Tag: GAMMAL

GAMMAL – Sånger Från Förut

“t feels like it’d be more at home in a movie trailer than in a pop playlist.”

Tom: CAPS LOCK BAND NAME

Tim: APPARENTLY IT’S NECESSARY. “This is how it sounds when a burning nostalgia is mixed with a summer evening, when you lose yourself in dance and spirits and love, and in that moment everything is okay.”

Tom: Oh blimey. The copyeditor’s been working overtime, then?

Tim: Spoiler alert: that does actually come across, and it’s not just meaningless PR garbage!

Tom: Damn it, you’re not wrong, and I’m actually slightly grumpy about that. It’s those harmonies in the second verse, isn’t it?

Tim: Amongst many other things, yes. I don’t understand the lyrics in real time, but it doesn’t matter, because the emotion flows perfectly. Starts out a bit downbeat, but picks up the pace to show that things aren’t so bad. Then we’ve got that brilliant instrumental bit, which although is technically a post-chorus, almost feels better suited to being a lengthy intro to a fresh part of the song. And the fresh part is still great, a bit heftier until we drop back down for a final look back at the times that have gone.

Tom: Like I said: second-verse harmonies!

Tim: But finally everything comes together, with a repeat of the chorus and then a reprise of that glorious earlier instrumental break, with upbeat and triumphant brass all over it, and it all just sounds so, so wonderful. Everything is conveyed perfectly, the message comes across, and the song just works.

Tom: Is it actually something I want to listen to, though? With something like this, it feels like it’d be more at home in a movie trailer than in a pop playlist.

Tim: You say that, it brings me nicely to my final point: as a pop song it’s pretty good; as a piece of music, it’s outstanding.

GAMMAL – Blommor Där Du Står

“I wish you’d warned me that this is a quiet ballad”

Tim: I’ve commented before how I like a good male/female duet, and today we have the holy grail: a narrative where they’re actually singing to each other as separate parts, rather than just singing similar lyrics back and forth. How exciting!

Tom: Have you heard of musicals? I think you’d like them.

Tim: Huh, no. I’ll look them up.

Tim: She’s upset with him for breaking with up her how he did, he’s sorry for being a dick but maintains it had to happen.

Tom: Well, that’s certainly a relatable set of lyrics for a lot of folks, but I can’t help feeling there’s a reason that it’s not a common theme. No kiss-and-make-up?

Tim: I’m afraid not, no, though I guess we can’t have everything.

Tom: I wish you’d warned me that this is a quiet ballad, because then I’d have set my expectations differently. Once I got used to it: for some reason I found it oddly relaxing. I think it’s something to do with those vocal harmonies: there’s some really nice work there.

Tim: Both vocals, oddly, remind me of those from Of Monsters and Men, which is lovely (particularly since Little Talk, still a PROPER TUNE, also had a narrative duet vibe). The rest isn’t particularly similar, obviously, what with it being a whole lot quieter and more gentle, but that mood works perfectly well here. I’ll take it.