Since Strengeplukk (translation: “string plucking”) formed in Stavanger, Norway, in 2015, we have established ourselves as one of our country’s most dedicated bluegrass bands. For the last ten years, we’ve played hundreds of concerts spanning the entire latitude of our homeland, as well as several festivals around Europe. Known for combining differing bluegrass traditions with Norwegian lyrics in our diverse and distinct dialects, Strengeplukk consists of Andreas Barsnes Onarheim (mandolin), Jakob Folke Ossum (guitar), Mikael Jonassen (banjo), Nikolai Storevik (fiddle) and Vidar Starheimseter (bass). We are now based in Oslo, but Andreas still resides in Stavanger.
As an introduction to Scandinavian bluegrass, we have collectively gathered a playlist of Norwegian and Scandinavian bluegrass-adjacent music. The list is populated with some favourite music from our friends and colleagues on the scene, as well as some historic cuts from Norwegian bluegrass history. It also features some brand-new tracks from our newest album, Neste steg, which released on March 7! – Strengeplukk
“Aust-Vågøy” – Strengeplukk
This is one of the more progressive Strengeplukk tunes, featuring lyrics from a war poem written by Inger Hagerup in 1941. Musically, it’s a song that pays tribute to many of the present day bluegrass musicians and bands that influence us. It was composed by Andreas as a homage to his grandfather who fought in the resistance during WWII.
“Kjekt å ha” – Øystein Sunde
Inspired by the ’60s folk revival, Øystein Sunde was part of the first generation of bluegrass musicians in Norway – and started Norway’s first bluegrass band, Christiana Fusel & Blaagress in the late ’60s. For the ’80s song “Kjekt å ha,” well-known by all Norwegians, he went to Nashville to record with the best of the best session musicians at the time, including Béla Fleck, Mark O’Connor, and Jerry Douglas.
“Springar” – Earlybird Stringband
An early example of Norwegian folk music and bluegrass fusion, pioneered by our friends in the Earlybird Stringband.
“Havly” – Strengeplukk
For our fiddle player Nikolai’s graduation fiddle concert, we arranged his tunes inspired by a mix of Norwegian folk music traditions and bluegrass. The resulting arrangements turned into half of our 2020 album, Nyslått Gras. This song is based on one of the oldest forms of folk music in Norway, the folk music from Setesdalen.
“Gone With the Wind” – Dunderhead
Dunderhead is one of neighbouring Sweden’s best known bluegrass bands. This one is a real banger, sung by Angelina Lundh.
“Father’s Presence” – Lars Endrerud
Lars is mostly seen playing bass with various bands and artists, but also picks guitar, mandolin, and more like a pro. This beautiful instrumental is from his solo album, Mandouche, and features him playing his Norwegian-built Rian mandolin. Rune Thoen, who joins Lars, plays various other string instruments.
“Et hundredels sekund” – Strengeplukk
This one is about getting lost in your hobby. An amateur photographer wants to take a photo of him and his girlfriend, but he spends too long fumbling with the gear and the girl disappears.
“Oriental Hoedown” – Gammalgrass
Norway’s foremost multi-instrumentalist Stian Carstensen – known for his work with artists eclectically ranging from Jacob Collier and Michael Brecker to Mike Patton – spearheads the band Gammalgrass together with award-winning jazz fiddle player Ola Kvernberg.
“Creedence på kassett” – Ila Auto
With a four-figure number of concerts played and several Spellemannprisen (Norwegian GRAMMY) wins and nominations behind them, Ila Auto has for the past 20 years been the face of bluegrass bands featuring original songs with Norwegian lyrics. This is one of their hits.
“Legg han i bløyt” – Strengeplukk
On this uptempo song, we wanted to recreate a fast and fierce sound inspired by bands like Kentucky Thunder. The lyrics are about an angry housewife who grows tired of raising both her kids and her husband and ends up taking matters in her own hands.
“Fast Forward” – The Bluegrass Playboys
This band consists of present and former members of Øystein Sunde’s lineup. The tune is written by Dobro player Knut Hem.
“Bode’s Reel” – Open String Department
More good friends on the list. These guys are on the A-list of virtuosos in both bluegrass and jazz. Open String Department combines these genres in a smooth and tasty way. Their compositions are both complex and catchy, and their improvisations are creative and inspiring. They’ve always been someone to look up to.
“Caravelle” – Strengeplukk
Strengeplukk spent our early days touring the western parts of Norway in an old, red Volkswagen Caravelle. This song is about those days, those memories, and the fact that even though you’re on the road doing what you love, there’s no place like home.
“Annie on My Mind” – Happy Heartaches
Some of our best jamming has been together with these lovely Swedes, who we’ve run into at numerous bluegrass festivals over the years. Last year they released their debut album, A Place to Land, on CD only, but it will be available on streaming later this spring.
“Dry River” – Twang
The Danish trio Twang are kings of tasteful arrangements and their take on swing-inspired folk with a bluegrass-inspired instrumentation and beautiful vocal sounds.
I meet Swedish performer and singer-songwriter Sarah Klang in the glorious maximalist backstage area at Nashville’s the Blue Room before her first-ever Music City show in mid-January. She’s cozy on the couch, a tin of pouched nicotine by her side, a hippo skull on the coffee table in front of us, and her brand new album, Beautiful Woman (out February 7) on our minds. The first thing I notice – besides her beautiful tattoos and the shimmering gemstone stud on one of her teeth – is her gaudy and gorgeous red-white-and-blue acrylic nails. Complete with rhinestones and glitter.
