Jens Lekman
Encyclopedia
Jens Martin Lekman is a Swedish musician. His music is guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. The English lyrics reflect an advanced knowledge of the language and its idioms. His work is heavily influenced by that of Jonathan Richman
and Belle & Sebastian
, and he has been likened to Stephin Merritt
(of The Magnetic Fields
), David Byrne
, and Scott Walker
.
. Because one of his songs during this time was entitled "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl", inspired by the movie Mask
, Lekman was mistakenly referred to as "Rocky Dennis
". Lekman says that it was a "mistake": "someone thought that was my real name cause I had a song about him, and then radio picked up on it, and I never had a chance to change it". He put the confusion to rest with his Rocky Dennis in Heaven
EP (2004).
In 2003, Lekman self-released a 7" vinyl EP
, Maple Leaves
. When the same EP was released on CD
by the Swedish independent label Service Records later that year, he was a well-known name. The songs "Maple Leaves" and "Black Cab" were heavily played on Swedish national radio. He soon signed a contract with the American label Secretly Canadian
for releases outside of Sweden. Heavy touring and his debut album soon followed.
His first album When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
was released in 2004, and consisted of recordings made between 2000 and 2004 (some tracks had been previously released independently by Lekman). The album attracted attention among the alternative music press in both Europe and the U.S. The song "You Are the Light" was a successful radio hit, and a video received some rotation in the Nordic MTV
and ZTV. In Sweden
, the album reached #6 on the national chart. Lekman was nominated for three Swedish Grammies, three P3 Guld and three Manifest awards, and the album was named the album of the year by Nöjesguiden.
A concert film shot from Lekman's sold-out show with José González
at Göteborg's concert hall in December 2003 was broadcast by Swedish national television in 2005. In June 2005, a compilation CD of Lekman's first three EPs (plus extra tracks) was released as Oh You're So Silent Jens
. Lekman's cover of Scout Niblett
's "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death" appeared on Secretly Canadian's SC100 compilation.
Night Falls Over Kortedala
was released in Sweden on 5 September 2007 and worldwide on 9 October 2007. The single "Friday Night at the Drive-in Bingo" preceded the album's release.
Live performances by Lekman have differed in style; at times he has performed alone with only a guitar and a CD player, sometimes doing a cappella
versions of his songs, while at other times he has been accompanied by a choir and string quartet. In 2008, he toured with an all-female back-up band (dressed mostly in white) that provided basic rock instrumentation as well as horns and backing vocals.
On 19 March 2011, Lekman played a show in support of libraries during the widespread closures in the United Kingdom where he premiered a new song, "Every Little Hair Knows Your Name".
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
and Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
, and he has been likened to Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles , best known as the principal singer and songwriter in the band The Magnetic Fields...
(of The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt...
), David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
, and Scott Walker
Scott Walker (singer)
Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
.
Music career
From 2000 to 2003, Lekman recorded and released much of his material privately on CD-RCD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
. Because one of his songs during this time was entitled "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl", inspired by the movie Mask
Mask (film)
Mask is a 1985 American biographical drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, starring Cher, Sam Elliott, and Eric Stoltz. Dennis Burkley and Laura Dern are featured in supporting roles. Cher received the 1985 Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actress....
, Lekman was mistakenly referred to as "Rocky Dennis
Roy L. Dennis
Roy Lee "Rocky" Dennis was an American boy afflicted with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, an extremely rare, sclerotic bone disorder. The condition usually results in neurological disorders and death during childhood. His body was donated to UCLA Medical Center after he died...
". Lekman says that it was a "mistake": "someone thought that was my real name cause I had a song about him, and then radio picked up on it, and I never had a chance to change it". He put the confusion to rest with his Rocky Dennis in Heaven
Rocky Dennis in Heaven
Rocky Dennis In Heaven is an EP by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman, released on 21 January 2004 on Service Records. The EP was later released as simply Rocky Dennis on Secretly Canadian Records. The songs on this EP can also be found on Lekman's 2005 release, Oh You're So Silent Jens...
EP (2004).
