Home » Jazz Articles » Extended Analysis » Lina Nyberg: Lina Nyberg: The Sirenades

Lina Nyberg: Lina Nyberg: The Sirenades

By Eyal Hareuveni
April 2, 2014
View read count

Swedish vocalist

Lina Nyberg

vocals
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Lina Nyberg's new album The Sirenades, her 16th since her debut twenty years ago, is her most ambitious project to date. The title word she invented derives from three words—Sirens, the ancient Greek ones who deceive you and make you forget your mission; Sirens, the long warning horns at war time and Serenade, a song to perform for someone you love—reveals much about Nyberg's innovative and highly personal art. It is playful and whimsical but also thoughtful and profound; carefully arranged, melodic and even sentimental, but also borders fearlessly with the experimental; theatrics bursting with rich imagination but also insightful and reflective on creative process and art in general. Nyberg states that some of them are "about how your own fear easily distorts the way you perceive the world," while others are about the 'thin line between reality and dream."

Nyberg wrote the music and lyrics for this two-fold album—except a cover of James Shelton's "Lilac Wine" and

Caetano Veloso

guitar
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Caetano Veloso's "London London," an adaptation of a Virginia Woolf poem and W.A. Mozart motive. Nyberg composed almost all the arrangements, assisted in the mixing stage and produced it. The first part features her working band—pianist

Cecilia Persson

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecilia Persson, guitarist

David Stackenäs

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">David Stacken?s, bassist Josef Kallerdahl and drummer

Peter Danemo

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Danemo—all independent artists and composers in their own right who worked on Nyberg's last album, Palaver (Moserobie, 2011), and the horn section of the esteemed Norrbotten Big Band comprised of 13 trumpeters, trombonists and sax players.

The first song, "One Tone Song," features Stacken?s singular, erratic guitar playing, contrasting Nyberg's elegant, dramatic delivery colored brilliantly by the horn section and the driving band. His blistering, climatic solo magnifies the message that even one tone, one note and one line can bring light and comfort. The ironic ballad, "The Cyber Song," illustrates Nyberg's yearning for innocent, face-to-face relationships other than the hyper- reality of online applications or typographed articulations. Danemo's beautifully arranged cover of the heartbreaking "Lilac Wine" employs the big band horns in a delicate manner that emphasizes Nyberg's passionate, aching delivery. The playful, uplifting "The Monster Song" with Nyberg's amused, charming delivery, may convince all to befriend, near and far away, real and imaginary monsters. It also features a powerful alto sax solo by H?kan Brostr?m. This is concluded with the nuanced orchestration of "The Sirenade," led by tenor saxophonist

Karl-Martin Almqvist

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Karl-Martin Almqvist and a brief instrumental arrangement of Woolf's poem "Who Shall Measure."

The same song, in a delicate vocal arrangement, opens the second Monsters, featuring only the Nyberg band. The arrangements here are more loose and rhythmic, highlighting the powerful, driving rhythm section of Kallerdahl, Danemo and Persson on "The Skin." The second arrangement of "The Monster Song" is more energetic and dramatic than the orchestral one, featuring a West African tinged guitar solo by Stacken?s. Nyberg borrows Mozart's motif from the comic opera "The Marriage of Figaro" for the suggestive lyrics of "The Song of the Roses." Her minimalist arrangement stresses the delicate, thoughtful interplay by her band. Nyberg's theatrical, almost operatic delivery on "The Woodlouse," leads the tight interplay of her band, then later, it's free improvised sonic explorations. Kallerdahl's buzzing bow work accompanies Nyberg's touching love song, reflecting on her creative work as an act of deep love. Nyberg finishes this album with a heartfelt, emotional cover of the great Brazilian singer-songwriter Veloso, a seminal inspiration to whom she dedicated a song on Palaver.

The Sirenades is a most inspiring, profound work of art, graced by the beautiful photos of Miki Anaguris and the illustrations of Matilda Ruta.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

CD 1- Sirens: One Tone Song; The Cyber Song; Lilac Wine; The Monster Song; The Sirenade; Who Shall Measure. CD 2 - Monsters: Who Shall Measure; The Skin; The Monster Song; The Song of the Roses; The Woodlouse; I Write; London London.

Personnel

Lina Nyberg

vocals

Lina Nyberg: voice; Cecilia Persson: piano; David Stacken?s: guitars; Josef Kallerdahl: bass; Peter Danemo: drums. Norrbotten Big Band: Bo Strandberg: trumpet; , Magnus Ekholm: trumpet; Dan Johansson: trumpet; Ja?ek Onuszkiewicz: trumpet; Peter Dahlgren: trombone; Christine Carlsson: trombone; Arvid Ingberg: trombone; Bj?rn H?ngsel: trombone; H?kan Brostr?m: saxophone; Jan Thelin: saxophone; Mats Garberg: saxophone; Karl-Martin Almqvist: saxophone; Per Moberg: saxophone.

Album information

Title: Lina Nyberg: The Sirenades | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Hoob Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Melody in a Dream
< Previous

Special Opinion
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.