Friday, 13 June 2014 12:33

RECORD REVIEW: Ljom - Seterkauk

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KKV has released a CD based on "kauker" and "lurer" from Snåsa, arranged and performed by the young local group Ljom. I've listened to it.

 

The music on this CD from Ljom has its roots in the local "kauk" from life in Snåsa in Nord-Trøndelag / Norway. Basis in local folk music, with strong hints of singer/songwriter and rock. And maybe a little touch of jazz. A typical KKV-release, in other words?

Typical or not - this release fits nicely into the range of music productions where the most interesting music does not belong to a single cubicle. It is highly commendable that young musicians create a project where old local music is lifted up, and get a new and current frame. Transformation it would have been called that if it was architecture, and it is exciting anyway.

Ljom is a quintet consisting of Kjersti Kveli singing (and Caucasian), Anne Marte Eggen on bass, Sivert Skavland clarinet, cello and backing vocals, Nils Andersson on guitars and Tor Morten Kjøsnes on tangents.

The musical expression is fairly uniform, although there are some songs that protrudes slightly out of the crowd. This is of course a product of including the instruments and the musicians who contribute to the event. Some general it is a bit hard sound on most tunes. This is suitable for some of the songs, and maybe not so good for others. One of the most characterful songs is the opening song, Setertaus fortel . This is also a song that I personally needed some time to absorb, but that has crept under the skin gradually.

Lellikauken has an intro that has the atmosphere could have been taken directly from previous KKV-release Gold in Mouth with Jørn Simen Øverli & Sølvguttene, which I reviewed here . This is a beautiful, lyrical melody amazingly wonderful performed by Kjersti Kvelia, but I think the comp not quite meets the lyrical mood that the song requests.

The first musical highlight in my ears is Sommerkauken hans Ole Augla . Again a lyrical piece of music. Also the subsequent Gudinne over Lurusneisa is a lyrical highlight, and has a great dynamic between Kjersti Kveli`s great vocals and solo cello. This song shows Kveli as a singer with really large format.

I have a weakness for good ghost stories, and Skakkhuggukjersti is a recitation of a "Mass for dead people" - should we call it a Snåsa-requiem? Great it is anyway.

The last song I want to highlight is Inga and Litj-Ingrid . A song with arrangements that  gives associations back to "Trønderrock" from the early 70s. Here we have, in other words, two types of local historical roots, and the fusion works well. Very exciting!

As a summary, it is rather obvious that I am very excited about the vocal performance on this debut release from Ljom, while I have a little more mixed comments to instrumental events. They also often give a bit hard sound that I do not always think fit.

 

 

It is also a challenge on the audio side. We are used to a delicious sound on most of what comes from KKV, and on Seterkauk we are not quite up there among the very best. The little harshness in their sound arrangements are underpinned by a little too hard sound. This is literally demanding - it makes great demands on the system this release is being played on. In most of the plays under review was the music played on a setup with medium quality, and it did not provide a completely satisfactory result. But when the play was moved to the main setup, I got a very positive surprise. I have experienced this also in some other recordings that are demanding. It is often those records that distinguish good HiFi from less good. Correct placement in the sweet spot also provides an added bonus of this recording.

I must also add that the materials used in the review are 24bits/96kHz files, and have not listened to the CD version

 

 

 

I have found some things to comment on here, but that does not prevent Ljom`s Seterkauk is a great and mighty release, where they have made very much right and good, in addition to making a very great effort to identify and pursue local traditional music. I'm waiting with excitement for the next release, and hope that they put even greater emphasis on good instrumentation there.

 

More information at KKV

Read 5006 times Last modified on Friday, 13 June 2014 13:08
Karl Erik Sylthe

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