Search - Kate Tucker & the Sons of Sweden :: Kate Tucker & the Sons of Sweden

Kate Tucker & The Sons of Sweden play a brand of melodic indie pop that springs from a melancholy hope. On their self-titled debut, Tucker sings stories of loves, lost hours, inevitable ends, and broken towers. The songs alternate between night-blue longing and emerald sparkle, borne on the wings of Tucker s haltingly rich voice. The album was recorded and produced by Ryan Hadlock (Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, Holy Ghost Revival) at Bear Creek Studio and features guest vocals by Seattle folk luminary Damien Jurado. This is the first collaboration between Kate and the Swedes. On their debut, Cameron Herrington's steady understated groove compliments Tucker's folk-influenced picking patterns, and Mark Isakson provides texture on shimmering Teles, sustained ad infinitum with an army of delays. Add Nic Danielson's obsession with the Cocteau Twins and Air, and you have a lushly layered record of bright melodies, which run through even the minor keyed tracks. The band lists influences as diverse as The Police, Starflyer 59, Band of Horses, and The Smiths. Tucker s vocals recall Beth Orton and Neko Case. What they take from such artists is the idea of big sound and an attempt to create dramatic compositions in big rooms with small means: that is, five people in a barn in rural Washington. This record is a confident start for Tucker and her band, and they offer a promising future. Though they may be currently veiled in the mists of the emerald city, the Sons of Sweden are on the rise and shining through.