Fourteen years after his debut album I Guess My Troubles Just Begun, Swedish singer/guitarist Svante Sjöblom is back with his second solo LP Before It Breaks. In the meantime he hasn’t been idle. He has performed a lot – solo, with his own band, or with other prominent Scandinavian artists – and he has collaborated with Danish folk trio Twang. With this he has further developed his craft, from which we are now reaping the benefits: we hear a wonderful melting pot of blues, folk, soul, gospel, and even jazz, in 12 beautiful, understated roots songs. Sjöblom was joined by producer Magnus Nörrenberg, and a band made up of some of southern Sweden’s best musicians, including a leading horn section and the friends of Twang. Especially when Ola Åkerman (trombone), Hannes Bennich (saxophone), and Magnus Nörrenberg (keys) can be heard, it becomes more exciting than we are used to in the folk genre. Standout tracks are Devil and Let There Be Light, classics in the making from a timeless album.
Before It Breaks is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Rootsy Music.
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