Spend time with this and develop Stockholm syndrome

"From the fact that this is mostly a solo endeavour, that the songs are prickily 
entitled ‘They Hate This Where I Come From’ or ‘FU My Friends’ you might 
think that you are about to tuck into a banquet of misanthropy or a dinner of 
disparagement, at the very least a side-order of cynicism. Think again, this is food 
of a very different kind; it is food for the brain and the heart, intelligent and 
beautiful with a hint of bitterness that is salved by the sauce of tenderness. A 
particular favourite is ‘They Hate This Where I’m From’ starts as slow and 
sketchily as the slowest slo-core with just some slo-mo chimes of math rock guitar 
and whispered downbeat vocals, the guitars build a little complexity whilst 
essentially remaining plucked string strums where each string resonates on its own, 
a bass clarinet and saxophone slowly dance across the song weaving more complex 
patterns honking, the effect is like migrating geese with a malfunctioning sat-nav. 
Contrast that with the almost straightforward pop of ‘No Hurry’ or the even 
more melodious ‘No Loud Crash’ and you begin to build a watertight case for 
comparing this with Todd Rundgren. If you are struck by beauty then ‘Birds 
Around Yr Head’ will do it for you, simple acoustic strum, gentle vocals are all 
that is needed and by the time you get to the end of the song any preconceptions of 
misanthropy have completely disappeared. "
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The Swede — And the Swede  

"Alternative pop-rock with indie rock intentions and gentle harmonies, the Swede 
is Matthew William Kohnle (yes he’s the Swede). Utilizing his past as an 
improv noise collage artist in Connecticut, Kohnle paints a portrait of melodies 
and fitting arrangements throughout this neatly textured album. While not quite 
chamber pop, it almost feels as elegant with lavish use of bridges and choruses 
amid semi-chaotic avant garde jazz structures. It’s witty, divergent, and never 
altruistic which I blame for the downfall of many experimental indie pop and 
alternative pop acts failure."
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And The Swede is the chosen moniker of solo artist Matthew William Kohnle, who wrote, recorded and performed the songs on the disc by himself. His style is sedate and subdued, found somewhere between the quiet depression of Joe Pernice and the understated other-worldliness of Pink Floyd.


The album finds its power in solitude, a feeling gently pushed along by half-whispered vocals and a sparse musical landscape. It's an emptiness which is close and personal, not distant, adding weight with each musical passage. Yes, it is bitter, but at the same time brilliant.
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