To Klang, the country aesthetic is the “coolest,” and in her part of the world she’s seen as something of a country queen. Her work across her discography varies greatly in genres and sonics, including folk, indie, pop, Americana, and so much more. But Beautiful Woman, which was produced by Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats, Bonny Light Horseman) doesn’t feel like Klang is just putting on rootsiness because it’s “cool” or “in” or trending. These are sonic spaces she knows well and strides through with ease.
Beautiful Woman boasts bold and brash moments that feel like Adele covering The SteelDrivers alongside tender story songs that could have almost been pulled from the catalogs of country queens this side of the Atlantic like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. Danceable tracks, finger-picked ballads, and honest lyrics speak to impactful issues of motherhood, agency, feminism, embodiment – and so much more – but still feel light and joyful, leaning forward in the beat and finding hope in the melancholic.
Catching her debut Nashville performance at the Blue Room felt a bit momentous, though Klang seemed remarkably chill and relaxed, on and off stage. She and collaborator Theo Stocks (who also helps record and produce her projects) performed in duet, with lush reverbs and simple backing percussion tracks to a rapt audience. An audience who knew they were lucky to have Klang on this “side of the pond.”
Before the show, we dove into Beautiful Woman, speaking about the death of genre, choosing your own joy, always wanting more banjos, and so much more.
Do you see what you do as roots music? How do you place your own music within roots or folk or Americana? Your music has so many things – it’s got moments of grandeur, it’s got moments of subtlety, it’s got indie, it’s got pop, it’s got a little bit of everything. But I wonder how you identify it.
Sarah Klang: That’s sort of a really hard question. I always feel it’s a little bit like I don’t really know the genres. So, mostly when I put out my albums, afterwards people will review them and they will tell me what genre it is and I will be like, “Yeah, yeah! Mhmm, that’s what it is.” Because I don’t really think about it.
I mean, I listen to so much– random indie, folk, Americana, all those things that you mentioned. And I’m introduced to iconic classical things mainly through Theo [Stocks], my guitarist that I make albums with, and also Eric [D. Johnson]. Like a very normal thing in the studio would be that they would say, “Oh, this is very Kris Kristofferson-ish.” And I would be like, “Could you play it for me?” And then they play the song, and I’m like, “Okay!”
I don’t really have a special aim for where I’m going, because I don’t have any roots in anything. Really. I know what I like. I know the feeling [of what] I’m after. I guess the sentimental [and the] bittersweet, those always end up in some sort of Americana thing.
If it’s not the genre, or style, or the aesthetic that you’re going for – or that you’re following – it sounds to me like you’re following the songs themselves and the feeling you’re trying to evoke.
Yes. I mean, it’s just like an imprinted thing in my brain, “What sounds do I like?” It has always been like that, really. I don’t really play any instruments anymore. I used to play the guitar and the piano, but now I don’t. We’ve been here [in Nashville] for seven days and had sessions every day and Theo knows very well how to describe [the sounds]. He’s kind of like my interpreter. How do you say it? My interpreter? When it comes to melodies and shorts [takes], because someone at the session could play me a bit and I’ll be like “Hmmm?” And Theo will say, “It’s the last short. She doesn’t want that last short. Let’s go with that instead.” He understands.
I think I just have quite a small range of melodies that I like. I mean, my songs are kind of similar, how they are made. The aesthetic of country music has always felt like that’s the only way to go. That’s the only aesthetic that really looks cool, you know? When I started to dress up in country-ish things in Sweden, people were like, “Okay, well she makes country music.” That’s how far they would go. So in Sweden I’m often categorized and called the country queen of Sweden. I get a little bit nervous about that, because I know so little about country music and you know that everybody has such strong opinions about it.
What’s funny to me is even with how strong of opinions people have about country and what it is, it’s always in the eye of the beholder.
I’ve obviously been listening a lot – maybe not classic country, whatever that is – but I mean, I’ve been listening to Kurt Vile, Kevin Morby, Sharon Van Etten, you know, those very big country rock people for a long time. I think that is my biggest influence, really. Then we take that and Theo and Eric on this album, who are just very nerdy in music, they put their spin on it.
But for me, it’s not important to me. Where this album lands, in which genre – I couldn’t care less. But, I think that’s why I started having a western aesthetic. ‘Cause it’s the coolest part, I think. I was like, “Okay, I’m gonna start a solo project. Where do I want to be? What’s cool?”
That, probably. [Laughs]
You’re talking about collaborating with Theo and Eric and it sounds like having that trust and having that rapport is really important to getting the music where you wanted to get it. When I listen through and I hear the banjo moments and the really rootsy and Americana moments, trying to connect the dots, how much of that came from Eric producing?
I asked for that specifically! I mean, if it were up to me, I would say, “More banjo! Put banjo on everything!” ‘Cause that makes everything a jam.
But the boys are more tasteful when it comes to that. When [Eric] played, I think I asked him to try and play on like every song – and not because I wanted to be a “diddly doo” out there, but just because that’s my vibe. I mean, when someone plays on a banjo, there is nothing more tearjerking.
Of course, “Last Forever” jumped out at me for that quality. That was the track from Beautiful Woman that we premiered on BGS. I think it’s my favorite song on the record. But there are so many moments that feel like you’re a genre shapeshifter. And I think that that’s the time we’re in too, genre’s dead. Even while we get more and more and more genre names every year, it feels like genre’s dead.
For me, it’s probably a good thing that it is. That I’m not locked in a genre. I don’t think I’m ever gonna have to be like, “Okay guys, I’m breaking free from this [genre.]” I don’t have to do like a Miley Cyrus thing – “look at my new clothes!” – because I wear everything and that’s nice because I think I’m gonna keep on producing albums as long as I can, and I would like to not be stuck if I were to start feeling this [genre] is boring.
