Jens Lekman
Rocky Dennis EP
(Motown)
There is an incredibly sad thread running through this EP—the second of an anticipated trilogy by this Scandinavian wunderkind—creating a forceful undercurrent beneath an otherwise glossy orchestral folk-pop sheen. The song titles alone (“Farewell Song to The Blind Girl,” “If You Ever Need a Stranger”) dig a pit of loss and loneliness. But moroseness aside, the music is inventive, Lekman’s voice is a sultry dream and this is a worthy addition alongside your Belle & Sebastian EPs.
—Dave Hayden
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.