In 2003, Lekman self-released a 7" vinyl EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Maple Leaves
Maple Leaves (Jens Lekman)
Maple Leaves is an EP released by Jens Lekman. The songs on this EP can also be found on Lekman's 2005 release, Oh You're So Silent Jens....
. When the same EP was released on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
by the Swedish independent label Service Records later that year, he was a well-known name. The songs "Maple Leaves" and "Black Cab" were heavily played on Swedish national radio. He soon signed a contract with the American label Secretly Canadian
Secretly Canadian
Secretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana. It was started in 1996 by Chris and Ben Swanson, Eric Weddle, and Jonathan Cargill. Their first release was a re-issue of an album by June Panic...
for releases outside of Sweden. Heavy touring and his debut album soon followed.
His first album When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog is the 2004 debut album by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman.-Track listing:All songs were written by Jens Lekman.Service Records release# "Tram #7 to Heaven"# "Do You Remember the Riots?"...
was released in 2004, and consisted of recordings made between 2000 and 2004 (some tracks had been previously released independently by Lekman). The album attracted attention among the alternative music press in both Europe and the U.S. The song "You Are the Light" was a successful radio hit, and a video received some rotation in the Nordic MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and ZTV. In Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, the album reached #6 on the national chart. Lekman was nominated for three Swedish Grammies, three P3 Guld and three Manifest awards, and the album was named the album of the year by Nöjesguiden.
A concert film shot from Lekman's sold-out show with José González
José González
José González is a Swedish-Argentine indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg, Sweden.González is also a member of Swedish band Junip, along with Elias Araya and Tobias Winterkorn.- Biography :...
at Göteborg's concert hall in December 2003 was broadcast by Swedish national television in 2005. In June 2005, a compilation CD of Lekman's first three EPs (plus extra tracks) was released as Oh You're So Silent Jens
Oh You're So Silent Jens
Oh You're So Silent Jens is a compilation album released by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman in 2005. It is composed of previously released tracks taken from Maple Leaves , Rocky Dennis in Heaven , and Julie , as well as"F-word" from the En Garde Fanzine and "The Wrong Hands" from the...
. Lekman's cover of Scout Niblett
Scout Niblett
Emma Louise Niblett , better known by the stage name Scout Niblett, is an English singer and songwriter. Her music is frequently minimal in style, many of her songs consisting merely of vocals accompanied by either drums or guitar, which she mostly plays herself. She is known for her intimate live...
's "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death" appeared on Secretly Canadian's SC100 compilation.
Night Falls Over Kortedala
Night Falls Over Kortedala
Night Falls Over Kortedala is the second full length release by Swedish pop singer Jens Lekman. Announced on 25 July 2007, and advertised on Lekman's website as a "a collection of recordings 2004-2007", the album was released in Scandinavia on the label Service on 5 September 2007 and worldwide on...
was released in Sweden on 5 September 2007 and worldwide on 9 October 2007. The single "Friday Night at the Drive-in Bingo" preceded the album's release.
Live performances by Lekman have differed in style; at times he has performed alone with only a guitar and a CD player, sometimes doing a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
versions of his songs, while at other times he has been accompanied by a choir and string quartet. In 2008, he toured with an all-female back-up band (dressed mostly in white) that provided basic rock instrumentation as well as horns and backing vocals.
On 19 March 2011, Lekman played a show in support of libraries during the widespread closures in the United Kingdom where he premiered a new song, "Every Little Hair Knows Your Name".
Albums
- When I Said I Wanted to Be Your DogWhen I Said I Wanted to Be Your DogWhen I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog is the 2004 debut album by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman.-Track listing:All songs were written by Jens Lekman.Service Records release# "Tram #7 to Heaven"# "Do You Remember the Riots?"...
(Service Records, 7 April 2004; Secretly Canadian, 7 September 2004) - Night Falls Over KortedalaNight Falls Over KortedalaNight Falls Over Kortedala is the second full length release by Swedish pop singer Jens Lekman. Announced on 25 July 2007, and advertised on Lekman's website as a "a collection of recordings 2004-2007", the album was released in Scandinavia on the label Service on 5 September 2007 and worldwide on...