I mean, I’m a huge house fan. I love dance music. When I was a teenager, I mostly listened to weird party drinking music from the UK. I always wanted to make a club album. So, hopefully I could just like sneak over there. When the time’s right. [Laughs]
Another song that jumped out at me as feeling really rootsy is “Childhood.” Not only because of the aesthetic of the song, but the storytelling of it and the nostalgia in it. Something about it feels kind of theatrical to me, too, and I think country is so theatrical.
Yeah, it’s very dramatic. I think when I’m making a song, I feel like “more is more” and if you are going in a certain direction, just go all-in and don’t cringe. Because then it’s just going to end up in some halfway world.
For me, with “Childhood” I was like, “Oh, is this song too nice? Is it too sweet?” Like, no! It’s great. It’s a great song. You just have to go all the way with the feelings. Because then if you don’t, I don’t think you’re going to reach the point you wanted to reach.
Many of my melodies, when I write, I ask myself or Theo or Eric, “Is this too pop-y? Does it sound too much like yada yada yada? Is this a rip off?” And they’re, “Let’s go for it!” You just go straight into that vibe and feeling.
Our music goes all the way into the feeling without hesitating if it might be too much. If you are driving your car, you want to listen to Tom Petty. And he wasn’t like, “Oh, I’m gonna write a song that is making people feel free… but it can’t be too much!” [Laughs]
“I want a driving song, but for 35 miles an hour.”
No! [Laughs] Pedal to the metal.
The overarching concepts that the album is talking about, I think what some people, especially in the U.S., would think these are deep topics – feminism, womanhood, gender and gender roles. But I found it interesting that even with these subjects, the music still feels joyful, it feels like it’s looking forward, it feels like it leans forward – in the beat, literally and figuratively. But, it doesn’t feel like cotton candy, and it doesn’t feel like you’re minimizing anything. Can you talk a little bit about that?
I mean, that makes me so happy that you felt that way. I’ve done interviews about this album in Sweden, with women, and they’re like, “Sarah, you do know that you are a beautiful woman now, right? And I’m like, that’s not the fucking point! As if I were singing it, meaning that that was the point. Maybe I thought when I was younger that that was a goal, but it’s not now.
I just want to write whatever comes to mind, and since English is not my first language, I have to write it very straight and simple. Like, “This is what happened, period.” I don’t really have the energy or time to hide the message. That is not my thing. Some people are great with that, leaving clues. I just write words – it’s also like, I’m busy I need to write the lyrics now! [Laughs]
I always ask my friend when I’ve done an album, “What is the catchphrase for this album? What would you say now when you heard it?” So, for VIRGO she was like, “This is your sex album.” And Mercedes, “This is your pregnancy album, obviously.” But this one, she was like, “I think this is a celebration of girlhood, period.” And I was like, “Yep, that’s perfect.” I’ll just use that. Because I obviously just collect songs. Over a period of time, and then I feel, well now it’s done. And I don’t write an album after a theme.
One of the things I love about the album is that it ends on “I Have Everything.” I like that that’s the way that you’re putting a punctuation mark on the album. Right now, I’m really worn out by attention economies, consumption, consumerism, and like, “buying our happiness.” I was really struck by that song. I love having it at the end; it feels like you are not just talking to us, your listeners, but you’re also talking to yourself. So I wanted to ask you about the song and about the placement of it in the sequence.
I think I wrote it to myself. Like, “Listen! Stop being a complete asshole all the time!” It’s annoying, but I’ve learned – and it’s nice, but it’s hard to talk about it without it sounding so cringey and boring – but the only thing that makes you happy is to take walks outside, be with your family, eat right, and take care of yourself. And that is boring, but it’s the truth. I always felt that people who said, “I wake up every morning and tell myself five things that I’m grateful for–” and I’m like, “Okay… that’s weird.” [Laughs]
If you do that, you will probably feel better. If you are nice to people around you, you will probably feel better. If you’re nice to yourself. I mean, grown up people have been telling me [this] all my life. During my 20s, through periods where I was just unhinged and didn’t feel right. They were like, “Well, maybe if you took a little better care of yourself and didn’t party so much and spent time with your family, you would feel better.” And I was like, “Listen, it’s more than that.”
Yeah, like I am so deep. [Laughs] My traumas are so deep! You have no idea! I’m a fuck up. And then, turns out you’re not. That’s a nice thing about getting a little bit older, you just know, “I’m gonna be fine.” And it’s also my responsibility to make that happen.
Every time somebody had ever told me that “joy is a choice” and “happiness is a choice,” I didn’t realize at first that what they meant was joy or happiness that you construct for yourself isn’t fake.
No! And it doesn’t undermine your sad parts. Like, that is always going to be there. Don’t worry. I think so many of us are just melancholic people. I mean, people have had worse experiences than I’ve had and are so chill and so fine.
I think happiness is definitely something you can work on and give to yourself, and it’s not like a miracle.
There’s something for everyone in this week’s premiere round-up!
From the bluegrass realm, check out a new, suitably spooky track from southwest Virginia mainstay Amanda Cook, a vocal trio number from the fellas of Sideline, and Twisted Pine have a brand new music video for a song all about bluegrass festival fun, “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens).”
From elsewhere on the genre map, check out tracks debuting from singer-songwriter Bailey Bigger, Swedish artist Sarah Klang has an Americana-flavored number featuring Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats, and Emily Frembgen declares she’s “Hard 2 Love.”
