This is another album that I have been anticipating for so long this year. I just could barely hold in my excitement until today to talk about my little friend Jens Lekman. He has been creating brilliant little albums for a couple of years now. But I really think that this is the year of the Jens. The new album is called "Night Falls Over Kortedala." I can't stop listening to this album. It also seems that anyone who has already heard it is as obsessed with it as I am. Sometimes it is nice to have your little secret artists that not too many other people know about. But I have really been wanting the rest of the world to love Jens as much as I have the last couple of years.

I began my obsession with him when he put out "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl." This is of course in reference to the brilliant film that is "Mask." Most people can't really handle the excellent makeup work that transformed Eric Stoltz. But I really do love this movie. Please go and watch it right now if you have never seen it. You can find the 3 Rocky Dennis songs on the EP collection album "Oh You're So Silent Jens" or the original "Rocky Dennis" EP. This new album is actually only his second real album. The first being "When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog."

Jens is a little bit Stephin Merritt and a little bit Sufjan Stevens. Sort of like an orchestrated indie rock lounge singer. I just read a review today that said his music was perfect for swingers parties. I really would not go that far. But I could imagine it being played live at maybe some piano bar in Portland or something. But with a full band and backup singers. The first song begins with music very similar to the theme of the Hellraiser movies.  However, I know he is sampling someone else on this song. But it really reminds me of the Christopher Young Score of Hellraiser. So it sort of puts me in a weird mood every time I start the album.  Jens is really a great songwriter and like Stephin Merritt or the great Paul Lynde, he has great delivery of his lines. The songs are actually fun little love songs with great lyrics like "I would never kiss anyone, who doesn't burn me like the sun." He is telling stories with his songs and albums but seems to be sort of making fun of himself while he is singing. Like he is telling us by his delivery that he really does not take himself as seriously as he seems to be. He is having fun with himself on these albums. He also sort of reminds me of Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy.
In that European indie rock showtunes kind of way.