Search - Stina Nordenstam :: This Is Stina Nordenstam

This IS definitely Stina

Erica | Illinois - United States | 12/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've owned "And She Closed Her Eyes" for several years. I HAD to find it after hearing 'Little Star' on the "Romeo & Juliet Soundtrack." I listened to that album through some difficult times in my life and I still have a hard time listening to that album. I'm still very intrigued by Stina's music. I've had this album on my wish list for quite a while. I found it at a local record store and couldn't pass it up. I didn't really know what to expect. I figured it would be similar to "And She Closed Her Eyes." I was very pleasantly surprised when I heard the album. I've been listening to it for nearly two days straight! There is a nice combination of what I consider classic Stina and some louder stuff. Her voice against a few loud-ish guitars and some trip-hop-ish beats work very well together. 'Everyone Else In The World' has a really catchy sound to it. It's a great song to lead into the album. 'Trainsurfing' makes those toes on your feet immediately start moving to the beat, they can't help it. 'Circus' is one of my fave songs on the album - it has a bit of bubble-maker sound in the background that adds a cool little sound to it. It's not a loud tune, but has a very cool 60's feel to it. :) 'Keen Yellow Planet' has Brett Anderson adding some very cool sounding vocals to it. 'Lori Glory' is another toe-tapping song, it's definitely a song to dance around your house to. I started singing along to this song by about the fourth listen. Stina fans won't be disappointed!"

A Hidden Gem!

Ian Creamer | Dublin,Ireland | 11/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been awaiting the release of Stina Nordenstam's new c.d. anxiously for the past month,based on the fact that the music media in general have been raving on about it so much.Thankfully my very high expectations have been totally fulfilled.Initially I wasn't quite sure what to make of her extremely lo-fi sound but after a while this album really becomes very infectious and in my opinion it's the best release by a female solo artist since Tori Amos' debut and P.J. Harvey's "To Bring You My Love". Introspective,fragile,haunting,ethereal have been many of the words used to describe this amazing c.d.It's only 31 minutes long but it's one of the few c.d.'s I leave on repeat play for an eternity-I reckon my neighbours have got to know it intimately at this stage.The music is quite hard to describe-at times it's very cold and stark at other times it's beauty glows very brightly indeed.Quite often the sounds are deliciously off-key.The music is very minimalist-sometimes you think they've not bothered to plug their instruments in-and yet it isn't a real acoustic affair at all.Her vocals sound unique-very clipped,sometimes you think she may be singing with the mic in another room.But behind all this barren sound there is a real depth and warmth that only comes after a few listens.She enlists the help of Suede's Brett Anderson for 2 songs-the first being a quite unique sounding duet.The second starts off with guitar and drums giving it an almost industrial feel-before Anderson comes in with a very Bowiesque chorus.Mitchell Froom of Crowded House fame is given credits for the production side of things-and his production is so delicate it's unreal. The first song has a gentle piano and more industrial-funky rhythms(if there is such a thing!) backing an almost whispered vocal performance by Nordenstam.The effect is startling in it's beauty and quite haunting at the same time.It's the most infectious lo-fi song I've ever heard.Sombre moods do dominate at times on this c.d.The 3rd track has very little instruments being used except for drums that sound exotic and Eastern,yet very 21st century and industrial.Many of the songs have FX vocals that make some songs sound like Kid A's twin sister-most notably on the 4th track.Sometimes she does get a slight bit poppy and the overall effect is quite like the chic almost Riviera(in winter!) sounds you'd hear on early Saint Etienne songs."Circus" has this style in abundance with gentle acoustic and very gentle shimmering keyboards.Her voice is just so beautiful on this track.The last track is also very much like Saint Etienne also.Track 8 "Lori Glory" even gets to sound like early Cardigan's especially the rather quirky sound of the keyboards which sound like a brass section.Track 10 is only 1:35 long but it's the best short track I've ever heard.A very old sounding piano and more glorious vocals-that sound like they're miles away from the mic-the hypnotic effect is really great. My review is probably a bit sketchy-but that is cos the music is really hard to put into words.It's simply a beautiful c.d.The thing is I can't ever see it being played on radio-but it deserves so much exposure.I think maybe it's going to be one of those c.d.'s that may reach a certain level of popularity just through word of mouth.Finally the superb portrait on the cover does sort of describe this c.d.-beautiful and introspective,vague and shimmering,black and white,delicate but with a certain inner-strength,cold yet still with a feeling of warmth desperately trying to shine through.Last year it was Sigur Ros-this year's hidden gem award has to go to this c.d."

Covers all the phases nicely... Stina's poppiest to date

kaban43 | Somewhere over the rainbow. | 06/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well, what an album! Pure pop brilliance from the start to finish. Stina distills over a decades worth of artistry in one short album that covers much ground musically and displays many of her various stylistic changes. I still think it is criminal that more people don't know about how good she is, especially when there is so much mediocrity in the world.I used to say that "..And she closed her eyes" was Stina's most accessable release, and a good one for Stina first-timers to get, now it's almost a tie with "This is Stina Nordenstam"... well actually I think this probably just tips the scales slightly.It starts with the classic "Everyone else in the world", and straight away Stina shows her brilliance...she conveys so much emotion and feeling in a three minute song. Beautiful! And that is just the start - it gets better, "Trainsurfing"'s great four on the floor beat and bass line, followed by Stina's dreamy chorus, "Keen Yellow Planet" sounds like pop music from another galaxy, and "Cirus", probably my favorite track on the CD, is so touching, with Stina declaring "I will be what's left of longing on this earth".. yes Stina, I agree 100% with you there. Her music has always had this wonderful, sad, yearning feeling, that also uplifts you just as much. This release definitely shows her more positive side.If you have heard about Stina and are curious, get this CD and have a listen.. By the way, the CD comes with a lots of pics inside of Stina running around like a pixie in white boots *sigh*Thank you Stina!"