Don’t miss a lyric video for the title track from American Idol winner Lee DeWyze’s brand new album, Gone For Days, as well. It’s all right here on BGS and You Gotta Hear This!
In Their Words: “‘Nancy Jo’ was a more recently written song this year. I wrote it in memory of my grandmother, who represents to me all the women in my life who have sacrificed their own dreams for the inevitable love for those around them. It’s a bittersweet, give-and-take feeling to experience and watch take over the amazing women in our lives, and something I think we can all relate to universally. The duality of my grandmother was beautiful to me. She had so many regrets, dreams she never got to take a real shot at, and hopes, yet so much gratitude, love, and confidence in the path she did choose in this life. She loved her life and brought so much joy and presence to those around her. But we would dream together every time I sat with her in the kitchen. When I reach for my life and my future, it’s not just my hands, it’s all the women in my ancestry, standing behind me, pushing me further.
“This song was highly influenced, musically, by the dream pop movement of the ’90s. My dad gave me his CDs by The Sundays that he wore out in college, and I fell in love instantly with their dreamy guitar tones and Harriet’s voice just painting the canvas with her melodies. I wanted to create a similar production with clear inspiration behind this song, and dream pop is a genre I’ve been itching to explore in my own sound as I get creative with guitar pedals and melodies.” – Bailey Bigger
Amanda Cook, “Devil’s Looking Glass”
Artist:Amanda Cook Hometown: Fancy Gap, Virginia Song: “Devil’s Looking Glass” Album:Restless Soul Release Date: September 18, 2024 (single); October 18, 2024 (album) Label: Mountain Fever Records
In Their Words: “I love a spooky song and when Troy Boone (our mandolin player) let me hear his demo of ‘Devil’s Looking Glass,’ I knew I was going to be hooked. Troy’s vivid lyrics make the story feel so real that it’s almost like a true legend coming to life. As Troy shared, he wrote ‘Devil’s Looking Glass’ in high school, drawing inspiration from the rock formation above the Nolichucky River near his childhood home and crafting a haunting song based on a local curse story.” – Amanda Cook
Track Credits: Written by Troy Boone. Amanda Cook – Lead vocal Carolyne Van Lierop – Banjo Troy Boone – Mandolin Brady Wallen – Guitar Josh Faul – Bass George Mason – Fiddle
Lee DeWyze, “Gone For Days”
Artist:Lee DeWyze Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Song: “Gone For Days” Album:Gone For Days Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Mavelle Records
In Their Words: “‘Gone For Days’ for me reflects on how someone can feel lost, but through that – inspired and transformed by their environment. Ultimately, for me, it’s a story of growth and rebirth. To an extent, it captures my own personal experience of stepping into the unknown when choosing to make the decision to head to Bristol, Tennessee and make this album.
“My hope is that this song can serve as an anthem for those who navigate the dark, and seek their own path. I want ‘Gone For Days’ to offer reassurance that even in the darkest moments, there’s a way forward.
“It was one of the last songs I wrote for this album – and while working with the amazing musicians out in Bristol and taking in the energy of where I was, it dawned on me it wasn’t just a song, it was a documentary for my journey and a snapshot of the profound changes I was experiencing.” – Lee DeWyze
Track Credits: Written by Lee DeWyze. Lee DeWyze – Vocals, acoustic guitar Phil Faconti – Electric guitar Dave Eggar – Cello, string arrangement Noah Denton – Bass Jordan Katz – Horns Mike Stephenson – Drums, percussion Blake Collins – Mandolin
Video Credit: Lee DeWyze
Emily Frembgen, “Hard 2 Love”
Artist:Emily Frembgen Hometown: New York City Song: “Hard 2 Love” Album:No Hard Feelings Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Don Giovanni Records
In Their Words: “I made ‘Hard 2 Love’ at Excello Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with my producer Hugh Pool. We recorded it and most of the other tracks on No Hard Feelings live with Keith Robinson on drums, Bruce Martin on piano, and Charles Dechants on bass. Melody Stolpp came in later to record back up vocals. The song owes a lot to Lucinda Williams’s ‘Blue,’ which is often playing in my head. I’m so fascinated with these super simple yet emotionally impactful songs. Lucinda’s ‘Blue’ and ‘Lonely Girls,’ Lou Reed’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ Sondheim’s ‘Losing My Mind.’ My relationship with my father informs this and many of the songs on this album as it has greatly informed the way I exist in the world. This is a cathartic song for me to sing and I hope it’s cathartic for other people. It’s hard to love and to be loved, at least for some of us.” – Emily Frembgen
Track Credits: Emily Frembgen – Vocals Hugh Pool – Guitar Keith Robinson – Drums Bruce Martin – Piano Charles Dechants – Bass Melody Stolpp – Backup vocals
Sarah Klang, “Last Forever” featuring Fruit Bats
Artist:Sarah Klang Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden Song: “Last Forever” featuring Fruit Bats Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Nettwerk Music Group
In Their Words: “It’s a song about the feeling of being ‘the bad one’ in the relationship. Or maybe even that you are ‘the bad one.’ And you love someone who insists on seeing the best in you, and constantly fights on, even though you behave badly. I didn’t really have any idea that it could be a duet until Eric suggested it. He asked me to write down some of my dream artists to duet with, and of course I wrote his name as #1 on the note. Luckily he said yes!
