GRÖNMARK SHOWS CLASS

2009 is a great year for swedish music. 
I have written about this many times 
before and once again It is established.
There are already in the region of twenty 
really good albums released in 2009. 
More than 20 would fit right into my top 
10 list. With pride. Here comes another 
one: The solo debut of Mats Grönmark.
Those of you who are not familiar with
Mats have missed some interesting music.
Hellon, Burek V and especially Eve And 
The Last Waltz has released a lot of stuff 
of very high standard.
But now it´s all about Mats Grönmark with 
his solo album Tape Hiss Hit Or Miss And 
Sometimes Even Bliss (Rhythm Ace 
Recordings).

It all begins a delightful countrytune called
Pulling Rabbits Out Of Hats, with a pretty
pedal steel. 
You Know I´m Lost is americana with a 
shining arrangement. The song careens 
and turns in a rattling jangly and delightful 
way while Mats is singing in a Neil Young-
related voice.
Memory Lake starts off like a beautiful 
"Neil Young-country song" but then comes 
a raw and jangly instrumental part that 
drags the song in a totally different direction.
The music creeps upon you at a first listen
and after a few spins emerges an exquisite 
album.
Old traditional country is paired with 
americana. With the ghost of Neil Young 
being near. On a foundation that is much 
visited in form and genre in recent years 
if not even overpopulated. 
But Mats Grönmark never do things in a 
routine manner.
Every song has it´s own life through varied
arrangements and instrumentation.
Every song is in a high standard.
If you don´t know about Mats Grönmark it´s
really about time to check him out.

Tommy Granlund
ÖSTRAN