, I can't help but confess that whenever I listen to this album I really can't skip over a single track, I like them all so much.
A*Teens! Still love them.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of, have you listened to the Erik Hassle album yet? I went crazy over it in early '09, and I think you'd enjoy it. The songs are written (mostly) by the guys behind many of A*Teens' songs (so you know they've got the pop chops in terms of songwriting), but Swedish singer Erik's soulful voice (which is often heartrending) and the more "organic" sound of the instrumentation means I think it would fit with your love of the male singer-songwriter sound (it's not as "sugary" as the A*Teens, though I love great sugar, too). The sort of Ryan Tedder-esque lead single, "Hurtful," is all over YouTube, I'm sure, but it wasn't until I heard the full album that I really was convinced by him. HIGHLY recommended.
I've heard gobs about Erik Hassle, but I've never taken the time to check him out ... I guess I ought to. The trouble with me is that I'm so old-school that I don't really pay attention to an artist until they have an actual CD out (silly, I know)! ;-)
ReplyDelete-T
He does have an actual CD out, though! Just in Sweden so far, but it's still a physical CD release.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I should have guessed you would have heard of him :)