Music
Press
"It's a contradistinctive and high-class masterpiece" - LT, Östersund
"Without any doubt the best Lars's ever made" - Dagbladet
Discography
Albums
Family Feelings (2009)
Trading Happiness for Songs (2005)
Singles:
The Passenger EP (2006)
Dream On (2005)
This Road EP (2005)
Photos
Bio
After two albums with critically acclaimed The Thousand Dollar Playboys and an equally successful solo debut, Lars Bygdén is used to praises. Nothing wrong with that. Constantly getting good reviews is no doubt good for the self-esteem. But it can also be a burden to live up to previous success.
Thats probably why the work with Lars second solo album was so strenuous. The songs didnt come as easy as they used to, and he forced them through the quality filter that made his first album, Trading Happiness for Songs, so appreciated. The few songs that didnt end up straight in the waste bin went from good to worthless in a matter of days. It was not a pleasant process, if anything it could be described as a period filled with anxiety. Lars had stopped believing in himself.
Late summer 2007 events take an unexpected turn. When Lars girlfriend undergoes a routine examination shes diagnosed with cancer. A long period of anxiety begins. But in the midst of the crises Lars turns to his song writing which in some ways becomes a tool for handling the despair.
Among songwriters and musicians, expressions like nerve, presence and honesty have become almost inflated. But when the reality forces itself into everyday life, they suddenly become highly relevant. For the first time in years Lars now made songs just for himself, without a thought about how they would be perceived by others. During this period he wrote the song CT Scan, which deals with the times of constant hospital visits and the feeling of powerlessness before the bureaucracy of the Swedish health care.
When relieving news that his girlfriend was out of danger finally came, the most self-revealing work Lars had ever made was almost finished. The songs together formed a document over the troublesome autumn and the darkest parts of Lars life. And now as the spring finally starts to spread some light over his life, Lars releases something as unusual as a concept album about the life on the dark side.
And for the first time in his life hes completely satisfied with the outcome.
Family feelings is released the 29th of April 2009 and recived fantastic reviews.
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