“This collaboration was an eye-opener to me, because it immediately opened two creative worlds: suddenly there were two perspectives and that is very new for me to have. To get to work with someone I admire so much was a dream come true, and I felt like it made me a stronger writer too.” – Sarah Klang
“When Sarah and her writing partner, Theo Stocks, brought this sketch in, I was already all in on it going on the album. The opening line: ‘I’ve got two issues with you, and one of them is that you love me…’ just devastated me out of the gate. The song starts off as a lilting waltz, then turns into a chugging, desperate rock anthem and fades off into the sunset. When they suggested I sing a verse, I was honored and intimidated. I love that each verse comes from a different perspective – and then ends on intertwined stories about lovers trying to figure out the balance of life.” – Eric D. Johnson, Fruit Bats
Sideline, “Is It True”
Artist:Sideline Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina Song: “Is It True” Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “It’s really awesome to watch a band take an older song and make it into their own without completely dissecting the original. When Steve brought this one to the table, it was obvious that it was a Sideline song. We applied our drive and energy to it and let the lyrics do the rest of the work. It is also one of the very few – if any – Sideline songs with a trio throughout the whole song, and Bailey nailed the lead part. High-powered and exciting!” – Skip Cherryholmes, guitar and vocals
“What caught my attention about this song was that it is one of the rare cases where the verses have harmony all the way through, and the choruses are sung solo. Typically, it’s vice versa.” – Steve Dilling, banjo and vocals
Track Credits: Skip Cherryholmes – Guitar, vocals Steve Dilling – Banjo, vocals Bailey Coe – Lead vocal Kyle Windbeck – Upright bass Nick Goad – Mandolin, vocals Matt Flake – Fiddle
Twisted Pine, “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens)”
Artist:Twisted Pine Hometown: Boston, Massachusettes & Toronto, Ontario, Canada Song: “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens)” Album:Love Your Mind Release Date: September 17, 2024 (single); October 18, 2024 Label: Signature Sounds
In Their Words: “Every summer, music fanatics assemble their camping gear and instruments and gather together in a field somewhere for that most peculiar of community events: the bluegrass festival. As a band, many of our formative and milestone experiences have taken place at festivals. We’ve learned a lot of lessons – good and bad. This song is our ode to the festival experience. It’s about a universal thought process that happens every night at festivals around the world, ‘Should I be trying to get some sleep right now? Or should I stay up, and pick, and see where the night takes me?’ It’s definitely a coin toss, and depending on how you feel you might regret the late night the next morning, but either way, it makes for a memorable night, and you look forward to what next year’s fest will bring
“The details of the song are based on true events and everyone’s festival vibe. Chris likes to wander around looking for hot dogs; Kathleen croons country ballads in the moonlight; Anh typically stays out until the sun comes up; Dan posts up at the center of the old-time jam on bass. And there’s always that dude at the jam trying to get laid so in our song we named him Dirty Pete.
“Shot on location at two of the very best festivals in our part of the country: the Ossipee Valley Music Festival and Green Mountain Bluegrass and Roots, ‘(Nothing Good Happens) After Midnight’ should be a familiar sentiment for BGS readers. See y’all next year!” – Twisted Pine
Track Credits: Written by Kathleen Parks, Dan Bui, and Anh Phung. Kathleen Parks – Lead vocals, fiddle Chris Sartori – Bass Dan Bui – Mandolin Anh Phung – Flute, background vocals Ethan Robbins – Guitar
Video Credit: Directed, filmed, and edited by Jay Strausser, Jay Strausser Visuals
Photo Credit: Twisted Pine by J. Chattman; Lee DeWyze by Kalin Gordon Photography.
Running has been a way for me to balance the highs and lows of the music industry. It gives me time to process my thoughts and decisions, and it’s also the perfect time for me to discover new music. In a chaotic world, running helps clear my mind and give me better energy throughout my day. I like to change up what I listen to, but below are a few of my go-to favorites. – Old Sea Brigade
“Starburster” – Fontaines D.C.
This was one of those songs that instantly grabbed me the moment I heard it. When I’m out running, I like to find songs where the beat is consistent. I think the scarcity of the instrumentation lets the drums and vocals just put you in a trance. It’s a perfect pace setter to start out your run.
“Midnight Rider” – Allman Brothers Band
Though I live in Sweden now most of the year, this song always brings back memories of growing up in Georgia. My mom’s from a small town in south Georgia called Brunswick and to get there from Atlanta (where I grew up), we’d always stop for a while in Macon, GA, home to the Allman Brothers. Every time I hear this song I oddly feel nostalgic for those blistering hot July drives through south Georgia to visit my grandparents. It’s a nice memory of home when I’m on a run through the streets of Gothenburg.
“New Noise” – Refused
Switching gears here… but I grew up playing in heavy bands and Refused were a pivotal band to me within hardcore music. I think this is the perfect mid-run song to help kick in those endorphins.
“You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire” – Queens of the Stone Age
A lot of times when I’m running, I like to daydream I’m the drummer in a heavy band. There’s definitely been a number of occasions where I’m air-drumming to this one on a run. Hopefully, no one has that on video.
“Seventeen” – Sharon Van Etten
The lyrics to this song hit me with every line. Such a beautiful song with an equally magnificent production. The driving drums make it perfect for a run.
“Centurion” – King Buffalo
This song hits so hard, plus I love a good stoner rock jam. Fun one to run to.
“Run To Your Mama” – Goat
I love the Black Sabbath feel here and the consistent guitar rhythm. Sets a nice pace for running
“Under The Pressure (Live)” – The War on Drugs
I like to time this to be one of the last songs of my run. When the guitar solo hits at the end, it’s absolutely amazing. What an incredible live band.
