Wonderboys - Stronger than
You - Imported by Listening-Post.com
The Trampolines were one of Sweden’s finest music exports in recent
years - a heady mixture of big harmonies, jangling guitars propelling
along some damned fine pop songs Pär Davidsson, frontman and songwriter
for Americana-inspired act The Wonderboys was one half of The Trampolines.
A long time ago, Pär and his friends used to gather in his parents’ kitchen, building plastic models - cars, planes, boats and classic monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula. “We played our favourite records on the small record player that stood in the corner, artists like Elvis, the Beatles, Hendrix, the Osmond Brothers but also things like the theme to High Chaparral and this weird record with Scottish bagpipes playing standards and oldies.”
Against this innocent soundtrack they whiled away endless summer vacations scoffing Danish pastries and quaffing hot chocolate. Music wasn’t really on the agenda except for the detested, enforced recorder lessons – Pär wanted to be George Best or Pelé. Admittedly at the time they also thought the hottest woman around was Tarzan’s Jane.
The musical turning point came many years later when Pär heard The Police’s “Walking On The Moon” on the radio. He loved the melancholy of the tune, Sting’s high pitched voice and the bass.
“You could actually hear the bass - I was fascinated,” says Pär. He asked his father if he could sell his saxophone and buy a bass instead – his father agreed but warned he that he thought it would be easier to get girls if he continued playing the sax.
When Pär came to make the album “Stronger Than You” these childhood memories came flooding back and he decided to try and capture that spirit of innocent camaraderie – friends together just making things and having fun.
“I'm fortunate to have a studio at home. During the sessions we had barbeque breaks and held intimate dinner parties with favourites like Chris Whitley, Daniel Lanois, U2, Jimmy Hendrix, Emmylou Harris, Aimee Mann and Fat Boy Slim playing in the background”.
A quirky slice of Americana via southern Sweden, “Stronger Than You” contains 11 songs with Pär addressing universal coming-of-age questions.
“I wanted to write about a time in my life when I was getting to know myself a little better,” he says “and I wasn't sure that I liked what I found. I wanted to write about a time when I was really struggling to find out what was up and what was down and I was asking myself is it possible for anyone to love me the way I am. I think these are issues we have all have dealt with”.
Wonderboys - Stronger than You - Imported by Listening-Post.com
Price - $17.00
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