Twenty year veterans of the Swedish folk music scene, Groupa’s Lavalek is just their second North American release, following 15 Years, a Northside retrospective of their illustrious career — a career which includes two Swedish Grammies. Known for their high energy and distinct instrumentation and arrangements, Groupa have forged a solid career out of bringing a modern touch to traditional tunes and giving their original compositions a traditional flavour. The group’s current lineup includes fiddler Mats Edén, percussionist Terje Insungset, flutist Jonas Simonson, keyboardist Richard Åström, and a new addition, vocalist Sofia Karlsson.A blurb on Northside’s Web site suggests that Lavalek is a more acoustic offering than Groupa’s previous efforts. And perhaps this is true in some sense, as the band appears to have traded in its saxophones and clarinets of yesteryear for the typically gentler sound of flutes. Don’t be fooled, though, this CD has no lack of energy and verve.
Driven by Edén’s masterful fiddling, and skillfully textured by the other musicians, the tunes on this CD are lush, vibrant, and very alive. The first track, “Ludgo-Johan,” starts the CD off with a powerful swirl of layered sound. For the two-part second track, “Smoke / Smoke Halling,” Groupa slows the pace down, creating a dark, dense song, heavy with emotion. The first half of the track features vocalist Sofia Karlsson, who, like most other Nordic female singers, possesses a soaring, trilling voice guaranteed to elicit envy from any songbird. The lyric imagery of this song (written by a non-member, Claes Andersson) is both sad and lovely, equating the titular smoke with the chilled breath of saddened lovers, sorrow, and regret.
Perhaps it’s my own predilection for songs over tunes, but it’s the tracks with vocals that stand out most on this CD. In addition to “Smoke,” there is “If You Became a Spruce,” and “Mountains and Valleys.” All three vocal tracks are utterly sublime at displaying the superb blend of Groupa’s musical prowess and Karlsson’s exquisite voice. “If You Became a Spruce” is a lover’s tale, Karlsson’s voice floating above light, delicate instrumentation. “Mountains and Valleys” is a traditional love song about a lover in denial.
Also of note is “The Woodcock,” which makes spectacular use of Simonson’s flute playing. Piercing and shrill as a bird’s call as the song opens, the flute mellows as the music builds layer by layer, eventually yielding the forefront to wordless vocals by Karlsson. Very distinctive indeed.
Tight, powerful arrangements; fine musicianship and vocals; and a sincere nod to Swedish folk traditions: this is Groupa, and Lavalek is a fine introduction for those who have yet to experience them.
\Twenty year veterans of the Swedish folk music scene, Groupa’s Lavalek is just their second North American release, following 15 Years, a Northside retrospective of their illustrious career — a career which includes two Swedish Grammies. Known for their high energy and distinct instrumentation and arrangements, Groupa have forged a solid career out of bringing a modern touch to traditional tunes and giving their original compositions a traditional flavour. The group’s current lineup includes fiddler Mats Edén, percussionist Terje Insungset, flutist Jonas Simonson, keyboardist Richard Åström, and a new addition, vocalist Sofia Karlsson.A blurb on Northside’s Web site suggests that Lavalek is a more acoustic offering than Groupa’s previous efforts. And perhaps this is true in some sense, as the band appears to have traded in its saxophones and clarinets of yesteryear for the typically gentler sound of flutes. Don’t be fooled, though, this CD has no lack of energy and verve.
Driven by Edén’s masterful fiddling, and skillfully textured by the other musicians, the tunes on this CD are lush, vibrant, and very alive. The first track, “Ludgo-Johan,” starts the CD off with a powerful swirl of layered sound. For the two-part second track, “Smoke / Smoke Halling,” Groupa slows the pace down, creating a dark, dense song, heavy with emotion. The first half of the track features vocalist Sofia Karlsson, who, like most other Nordic female singers, possesses a soaring, trilling voice guaranteed to elicit envy from any songbird. The lyric imagery of this song (written by a non-member, Claes Andersson) is both sad and lovely, equating the titular smoke with the chilled breath of saddened lovers, sorrow, and regret.
Perhaps it’s my own predilection for songs over tunes, but it’s the tracks with vocals that stand out most on this CD. In addition to “Smoke,” there is “If You Became a Spruce,” and “Mountains and Valleys.” All three vocal tracks are utterly sublime at displaying the superb blend of Groupa’s musical prowess and Karlsson’s exquisite voice. “If You Became a Spruce” is a lover’s tale, Karlsson’s voice floating above light, delicate instrumentation. “Mountains and Valleys” is a traditional love song about a lover in denial.
Also of note is “The Woodcock,” which makes spectacular use of Simonson’s flute playing. Piercing and shrill as a bird’s call as the song opens, the flute mellows as the music builds layer by layer, eventually yielding the forefront to wordless vocals by Karlsson. Very distinctive indeed.
Tight, powerful arrangements; fine musicianship and vocals; and a sincere nod to Swedish folk traditions: this is Groupa, and Lavalek is a fine introduction for those who have yet to experience them.
(Northside, 1999(