“Punk Rock Loser” – Viagra Boys
I love this band. I was a little late to the party, but this was one of the first songs I heard from them.
“Broken Man” – St. Vincent
I’m obsessed with St. Vincent’s production on this one. I love how drastic the new instruments are introduced here.
Behold, fiddle nerds! There is a new foundational collection of tunes to sink your teeth into, from two of the foremost fiddle players in Swedish and American traditions. Brittany Haas (Nashville) and Lena Jonsson (Stockholm), are award winning instrumentalists and have been long time collaborators and friends. The duo recently released their second recording together, and their first in nearly 10 years. The Snake explores old-time and Swedish fiddle traditions with finesse and subtlety, but is even more ambitious in scope than their first, self-titled record.
As part of the new collection, Jonsson and Haas composed a three-part suite for two fiddles, made up of entirely original material, but inspired by the format and musical stylings of J.S. Bach. Over a video call between Nashville, New York, and Sweden, we discussed how to stay inspired on the fiddle, what guides their accompaniment choices, and what records folks should start with if they want to learn more about Swedish fiddle and folk music.
We’ve put together a playlist of their recommendations at the bottom of this piece.
Okay, this is a weird place to start, but I noticed a distinct lack of chopping on this album. Was that intentional? I mean as someone who played in a two fiddle format a lot, you only have so many options for how to arrange. Were you like, “WE WILL NOT CHOP” on this record?
Brittany Haas: [Laughs] Honestly, I didn’t even think about it! But you’re right, I think maybe there’s just a little bit of chop on “10 Days of Isolation?” And maybe, Lena, did you chop on “Fiddle Claw?”
Lena Jonsson: I mean, maybe I kind of chopped! I can’t really chop. I think part of it is that for Swedish tunes, chopping doesn’t feel as natural. It isn’t really in the tradition, so it wouldn’t be a “go to” choice. It would more be an option if you wanted to do something really different sounding.
BH: Yeah, in Swedish fiddle music, the most common way that fiddles play together is in harmony, but the harmonies are way more diverse than in American traditions. The Swedish harmonies are all over the place, you call it second voice I think.
Totally. And considering that the options are so open ended for harmony, how do you decide where to go with it?
BH: I think I’ve just heard it done a lot, and often the second voices will be lower, being more fluid with direction and rhythm. So when I’m playing with Lena, she will play under me, and then I don’t want to do the exactly same thing, so I might try and play something above her to explore and change it up.
LJ: The harmony above is really unusual in Swedish music, but now that I’ve heard Brit do it so much, I’ve started to do it and it sounds really cool, I love it!
BH: Because we’re just the two of us and because we are coming out of a heavily Swedish tradition on this record, the harmony is not so chordally rooted, it’s much more based on the melody and the implied chords can change completely from repeat to repeat.
That’s super interesting! So in Swedish music, what would the main chordal instruments be?
LJ: The chordal instrument would be guitar, accordion, cittern, or mandolin, an example is the band Dreamers’ Circus. But also, it’s a relatively new idea to play backup chords for fiddle tunes, so folks are always experimenting with how to do back up, but finding interesting ways to play it is always cool. For some tunes, it’s just really hard to define what are the chords are, especially with the the older tunes, the melody can be really open. So when you’re in a jam it can be very confusing, chordal instruments could be playing all completely different chords over the same tune. [Laughs]
Would it be fair to say that the Swedish tradition is very centered around the fiddle, and everything else is auxiliary?
LJ: Yes, I would say so.
You both have done a lot of playing in the old-time and Swedish traditions. In melding these two styles, I’m curious how you find a groove together? To me, these styles can traditionally land quite differently rhythmically, but it seems to be seamless between the two of you?
BH: My sense of that is that it happens pretty naturally and I think that the reason why we’re here, playing together, is because we naturally line up together on a groove.
LJ: I agree, I think that’s interesting too, to not be so decision oriented, to not say, “This tune should be traditionally this way,” or “That tune should be traditionally that way.” It’s more interesting to find the meeting of the two genres as it happens naturally.
BH: Over the years of knowing each other and playing together, we’ve probably come together groove-wise by teaching each other tunes, etc.
Of course, that makes sense. You’re learning each other’s groove within the tunes you’re learning from one another.
I wanted to ask you, there’s a really interesting series on the record called “Låt efter Back,” which is a three part composition, divided into Vals, Visa, and Polska, Can you tell me about it?
LJ: Yes! Well, I went to Nashville in March a few years ago to just visit and play tunes in Britt’s house, we didn’t have a plan to make an album. We started jamming and playing and writing typical tunes that we would write. But then, we decided to have a challenge, to write something in the style of Bach – and we wanted to write it in two fiddle parts at the same time, kind of inspired by the Bach double, so that the two parts are equal voice. It was fun but so hard, I mean much harder than the writing of a typical fiddle tune.
So, in writing this, were you through-composing it? Or were you creating a basic structure and then improvising around it.
BH: Somewhere in between, I think. I mean, sometimes we were improvising the harmony, but then that became how it went.
LJ: Yeah, because there’s long notes in the melody. You wouldn’t have those long notes in a regular fiddle tune, and it left room for another melody to come from the other part. I remember having the sheet music out, we were writing it out in front of us, and then moving things around, taking sections from here and there.
In using Bach as an inspiration, did you take any actual melodies from his work or were you just using stylistic inspiration?
BH: More the style, but we did examine it closely. Like checking out, “Where would he typically repeat a section? When do you move on from one idea?” So we were referencing it a lot.
