Stina Nordenstam
Posted: January 21st, 2002, by Chris HSo much choice last night. I wanted to go and see The Incredible String Band, Kate Rusby and the Radio Sweethearts. And I decided to… stay in and listen to my new records instead. I was tired.
Best thing I learnt last week was that Stina Nordenstam isn’t mad or dead (Dynamite had me worried, it was morbid as) and she still writes songs. It felt like she’d been gone for ages. The new album (This Is…) is more pop than before, it’s got a Motown style 3-minute rule going on and some happy songs, but it’s still the same Stina and it feels like a logical progression. The jazz influences are almost entirely gone and there’s less space, fewer pauses but the lyrics and the singing are still exquisite. (And that’s not a word I bring myself to use easily, too precious.) There isn’t anyone else who can make “standing in the fucking rain” sound sweet so naturally. I love the album and it’s great to have her back (maybe she didn’t go anywhere and I just was looking the other way but hey). Tour please.
Chris H
Chris was hit by a brick as a child and lost the popular culture part of his brain. This affliction means he is only able to listen to obscure japanese noise bands and watch films with overtly complex storylines. His other interests include skulking, editing documents, taunting policemen and entering undecipherable handwriting contests. He lives in an enormous underground laboratory where he spends many hours trying to un-invent television.