Lately I have been enjoying Pelle Carlberg's album "In a Nutshell". It's a pleasant and happy little album, a real delight to listen to.
Plenty of objections could be raised to "In a Nutshell". The album begins with an odd clip of a man singing a ditty in Spanish that is in a totally different key than the song it introduces.
The lyrics are far from poetry, full of trite little love-song-phrases ("All I want is you") and contrived rhymes. Occasionally they are marred by especially terrible lines: "If I ever get happy, my songs will start to suck. But if I ever get happy, I wouldn't give a fuck," Mr Carlberg sings in "I Just Called To Say I Love You". As if this line were not bad enough, he echoes himself in a little falsetto: "faahh-uck."
Neither is the music especially innovative. The instrumentation is fairly standard folk/pop, with guitar, keyboard, harmonica, bass, occasional violin and banjo, drums, tambourine and handclaps.
But the simplicity of this album is what gives it its character and what makes it so good. This music is not orchestral or epic, and never relies on electronics or production to make it what it is. It is simple, happy music that reminds one of familiar things, people and places; full of expressions of happiness, bitterness, love, and resignation. We've already noted that his someone looking for great poetry should not choose Carlberg's lyrics; his lyrics find their weight in the fact that they are clearly personal and identifiable.
My favorite track of the album, "Middleclass Kid", has a catchy, lovely chorus.
This is what makes this album wonderful. To the listener, the whole album seems like a personal message from Pelle Carlberg. The simplicity and brilliant clarity of the emotions expressed makes you feel like Carlberg and his band could be sitting in your living room singing about how you feel and the people you know.
The standout track, "I Love You, You Imbecile", is the only song that I've run across that really makes me wish I were in love. And after watching that, how could I ever again disparage the line "All I want is you"? Most of all, I love how this song's lyrics avoid hyperbolic platitudes and instead go for the specific and hilarious: "I can live with vanity and puns..."
So, give this album a listen! You will not regret it.
Neither is the music especially innovative. The instrumentation is fairly standard folk/pop, with guitar, keyboard, harmonica, bass, occasional violin and banjo, drums, tambourine and handclaps.
But the simplicity of this album is what gives it its character and what makes it so good. This music is not orchestral or epic, and never relies on electronics or production to make it what it is. It is simple, happy music that reminds one of familiar things, people and places; full of expressions of happiness, bitterness, love, and resignation. We've already noted that his someone looking for great poetry should not choose Carlberg's lyrics; his lyrics find their weight in the fact that they are clearly personal and identifiable.
My favorite track of the album, "Middleclass Kid", has a catchy, lovely chorus.
"I can hear you in the first row,
I can hear you in the second row too.
Tell me, do you feel it too?
I can hear you in the third row,
I can hear you in the fourth row too.
Tell me, do you feel the way I do?"
I can hear you in the second row too.
Tell me, do you feel it too?
I can hear you in the third row,
I can hear you in the fourth row too.
Tell me, do you feel the way I do?"
This is what makes this album wonderful. To the listener, the whole album seems like a personal message from Pelle Carlberg. The simplicity and brilliant clarity of the emotions expressed makes you feel like Carlberg and his band could be sitting in your living room singing about how you feel and the people you know.
The standout track, "I Love You, You Imbecile", is the only song that I've run across that really makes me wish I were in love. And after watching that, how could I ever again disparage the line "All I want is you"? Most of all, I love how this song's lyrics avoid hyperbolic platitudes and instead go for the specific and hilarious: "I can live with vanity and puns..."
So, give this album a listen! You will not regret it.
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