LJ: Also, we looked at how the movements relate to each other – one fast, one slow, one medium – but we wrote it as a mix of that influence and our own, so that it would still have a part of fiddle music in it. I remember when we were on tour, there was a lady in Norwich who was a Baroque musician, and she thought it was inspiring to hear a Bach-influenced piece being played like dance music.
Yes, it’s like bringing “historical performance” full circle into the living tradition of fiddle music, which is in a way also historical performance.
Speaking of historical, it’s been some years since you two last recorded an album together. What inspired you to make this recording now?
BH: Well, we had both been doing different work for a while. I’m mainly in collaborative settings and not necessarily writing a bunch of music on my own, so it’s helpful to have someone who is really good at being creative to show up and bring me into that space. It’s really fun and I think easier than a lot of co-writing settings I’ve been in. This one is very fun and explorative.
LJ: This record was also easier, because there wasn’t a clear plan, like “We are gonna make an album.” It was kind of like, “Let’s see what happens.” I think that also opens up the creative space, because you don’t have pressure. You just want to find music that’s good and fun to play, and sounds nice. I think a lot of the time in the writing process, if it feels good to play, if it feels good on the instrument, then that’s a good indication that it’s a successful composition.
You two have both been playing fiddle music for a long time now. And as someone who struggles in my own relationship to the instrument, I’m curious how you stay inspired by the fiddle?
LJ: I’m super inspired by Brittany’s playing and in playing with her I learn so much and become a better fiddle player, so that’s a great way to stay inspired – and also a reason to do this project.
BH: I feel the same about Lena, I do think that seeing what someone else is doing is kind of the best resource for inspiration. Like, “Oh, there’s someone else doing it different than me, but it’s really cool, how does that work?”
LJ: Also, Instagram can actually be a source of inspiration, just checking out what everyone is playing and also listening to other styles of music, like classical music. Sometimes I work on a classical piece that’s really hard just to challenge myself. I don’t perform classical music, so it’s kind of disconnected from work and I don’t have to feel that I’m gonna perform it. It’s just there for me to grow and take inspiration from.
Here in the states, I think I understand where the fiddle as an instrument and fiddle music falls in the popular psyche. Of course there’s the nerds like me who go to fiddle camp, and the festivals like Clifftop that have their own entire subculture, but the general public also knows what fiddle music is as something that happens at barn dances or square dances and in their favorite country songs. They know of Charlie Daniels, and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? And the fiddle licks in “Wagon Wheel” or Dave Matthews Band. I’m curious what relationship fiddle music has to pop culture in Sweden?
LJ: That’s a really interesting question. It’s definitely a sub-culture, but people know primarily of the fiddle players and dancers at Midsommar celebration, so everyone knows about that. But a lot of people don’t know that there are fiddle festivals and Swedish folk music, unless you’re from an area where there are fiddlers and more of a strong tradition. But there are some artists that break through a little bit, like Sara Parkman, who is a pop artist but will play a fiddle tune in the middle of her set.
But, at school for example, being a fiddle player is not “cool?”
LJ: [Laughs] definitely not. I mean some people come to school a little early just so they can hide their fiddle case away so nobody will see!
Well that feels pretty universal! Thank you both so much for your time and this wonderful album!
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): A Justification for Playing the Banjo
Which artists have influenced you the most?
Our greatest source of fiddle tunes would be the American fiddler Rayna Gellert. We fell in love with her groovy playing and her taste in source material. Many of the tunes we play are from her record, Ways of the World, including the title track which we also recorded for our debut album, New Valley.
Sam Amidon is another source of inspiration. His exploration and retelling of the traditional material with a quite minimalist style of arranging is something that guides parts of our process and something we strive to achieve ourselves.
Anna & Elizabeth would be our go-to when it comes to vocals. What they do is just absolutely astounding and continues to give the shivers to this day, even after hearing their music many times over.
Lastly we have many inspirations from the Nordic, especially from the Swedish trad scene. The duo Hazelius/Hedin and the band Bäsk are both big inspirations. Just like us, they both play traditional fiddle/dance tunes in a modern style and arrange old songs and ballads with a lot of after thought.
If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?
Musically, the three of us all come from the Nordic folk scene and the modern style of playing and arranging traditional Swedish dance tunes. When the band was formed we made a conscious choice that instead of fondly playing old-time music as historically or culturally accurate, we’d rather discover it and express ourselves in the way that we felt most natural. The result of that process became our own unique style of playing the old Appalachian fiddle tunes and songs. With interest and respect for the individual instrumental traditions, we arrange our music in a similar way that we would with the Swedish polskas or schottises. We call this style “Nordic Old Time” and we see it as our mission to explore this concept, and with it we can spread the traditional North American music to our peers and colleagues in the Nordic folk scene.
What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?
Lukas, our banjo player, once met with the great Swedish folk musician Ale Möller, one of the founders of the Swedish world music scene. His advice to young musicians was to choose between being a specialist or a generalist. Either you can fit in any band or project or you establish your speciality so that when someone wants that, you’re the only one to ask. This spurred Lukas to both get more into the old time tradition that is otherwise a bit unknown in the Swedish folk scene, and to learn all stringed instruments there are. With all that being said, which path do you think he chose?
What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?
In April this year we performed at a small festival called Växjö Country Roots Festival. It’s a one day festival where six different bands that play American folk and roots music are doing one concert each during the evening. The event was sold out and there was a nice energy in the room. The performance went well and the audience seemed to like our way of interpreting the old time style, but the best thing about the festival was that it was a great way of gathering a lot of musicians doing bluegrass/Cajun/old-time/Americana music in Sweden.
