What you might expect is not what you will get on this excellent folk album from Sweden. Emma Härdelin is the striking lead singer from Garmarna, a successful Swedish folk rock band. Janne Strömstedt (harmonium) ... more »and Kjell-Erik Eriksson (fiddle) are members of Hoven Droven, a kind of hard-rock-with-brass group with a very heavy sound. These three get together to perform an all-acoustic set of traditional folk songs. The themes are dark: murder, unrequited love, and general human mayhem. Unlike their respective regular bands, they use this trio opportunity to make a direct statement about the music, with no fusion or props--just excellent musicianship, solid arrangements, and a sense of awe for how powerful this material was, and is, on its own. Härdelin is a bold singer whose every nuance colors the stories in these songs. Eriksson's fiddle is strong, bowed with enthusiasm where needed, graceful where necessary. Strömstedt's harmonium (a pump organ) offers a dark, sometimes droning presence--a weighty underpinning that suits these songs perfectly. --Louis Gibson« less
What you might expect is not what you will get on this excellent folk album from Sweden. Emma Härdelin is the striking lead singer from Garmarna, a successful Swedish folk rock band. Janne Strömstedt (harmonium) and Kjell-Erik Eriksson (fiddle) are members of Hoven Droven, a kind of hard-rock-with-brass group with a very heavy sound. These three get together to perform an all-acoustic set of traditional folk songs. The themes are dark: murder, unrequited love, and general human mayhem. Unlike their respective regular bands, they use this trio opportunity to make a direct statement about the music, with no fusion or props--just excellent musicianship, solid arrangements, and a sense of awe for how powerful this material was, and is, on its own. Härdelin is a bold singer whose every nuance colors the stories in these songs. Eriksson's fiddle is strong, bowed with enthusiasm where needed, graceful where necessary. Strömstedt's harmonium (a pump organ) offers a dark, sometimes droning presence--a weighty underpinning that suits these songs perfectly. --Louis Gibson
"I have been a fan of both Garmarna and Hoven Droven for some time. And every once in a while, in both groups' albums, it feels like there's too much going on... maybe my stereo can't quite figure out all the incredible background drones...But this combination of the two bands is incredible in its pared-down simplicity. Emma Hordelin's voice comes through and above the incredibly warm tones of the harmonium, clear, and clean. There are few frills on this album and that's what makes it beautiful. Where, by contrast, for example, Garmarna is doing impressive things with tape-loops and sampled sounds, this album has a distilled, almost crystalline quality.For want of a better adjective, this is a haunting album. The melodies stay with you like long-lost friends, always somewhere in the shadow of your memory."
Unexpectedly fun music comes from this unusual ensemble.
fithelere@aol.com | Austin, Texas | 10/07/1998
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The other review here pretty much said it all for this album's music, but I would like to add comments on several aspects of the work. First, you will be amazed at how versatile an instrument the harmonium is; we expect it to be corny--and when need be, it is--but it can also be quite gothic or even rocking. Second, when you get this CD, give it one listen without reading the lyrics, and try to guess what the songs are about. You will startled by the gruesomeness of some of the lyrics, especially those which flow to bright, cheery tunes. Third, I want to applaud Alistir Cochrane, who translated the lyrics. The translations rhyme and scan to the tunes, thus making the songs accessible to English-speaking artists who want to borrow them. Fourth, I want to say that harmonium, fiddle, and voice work together much better than you ever would have thought."
It's better than that
Robert Wright | Portland, Me. USA | 03/17/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The other reviews of this CD are accurate enough, except that it's better than 3/5. Although North American listeners start out not knowing the songs at all, they come to seem like songs you've known since childhood. The whole sound and atmosphere of the music appears "self-evident", as if this is not something new in your collection, but something that must always have existed, according to the laws of music. I hope Triakel will continue as a project for these three performers - this CD is one of my happiest musical finds in many months, and I want more of it."
What a nice surprise (and better than the parent bands, too)
Niall Munnelly | chicago, il United States | 02/17/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i can't say i know much about folk music, my exposure to it being limited to the irish stuff with which my parents used to assail me as a child and nick drake / tim buckley's extractions. so, while i can't vouch for the sense of authenticity that has become such a commodity in the last few years (and this album appears to have it in spades), i can certainly kick in my four stars for triakel's excellent, `timeless' sounds. the first thing to strike you, after the singer's unforgettable vocal stylings (when i heard `the birthday party' on npr for the first time, i was certain it was a garmarna song), is the backing musicians' skill at arrangement. the mix is very dynamic and remarkably full, considering their instrumentation; the package as a whole is a powerful statement and a welcome relief from the rote machinations of contemporary music.if you're keen on nick cave's `the boatman's call' or the dirty three, you'll find this album a delight. i'd certainly recommend it to fans of nick drake's `pink moon' or even this mortal coil, since triakel sports the same weird, starkly uplifting vibe that those other performers have.lastly, i had the fortune to see triakel for free last night at the chicago cultural center. they sounded just as compelling live - no studio tricks here, emma's vocals were spot-on every time......"
Spellbinding and (I must agree) Haunting
M. Hartman | East Coast, Etats-Unis | 11/01/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is traditional Swedish music stripped down to its absolutely gorgeous acoustic roots. Featuring members of Hoven Droven and Garmarna's lead vocalist, these are musicians who live very much in the 21st century. The restrained approach and the loving touch they show here makes clear how much they respect the older musical traditions. There seems to be a plethora of overly-sentimentalized acoustic traditional music out there... one is well-advised to be on guard against this. Triakel play with passion and intensity as well as reverence, bringing this music to life. They are a fantastic band live, especially in intimate venues. Using only harmonium, violin and voice, Triakel creates a musical atmosphere of remarkable depth and texture. The melodies are hauntingly beautiful. Emma Hardelin's voice is magical and really flourishes in the intimate Triakel arrangements. Highly recommended."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
