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“Talvik reels you in, plugs her warm, somber music straight into your frigid heart and turns up the heat”

Sweet words from Left of the dial:

Sofia Talvik- Jonestown (review)

While I was running around like an eight-year-old in a Toys R Us in Grant Park, Chicago this past August at Lollapalooza, ambience was the farthest musical feature from my mind. I wanted Bloc Party. I wanted the Go! Team. I wanted to dance and shout and make a scene.

But, contrary to my initial plans, the first morning of the show had me swaying in front of the Citi stage to the quiet croon of Sofia Talvik, tapping my foot lightly and thinking that maybe pretty love songs weren’t so bad after all.

And this soft-spoken Swede did nothing to dissuade me from this thought with her August release Jonestown.

I don’t know much about lady singers other than Collegian favorite Hop Along, Queen Ansleis, but Talvik’s breed of syrupy-sweet music of the folk-pop persuasion is something I can feel myself getting behind with every listen. Never riled, she carries through this album with a collected serenity usually reserved for librarians and Zen Masters.

“As summers pass” sets off the mood of Jonestown not with a jolt, but with the soft trickle of Talkvik’s lyrics. They don’t make you perk up in surprise, but rather creep up on you. You relax, you close your eyes, and then you realize that it’s the music that’s loosening up your shoulders.

One song flows to the next without much ceremony, but Talvik does so in a way that keeps the music-goer tuned in. You won’t be surprised with what’s coming up next, but you don’t have to wait during the two seconds of transition in concern that you aren’t going to like what you hear. If you make it to “My James Dean,” you’ll make it to “Prove Me Wrong” without noticing the passing of time between.

None of her songs pack a punch, but that’s not what Jonestown was created to do. From the horns in “Something Good” to the lilting piano in “Burning Fields,” Talvik reels you in, plugs her warm, somber music straight into your frigid heart and turns up the heat. Listeners emerge from Jonestown as if waking up from a trance, mildly disoriented but happy with the fuzzy memory of what just happened.

Though none of her songs break too much from the placid bubble she’s created around this album, “Clown” is the most rogue of the pack. With jumpy percussion and light trombone blats, Talvik takes on a more risqué demeanor as she describes a non-existent circus and chastises the man her man about acting like a clown. Well spoken, Talvik.

My only qualm with Jonestown is the eventual monotony of a dozen mellow tracks. This drag comes with any album that keeps the same place through its duration. Sometimes I’m ready throw in the towel and switch on some dance tunes halfway through the Cd. I’m not normally one for love songs, so this album can really slide me out of my comfort zone if I don’t put it on with an open mind.

Overall, Talvik’s delicate harmonics and light instrumentation keep a listener tuned in to Jonestown with a subtle interest. You’re so at ease by the time closer “Jonestown” fades out that it will take a minute or two before you even notice the album is finished. Jonestown is an album perfect for naps, writing papers, being in love and unwinding after a long day.

Posted by Mr. Dogg at Tuesday, September 30, 2008

New video for ‘My James Dean’!

So, ‘My James Dean’ has been playing on your radio long enough and I know you’ve all been dying to see the video! And here it is!

Song: My James Dean (Jonestown 2008)
Artist: Sofia Talvik
Producer: Jonas Westin
Hair&Makeup: Åsa Östergren

Competition closed - here are the winners!

A big thank you to all that has competed for the collection of 13 albums by Swedish artists! It’s been a delight to read your motivations and we have chosen the winners. Congratulations to:

Jerry (US) - you have won the first prize, 13 wonderful albums (I’m really quite jealous myself!)
Niels (Germany) - you have won a signed copy of “Jonestown”
P (Austria) - you have won a signed copy of “Jonestown”

5 carrots from Bluesbunny

Review: Sofia Talvik Jonestown
5/5 carrots from Bluesbunny

“This is an album that mixes fragility with emotional depth and it has an intensity that is most unusual. In fact, it could well be described as spiritual. The songs reward repeated listens and at the point of understanding, Ms Talvik’s voice and Tobias Fröberg’s sensitive, understated production gel perfectly. Elegant, sophisticated and warm, this is an easy recommendation for those of us who still have a soul.”
review by Bluesbunny

Artist of the week in the UK

Christopher Laird has been so kind as to appoint me artist of the week on his radio show Radio Nowhere!

Listen to the show here!

