M.C. Hansen

MC Hansen is a Danish singer/songwriter who has released his second album,
six years after his debut album "Bogrough Junction." That album achieved a a good degree of success and paved the way for Hansen to open for many well-known artists like Madeleine Peyroux, Mavis Staples, and Taj Mahal. These last few years
spent on the road seem to have paid off; in fact, his second album confirms that the talent shown on the first album was real, and it suggests many interesting prospects for the future. His style falls squarely between traditional folk and country rock, and seems to owe a great deal to his personal gods, Bob Dylan and Ryan Adams, and Hansen appears to be creating his own sound synthesized from these inspirations. His songs are well-crafted and with great musical taste and have interesting arrangements; Uffe Steen on guitar and Rune Hojmark on pedal steel are fundamental to these arrangements and this craftsmanship. Among the most interesting songs are the elegant "Melancholy Moon," which captivates the listener with its nods to folk and jazz, the folk stylings of "On Traffic Lights," the brilliant "The Song we never sing," and the rousing country number "On a Day as good as any Other." In other words, MC Hansen is a songwriter both spontaneous and sincere, one who doesn't pretend to change the history of music but makes leaves his own genuine contribution and lets the listener appreciate it for what it is. - Il Popolo del blues

”Good Americana rock does not necessarily come from the States. This summer I discovered the "Country Feedback Club" and now from the north and more specifically from Aarhus in Denmark comes this new MC Hansen.

When MC Hansen at the age of 18 his parents gave him a guitar instead of a driver’s license and he would at the hands of his friend Finn indulge in Folk and Country music. Finn taught him some chords and they still come in useful today. In 2004 he released his debut album "Bogrough Junction under the name of MC Hansen band. MC Hansen is a talented singer / songwriter because all of the 11 tracks off of 'Pariah' are originals and posses great strength and quality.

The opener "Melancholy Moon" immediately reminds me of Bob Dylan’s "Blowing in the Wind" or Cat Steven’s ”Father and Son”. Personally I find his voice hard to raise and that it doesn’t always have to to sound melancholy, he proves on the up-tempo "On Traffic Lights" an immediate favorite of mine, a country tune with a little "twang".
"Take Your Time ',' With Blood On My Hands', 'On A Day As Good As Any Other".The eleven good rock songs will without a doubt make "Pariah" a bestseller in' Americana country.

Those who wish to see MC Hansen play live in Holland and Belgium will have to wait until the spring when he comes to the Netherlands to blow over this dike and promote his album ... and if you've listened to him, you can also tell that .. . It Goes Like This ...”
(Rootsville.be) - www.rootsville.be

First up on this night was Sweden's MC Hansen. Man, this guy was a throwback. Dressed in leather shoes, black slacks, printed dress shirt and black vest, he appeared to be a folk singer from the depression era right there, on stage, in 2010.
His songs fit the vibe as well. They were whimsical at times, made points about the world at others. He was at home on the stage and told stories that made people listen. He felt like a friend on stage coming to visit you. You could instantly see why he and Peters got along and hit the road together.
I had never heard him before this night, so I cannot offer you song titles or the like. I can only say to search out this man's music and enjoy it. I was quite smitten with it by the end of his set. - Samuel Barker - Houston music review

Yet another handsome CD from Scandinavia.

This is no coincidence. In the past, we already witnessed brilliant rockabilly and roots music from that area. I’ve never heard of this talented folky Danish songwriter before. Yet his music sounds familiar. And it’s not only a matter of approach. In his delivery on “Pariah”we recognize the same musical enthusiasm as that of his soul mates and major influences from the English-American world.
In Blood On My Hands - with a Dylanesque harmonica intro - , MC confesses the following wisdom: “The Past belongs to everyone but the future is your own”. Without any doubt, an absolute truth, but Hansen puts this theory into practice with a whole bunch of solid songwriting – all the songs recorded with local musicians in a Copenhagen studio. Hansen tells stories, supported by brilliant “string work”, both acoustic and electric. Just listen to Melancholy Moon, the melancholy Come On Down, the jazzy ...It Goes Like This, or even to the rest of the tracks, especially to the country-tinted duet with CS Nielsen on Take Your Time (The Story of Lovelight Ave). No way you can find anything inferior on this album from 2009, which finally landed on our table. For a timeless work like Pariah, such a delay doesn’t really matter. - by Cis van Looy (3 ½ stars),

www.ctrlaltcountry.be (a Belgian one):
He's been around for some 6 years, this Danish bard. And his career has brought himto various areas of Europe, where he has opened for acts like Madeleine Peyroux, Taj Mahal and Mavis Staples. It doesn't say all about the quality of his music, but, on the other hand, it's more than enough to wake up your interest. He takes pride in calling himself a minstrel. It's an image that perfectly fits his own "way of life".
The one of a young guy travelling from town to town, simply because he loves to
bring his songs - a mix of folk, country andblues - to the people. Songs about the
Judgement Day, the moon, the seasons, trains, the traffic, quiet here and frolic
there, quasi inviting to a dance. Songs that you actually expect from a seasoned
American singer-songwriter, more than from a resident of the Northern Europe. This
seems to us the best compliment this singing songsmith can receive. Which is also a thankful nod to his fellow countrymen as Uffe Steen (electric guitar, clarinet),
Morten Brauner (bass), Jacob Chano (drums), Rune Højmark (pedal steel, mandolin, acoustic & electric guitars), Rene Schmidt and Tobias Stenkjær (backing vocals), who took care of every single sound. Thanks also to CS Nielsen, with whom MC Hansen shares one of the highlights here, the lovely "Take Your Time" (The Tale of Lovelight Ave.). Another great one is the bluesy "On A Day As Good A Any Other", with plenty of string experience.
3,5 out of 5 stars
- www.ctrlaltcountry.be