It was really nice seeing the other concerts, but also jamming backstage, talking to other people doing a Nordic version of American folk music, and realizing how different it can sound. The arrangers did a great job with finding bands doing quite different sounds and even if it was a long night, the audience had a high energy the whole evening and it all ended with the musicians having a long jam session at the hotel until late night.
What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?
As a band, the only ritual we have so far is to warm up our voices together. We’re including more and more songs in our repertoire, and to be able to push our voices on stage it’s important for us to do some warming up and check-ins with our intonation. Apart from that we all have some individual things we like to do before going up on stage.
If Adam has the time he likes to massage his feet. He picked that up from one of his teachers at a camp some years ago. According to this teacher, if you’re comfortable and grounded with your feet, you will be comfortable and grounded on stage.
Michael likes to take some time backstage to do some breathwork and settle his mind. If it’s possible, he also likes to take the time to get familiar with the room/venue from the perspective of the stage before the show, to be more comfortable and prepared for what to expect with that specific stage.
We’ve also learned from experience that Lukas needs to eat something before a show.
Artist:Victor Mucho Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “so terribly hurt” (ft. Molly Parden) Album:Moonlight in Visby Release Date: May 13, 2022 Label: Tone Tree Music
In Their Words: “I wrote ‘so terribly hurt’ when I was living in Sweden last winter. I was feeling and thinking how love can be vast and beautiful, while being cold and lonely at the same time. The person who you love most is also the person you are capable of hurting the most. The verses are sung from two perspectives of that love relationship. I have always thought that Molly Parden’s voice would be perfect singing verse two. The thing is, Molly is basically a Nashville legend, so I didn’t know how realistic it would be! We had the idea to shoot the live acoustic video of ‘so terribly hurt’ during golden hour at my house. We did a few takes, and then we had a meal together and talked about Celtic wisdom. Molly has such a gentle quality to her voice. It was an honor making music with her. I am grateful to have that groundedness at a moment in the album which is more tumultuous.” — Brian Macdonald, Victor Mucho
Artist:Jesper Lindell Hometown: Ludvika, Sweden Song: “If There Comes a Time” Album:Twilights Release Date: March 18, 2022 Label: Brunnsvik Sounds
In Their Words: “I wrote ‘If There Comes a Time’ around March 2020 and together with ‘Living Easy’ they are the first songs I wrote for what came to be Twilights. ‘If There Comes a Time’ is probably my own personal favourite on the album, because of what the words mean to me and just the overall vibe we managed to get on that song. And I hope people are going to like it and the whole album as much as all of us who recorded it do. And I guess I can only speak for myself when I say that recording Twilights is the most fun I’ve ever had playing music, but I think everyone in the band feels somewhat the same way at least. And I hope that shines through in the songs as well.” — Jesper Lindell
Artist:Maja Francis Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden Song: “Mama” Album:A Pink Soft Mess Release Date: September 24, 2021 Label: RMV Grammofon
In Their Words: “This song is for my mom…and about how it feels to be grown up and be able to comfort her the way she’s always comforted me. We’ve both experienced mental health issues through life and not until I became an adult I understood her struggles, because I have the same ones. It’s been both beautiful and painful to share that with each other…and I wanted to write a song about that intense and complex love. I was also thrilled when my dear friends Klara and Johanna (First Aid Kit) wanted to feature on it. They’ve been such a big part in me finding my voice again so it felt really good to have their voices and energy on the album.” — Maja Francis
This week, we take The Show On The Road to the countryside of Sweden for an intimate talk with Kristian Matsson, a poet-songwriter and masterful acoustic multi-instrumentalist who has released five acclaimed albums and two EPs over the last decade and a half, performing as The Tallest Man on Earth.
Growing up in the small hamlet of Leksand, a three hour trek from Stockholm, Mattson was in rowdier indie-rock outfits like Montezumas before breaking out with his own dreamier acoustic material and gaining international notice with his breakout solo offering Shallow Grave in 2008. Tours with Bon Iver across North America gained Matsson an adoring audience in the states, where he ended up setting up shop in Brooklyn.
Most often performing solo even on the biggest stages, Matsson is known to have seven or more intricate tunings for his guitars and banjos, and with his high, cutting voice and cryptic, nature-inspired lyrics, he has been compared to some of his heroes like Roscoe Holcomb, Bob Dylan, and Paul Simon, but with a Swedish-naturalist touch. Songs like “Love Is All” or “The Gardener,” while gaining tens of millions of steams on folky playlists, pack quite a punch, often detailing how the cold cruelty of the animal kingdom filters into human life with its many frailties.
In 2019, Matsson found his marriage to a fellow Swedish singer-songwriter ending and he holed up in his Brooklyn apartment to write, produce, and engineer his newest Tallest Man On Earth LP, I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream. Like Springsteen’s eerie and emotional Nebraska, Matsson’s collection is a clear-eyed view of our current state of interpersonal (and even societal) isolations. Standout songs like the warm guitar and echoey harmonica opener “Hotel Bar” — though written before he knew what would happen with our current pandemic — seem to capture the lost closeness and romance of our very recent past, where one could fall in love with a new stranger every night in a new town and think nothing of it.
Sequestered in a small house in the middle of Sweden since the world shifted last year, a new Tallest Man On Earth album is sure to be on its way. Admittedly Matsson is going a bit stir-crazy away from the road, but really he’s grateful to be able to have the time to explore and create new sounds without any distractions. A fall tour of the states is in the works (fingers crossed), including an opening slot at Red Rocks joining Mandolin Orange and Bonny Light Horseman.
Photo credit: Kaitlin Scott
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