BIG COMPETITION!

Win 13 Cd’s from great Swedish artists!
As you all know I’ve been doing all of the 12 tracks from my latest album “Jonestown” as small video duets with 12 of my favorite Swedish artists.

Now it’s time for all you guys and gals out there to compete for albums from all these wonderful artists. You have the chance to win 13 CD’s, one from each of the artists including a signed copy of my latest album “Jonestown”.

All you have to do is to answer one question and message me the answer with a short note about why YOU want to win this great collection of Swedish music.

This is how to do it:
1. List 5 artists and the name of the video/song they did with me from my latest album “Jonestown” (You can find the videos under my videos on myspace)
2. Message me the answer together with a small note of why YOU want to win this great collection of 13 CD’s.
3. Directlink to my mail. Click here to send your answer.
– MESSAGE ME THE ANSWER IN PRIVATE ON MY MYSPACE PROFILE –
http://www.myspace.com/sofiatalvik

The winners will be informed early next week by message on MySpace.

If you don’t want to rely on luck to get a signed copy of my new album you can order signed CD’s directly from me here:
http://www.sofiatalvik.com/shop

Good luck!
/Sofia Talvik

Get a discount in the new shop!

Be one of the first 50 customers in my new shop and get a €2 discount on any purchase! We sell all three albums signed and we ship world wide!

This is how you do it:
1. Go to http://www.sofiatalvik.com/shop
2. Add the items you want to your cart.
3. Go to your cart.
4. Enter JONESTOWN in the voucher code window.
4. Go to check out and enter the shipping details.

Some reasons to buy “Jonestown”:
“Sofia Talvik är helt underbar!” 4/5 Smålandsposten
“Sofia Talviks starkaste fullängdare hittills. Just go for it girl!” 4/5 Groove
”’Jonestown’ är Sofia Talviks genombrott.” 4/5 Nerikes allehanda
“With the release of Jonestown, Sofia Talvik easily gets over the idea of the difficult third album and turns out a collection that eclipses her first two.” Ninth space
“It sounds entirely original and, more importantly, rings true.” CD Baby, Editor’s pick

New review from Smålandsposten!

Sofia Talvik är helt underbar
Sofia Talvik är för underskattad för sitt eget bästa.
Sofia Talvik - Jonestown
Betyg: 4

För några år sedan fanns det kvinnliga singer/songwriters i varje buske. En av dem var Sofia Talvik som debuterade för tre år sedan. Hon fick en dunderhit med den sorgliga saken Ghosts.
Sedan dess har hon släppt platta nummer två, samarbetat med Bernard Butler och spelat på Lollapalooza-festivalen. Trots det är hon lite i skymundan i Sverige. Vilket är tråkigt. För Sofia Talvik är en egen artist. Hon har ett eget uttryck, en fantastisk röst och låtar som är små berättelser, nästan som medeltida ballader. Jonestown är en något mer lågmäld platta, de riktiga hittarna uteblir. Men det är egentligen bara skönt.

Tuva Klinthäll
Smålandsposten

Video from the Lollapalooza

I just found this video of an interview with me on Roxwel TV after my gig at the Lollapalooza. Those clips of the festival really takes me back. That was such a wonderful weekend!

Sofia Talvik - Lollapalooza Music Festival
Music Videos at www.roxwel.com

Rave review from Ninthspace

I just got this lovely review from Ninthspace! Thank you so much!

“I guess, by the time a musician gets to their third album they know whether it’s going to work out for them. Not writing, recording and touring as a hobby, but embracing their talents and working with something that’s turned out to be innate to their existence. There are perhaps a handful of musicians that I could categorise in such a way.

With the release of Jonestown, Sofia Talvik easily gets over the idea of the difficult third album (younger sibling of the difficult second album) and turns out a collection that eclipses her first two. Opening track and lead single As Summers Pass recalls the past with its acoustic progressions, but the subsequent song My James Dean is astonishing.

Because it’s not what you’re expecting. Sure it has these synth pads that appear to hang over from its predecessor, but the guitar loops lower, more geared towards grooving. The best way I can describe it is the merging of the droning synth-rock of Stereolab and the sub-Spektor inclinations of El Perro del Mar – with piano too.

Over the top of this comes Sofia’s outstanding vocals and a plaintiff declaration that “I’m not that special.” But she is.”

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