When will we start writing real songs again?

Would-be hipster's alright with me

Yesterday wouldbehipster.com posted a review of "Introducing... the best of Montt Mardié" which will be released early next year in the UK. Here's the whole review:

"I cannot take a man seriously if he's a)Speedo-clad, b)holding a crayola-colored drink with a tiny umbrella, or c)singing excessively in falsetto. While I don't consider the first two to necessarily be to my detriment (quite the opposite actually), chances are "c" has caused me to miss out on more than a few compelling musical artists. Thankfully, Montt Mardié (pronounced mar-dee-yay), who's non-music goals include "make[ing] a frame-by-frame remake of ‘When Harry Met Sally’ with him playing the role of Harry," doesn't ask that you discover the meaning of life though his music - only that you listen.

Full disclosure: there is currently no USA release date for Introducing the Best Of. I hate when people run stories about artists and forget to mention this important little fact. Thanks for getting me excited over nothing. Jerks. However, both of Mardié's previous efforts, Clocks/Pretender and Drama, are available on both iTunes and eMusic. Buy them both and cherry pick your own favorites. Yes, that is an order.

For those who aren't flush, or are simply looking to test the waters, Introducing the Best Of is a strong introduction to Sweden's latest golden boy. Weeding out multiple versions ("Smile Charlie" finds a home on the album, bumping the less compelling, nearly identical "Bag of Marbles"), we're left with seventeen single-worthy pop gems. Turns out falsetto isn't such a bad thing - I can sing along!

And sing I do. The world Mardié lives in is hopelessly cinematic, even when singing about his own romantic ineptitude. Somewhere between pleading to have his name written in the clouds after his death and asking the untouchable girl next door to the prom, Mardié still finds time to duet with fellow Swedish musical royalty Hello Saferide and Jens Lekman, again lending credence to the belief that all that musicians in Sweden do is sit around in rooms together being made of awesome. It's a rough life, as evidenced by the aforementioned smooth-as-silk falsetto. (I know, I know, this is the third time I've mentioned it, but the sweetness of his lyrics is directly proportional to the unnerving quality of the boy's range.)

There's a name for this type of music. A name that I've been violently shoving to the back of my mind as repeated Introducing the Best Of listenings have threatened to bring it forward, allowing it to spill over my lips and escape into the world. Oh how the truth burns! Here it goes.... What Montt Mardié has created is boy band music. But, it's boy band music at its hookiest, ear-wormiest finest. There. I said it. Oh heck, grab me a stool and get the guy in the Speedo to order me one of whatever he's drinking. I'll be here awhile."

Damn straight! And thank you.
/ M

Are you filming this?

The idea is that I'll be filming everything that goes on while we (me and Johan Kronlund) are working on the new album (!) and that I'll eventually turn it into a "behind-the album"-documentary. Thing is, "everything that goes on" is pretty unflattering business. Mood swings, comfortable (and oh-so-ugly!) clothes and 35 takes for each line that I'm singing. Do I really want people to see that? Of course, I could cut all that out, but then the film would just be a couple of guys drinking coffee talking about their girlfriend troubles and telling bad puns. Well, I guess I'll just have to start wearing a tie to the studio.

I've been trying to come up with a title for the new album. Right now I'm kind of keen on just calling it "Montt Mardié". Clean and simple. If you have any other suggestions, please share! We could make into a competition. The one who comes up with a name for the album gets the "very special thanks to" in the liner notes. Are you up for it?
Talk soon.
/ M

Sing along with Pat Boone

I survived the night. I sang myself to sleep at around 6.45 and woke up at 10.00 with a song in my head. "Speedy Gonzales"! What a great tune! It might have some racial issues, and it absolutely plays around with a very stereotype picture of espanic people, but still it's a marvelous song. Pat Boone, 1962. You can sing along if you like:

Awh, terrific! I will spend the rest of the day playing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on my xbox360. Thank God for George Lucas and for his direct and fearless path towards becoming the worlds greatest sell-out of all time! I love every second of it!
/ M

Insomnia, 25 and David Sedaris

I can't sleep. It's 5.29 and I can't sleep. I close my eyes and a reel of thousand thoughts start spinning. So I read. I read David Sedaris' "When You are Engulfed In Flames" and I cry. I'm 25 now. I turned 25 last week. The early twentys are gone forever.

I've started to record another album. Krille Eriksson just laid down the guitar tracks for a beautiful number entitled "Elisabeth by the Piano". I'm sure it'll be one of my favorites. I also just finished writing my very own "Walking on Sunshine", I named i "Welcome to Stalingrad". Wonderful.

People keep telling me that if I want this whole blog thing to work I need to update twice each day, instad of once a month. Well, we'll see.

Don't fall asleep.
/ M

Only The Best Is Good Enough

The Greatest.

One Kiss and Helvetica

Just saw the documentary Helvetica, which was brilliant. It's about the typeface and design in general, and it really got me thinking about the style of the Montt Mardié album covers. Maybe they are a little messy. I think I'll have a chat with Patrik and see if we could do something really clean the next time around.
Also, I wrote a new song today, "One Kiss". You're gonna love it!
/ M

All is OK in the UK!

A lot of stuff is happening in the UK right now. "Set Sail Tomorrow" has gotten a lot of attention.

1, It went straight onto the A list on NME-radio.
2, It's on H&M instore radio from July 2nd for a month going out to 1,200 stores across 23 countries.
3, I'm Rookie Of The Week on BBC 6music.
4, "Out in the city" put me at the top of the hot list.



And we've only just started.
/ Monty