(Service Records, 5 September 2007; Secretly Canadian, 9 October 2007) U.S. #192
Compilations
- Oh You're So Silent JensOh You're So Silent JensOh You're So Silent Jens is a compilation album released by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman in 2005. It is composed of previously released tracks taken from Maple Leaves , Rocky Dennis in Heaven , and Julie , as well as"F-word" from the En Garde Fanzine and "The Wrong Hands" from the...
(Service Records, 8 June 2005; Secretly Canadian, 22 November 2005) - a collection of previously released singles, EPs, and compilation appearances
EPs
- The Insect EP (self-released, 2000) - 20 copies
- 7" Vinyl EP (self-released, 2003) - 250 copies
- Maple Leaves (Service Records, 1 October 2003; Secretly Canadian, 3 February 2004)
- Rocky Dennis (Service Records, 21 January 2004; Secretly Canadian, 6 April 2004)
- I Killed a Party AgainI Killed a Party AgainI Killed a Party Again is an EP released by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman in May 2004.-Track listing:# "REC"# "Kill a Party/Resurrect It"# "Hultsfred '98"# "Firecracker"# "Someone to Share My Life With"...
(self-released, 29 May 2004) - 100 copies - Julie (Service Records, 28 July 2004) - 2000 copies
- You Are the LightYou Are the LightYou Are The Light is an EP by Jens Lekman, released on 17 August 2004 by Secretly Canadian Records-Track listing:#You Are The Light#I Saw Her in the Anti-War Demonstration#A Sweet Summernight on Hammer Hill#A Man Walks Into a Bar...
(Secretly Canadian, 17 August 2004) - The Opposite of Hallelujah (Thievery; Evil Evil, January 2005)
- Live at Stora TeaternLive at Stora Teatern-Track listing:#"You Are The Light" #"I Saw Her In The Anti-War Demonstration" #"Psychogirl" #"They Should Have Given You The Oscar" [written by Gerry Goffin/ Carole King] #"F-Word" #"Julie"...
(Secretly Canadian, 15 February 2005) - You Deserve Someone Better Than a Bum Like MeYou Deserve Someone Better than a Bum Like MeYou Deserve Someone Better Than a Bum Like Me is an EP released by Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman in May 2005 on his Australian tour.-Track listing:#"I Don't Know If She's Worth 900 Kr"#"The One Dollar Thought"...
(self-released, May 2005) - USA October 2005USA October 2005USA October 2005 is an EP by Jens Lekman, which was self-released on his United States tour in October 2005.-Track listing:#Run Away With Me #How Much You Mean To Me#Me On the Beach...
(self-released, October 2005) - Kalendervägen 113.DKalendervägen 113.DKalendervägen 113.D is a bonus EP included with the initial pre-order copies of Jens Lekman's 2007 album Night Falls Over Kortedala. It is a stripped-down 7-track medley of songs from Night Falls... as well as a Paul Simon cover from Graceland and two unreleased songs 'The Rain Has Got To Fall'...
(Service Records, 2007) Bonus EP included with initial copies of "Night Falls Over Kortedala" - An Argument With Myself EPAn Argument with Myself EPAn Argument with Myself is an EP by Swedish indie pop recording artist Jens Lekman, released 19 September 2011 on Secretly Canadian.- Background :On 19 March 2011, Lekman premiered "Waiting for Kirsten" at the Read and Shout Library Festival in London...
(Secretly Canadian, September 2011)
Singles
- Jens Lekman/José GonzálezJosé GonzálezJosé González is a Swedish-Argentine indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg, Sweden.González is also a member of Swedish band Junip, along with Elias Araya and Tobias Winterkorn.- Biography :...
(Service Records, January 2004) - 300 copies, contains "If You Ever Need A Stranger (To Sing At Your Wedding)" - El Perro del MarEl Perro del MarEl Perro del Mar is a musical project that was founded in December 2003 in Gothenburg, Sweden. The sole member of El Perro del Mar, Sarah Assbring, initially started as an MP3/CD-R artist and released her first songs through Hybris Records...
