Loney Dear: Hall Music

Loney Dear
Hall Music
Polyvinyl Records [2011]









Fire Note Says: Loney Dear expands their sound on sixth release Hall Music.

Album Review:
Emil Svanängen has been tweaking his sound since we last heard him on 2009's Dear John, as he returned to his home country of Sweden and was playing shows with a chamber orchestra. This clearly impacted his sixth album, Hall Music, as it has a musical grandiosity to it that is much more adventurous than his previous records. First single "My Heart" features church bells ringing into the rhythm of the track, which to maybe your surprise works out alright. It succeeds because Svanängen's vocals still steer the tracks here and is a consistent factor that always has been the focus of his recordings. Considering Loney Dear albums in the past mostly consisted of Svanängen's voice, guitar and some keyboard, Hall Music sounds light years ahead of his catalog but with the bigger musical production, Loney Dear sometimes loses the special connection with their audience on several tracks. You still need to pat Loney Dear on the back for keeping things interesting and new as parts of Hall Music will grow on you over time. Not sure where Loney Dear go from here but if they were to mix the highlights on this record and bring back a more intimate guitar setting - album number 7 will be something to look forward too.

Key Tracks: "My Heart", "Durmoll", "Loney Blues"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Death Cab For Cutie
Bon Iver
I'm From Barcelona

Loney Dear: Dear John [Fire Note Review 1/26/09]
Loney Dear: Loney, Noir [Fire Note Review 3/1/07]

Loney Dear Website
Loney Dear Facebook
Polyvinyl Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony