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Loney, Dear

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Location: Jönköping, Sweden

Website: http://www.loneydear.com/

Bio: Sweden’s Emil Svanängen, aka Loney, dear, is a multi-instrumentalist and home-recording artist whose timeless, blooming melodies and heartfelt, quirky arrangements are recorded--with nearly obsessive, awe-inspiring ... (more) dedication. Over the past four years, Svanangen has released four albums, the most recent of which (Loney, noir) was re-released to great critical acclaim on the Sub Pop label in the U.S. after having been initially released, like the rest, by Svanangen (he sold thousands of these on his own accord.) Finally now, The Rebel Group is reissuing Sologne, one of Svanangen’s most moving, confessional, joyous and infectious albums to date, so that it, too, can be made available to a North American audience—and Svanangen will embark on an extensive U.S. tour in early 2008 in support of it (live, Loney, dear becomes a five-piece realization of the band in Svanangen’s head, complete with breathtaking harmonies, jubilant handclaps, and organs.)
Sologne (named after a region in north central France) is the band’s first full-length album, but third release (following up “Citadel Band” and ‘River Fontana Redux”), and it is anchored with one of the grandest gems Svanangen has written to date: “The City, The Airport.” Insistent and hopeful, chants of “The city…I don’t wanna live a life that’s killing me…” reverberate over punctuating horn lines and a linear melody that builds itself to dizzying heights there, while later in the album, “Le Fever” whips xylophones, strings and Svanangen’s angelic vocals into a frenzy. This is a record that is designed to be heard carefully, played loudly, and loved deeply—it is also, importantly, what that launched Loney, dear to the next level of their career and perked the ears of listeners in North America (Sub Pop included.) Soon after Sologne’s release, Svanangen sold thousands, and garnered critical praise from all manner of European press, including praise from NME, Music Week, Zoo, Rock Sound and Uncut---things haven’t slowed down since. (less)