/Jens Lekman (Secretly Canadian,30 October 2004) - contains " I Don't Know If She's Worth 900 Kronor" - Jens Lekman/Blood Music (Insound, November 2006) - contains "A Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill", with spoken word introduction
- "Friday Night at the Drive-In BingoFriday Night at the Drive-In Bingo"Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo" is a Jens Lekman single taken from the 2007 album Night Falls Over Kortedala. 800 copies were released on 7" vinyl. The song also appears on the EP Kalendervägen 113.D-Track listing:...
" / "Radio NRJ" (Service Records, 14 July 2007) - 800 copies
Collaborations
- Kajak - Benni Hemm Hemm (2007) - guest vocals on "Aldrei"
- Något dåligt nytt har hänt - VapnetVapnetVapnet is a Swedish indie pop band from Östersund, signed by record label Hybris. Lead singer is Martin Abrahamsson, who is also active in the indie pop band Sibiria. Their single "Kalla mig" was a big sleeper hit in Sweden in spring/summer 2005...
(2007) - guest vocals on "Håll ihop" - Kingdom Came - Kocky (2007) - guest vocals on "Be Part Of It All"
- Yeah! Oh Yeah! - Duet with Tracey ThornTracey ThornTracey Anne Thorn is an English pop singer and songwriter. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl, which is currently on extended hiatus.-Personal life:...
- Inside (The Corrections) - Duet with New Buffalo
- Here Comes the Rain EP (2006) The Ladybug TransistorThe Ladybug TransistorThe Ladybug Transistor is a Brooklyn-based indie pop group associated with The Elephant Six Collective.Started in 1995 by Gary Olson, Edward Powers and Javier Villegas, the band quickly released Marlborough Farms on Park N' Ride records, adding and subtracting a couple members and going on an...
- Backing Vocals on "Here Comes the Rain" - Clocks/PretenderClocks/PretenderClocks/Pretender is the second album from Swedish indie pop musician Montt Mardié. The album contains two discs, the first disc, Clocks, being 10 new tracks by Montt Mardié, and the second, Pretender, being a disc of compilation tracks. Clocks was released on the Taiwanese label Silent Agreement in...
(2007) - Duet with Montt MardieMontt MardiéMontt Mardié is a Swedish singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer. As of May 2009, Montt Mardié has released three full length albums as well as various singles on the Swedish record label Hybris. He signed to the Taiwanese label Silent Agreement, as well as the UK label Ruffa Lane...
on "Castle in The Sky" - MenaMena (album)- Personnel :*Javiera Mena – Production, composition and arrangements, programming, synthesizers, guitar*Cristián Heyne – Recording, mixing, programming, guitar, synthesizers*Jim Brick – Mastering*Pablo Bello – Strings recording...
(2010) - Javiera MenaJaviera MenaJaviera Alejandra Mena Carrasco , publicly known as Javiera Mena , is a Chilean Indie electronic pop musician. She started her musical career in the Chilean indie music scene in 2001, and transformed into one of the most relevant Chilean indie acts after the release of her first studio album in 2006...
- guest vocals on "Sufrir" - Breakfast in America - Viktor Sjöberg (2010) - guest vocals on "A Million Bucks"
Compilation appearances
- En Garde Fanzine CD-R (2003) - contains "F-Word" and "Sky Phenomenon"
- Based on a True Story (2004) - contains "Be Good"
- Accelerator Compilation (July 2004) - contains "The Wrong Hands"
- Risky Dazzle: A Service Party Shuffle (January 2005) - contains "Maple Leaves", "And I Remember Every Kiss (Demo Version)" (previously unreleased), and "You Are the Light (Reprise)
- Rallye Cloak 02: Swim Sweet Swedish (24 August 2005) - contains "Boisa-Bis-O-Boisa"
- SC100 (24 April 2007) - contains a cover of Scout Niblett's songs "Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death" and "Shining/Burning"
- Four Songs by Arthur RussellFour Songs by Arthur RussellFour Songs by Arthur Russell is a tribute EP of songs written by Arthur Russell, featuring Vera November, Jens Lekman, Taken By Trees, and Joel Gibb.-Track listing:#"Our Last Night Together" #"A Little Lost"...
(20 August 2007) - contains "A Little Lost" - Whip It! (29 September 2009) - contains "Your Arms Around Me"