Who? After dominating the Nordic charts with Stop the Tape! Stop the Tape!, Swedish foursome David & The Citizens have partnered with Friendly Fire Recordings to spread their sound through the States via Until the Sadness is Gone. David Fridlund leads the Citizens on vocals and guitar, with Conny Fridh on bass, Magnus Bjerkert on trumpet, keys, and guitar, and the newest addition, John Bjerkert on drums.
What’s the Deal? David & The Citizens take the traditional ideas of sadness, regret, and heartbreak and turn them into snappy melodies that make you want to dance in front of the mirror in your bedroom. The lyrics sway between despair and delight, creating a mood where even the instruments are confused about which side to take. “The End” turns into an old-western-style showdown between the tumbleweed-driving guitar riffs and the crooning clarinet, with Fridlund’s contemplative vox as the median. “As You Fall (I Watch With Love)” reinvents the wheel, turning an upside down bicycle into a noisemaker with the use of a drumstick and spinning spokes. With these four Swedes, sad is the new happy.
Fun Fact: When SPIN.com asked Fridlund to describe the sound of “Glued to the Light” (download below) in five words or less, the singer/guitarist responded, “acoustic, eerie, folkish, sad nightmare.” For a song so gloomy, it was a “piece of cake” to record. “We did the bass and guitar/vocals/harmonica in one take.” KRISTINA ENSMINGER
Now Hear This: David & the Citizens – “Glued to the Light” DOWNLOAD MP3
On SPIN.com: New Track from David & the Citizens
Talk: Are you on board with this band of Citizens? COMMENT
On the Web: davidandthecitizens.com
