They did it again, those Swedes of Gösta Berlings Saga

This is NOT a review.
This is going to be a non-coherent post at first, but there is a bottom line:
Gösta Berlings Saga have released a stellar album. Again.
So save yourself the time of reading this and go get it.

I don't know if I've mentioned this here before, but I love cold and somber weather. I like rain, snow, bleak days, thunderstorms, blizzards, grey cloudy mornings, gloomy dark evenings... I also like music to accompany it.

Which is one reason why I'd love to live in one of the northern European countries, such as the Scandinavian ones. Sweden, for instance.

In the last 2 years, I've gotten to know more and more about Sweden, or more accurately about its northern parts (apparently there are some "factions", some north vs. south issues there). My friends, a lovely Swedish couple, told me a lot about their homeland, their (very) small villages, their culture and food, music and other interesting anecdotes. I've been always interested in that part of the world (particularly with Finland and not just because of the music I listen to) and so they only spiked my interest in that region and its mentality and culture.

To add to my fascination with their country, there are tons of excellent musicians and composers there. I have a lot of music from that part of the world represented in my collection. One band I've reviewed and featured here before is Gösta Berlings Saga. They have released a new album, Glue Works, through the mighty Cuneiform Records (I've posted about this recently).

This album is another testament to this foursome's talent and to their exploratory mindset. They continue where Detta Har Hänt left off and expand on it. There is more of that fantastic sound that they create, those lovely magical walls of guitar sound, lush keyboards playing with excellent drumming backing it up (I think I've mentioned I love the drumming on Detta Har Hänt). There are more of those lovely melodies they keep coming up with; there is more of that unique ambiance that they conjure up.

But they don't stagnate there (though that too would have been fine with me) but strive forward with tracks like Waves that introduces some electronics and sound manipulations. There is some raunchiness as well as once can hear on some parts of Gliese 581g with the rough and crunchy sounding guitar. They also have guest musicians playing cello, trumpet, French Horn, tuba and harmonica and they are "used" wisely throughout the album on some of the 7 tracks. 

Mattias olsson (yes, that one) produced the album (and recorded and mixed it).

The album concludes with another part of Sorterargatan (this is part I), which is an alternate take on the familiar propulsive theme plus a beautiful calmer ending segment.

I wish I had an ounce of this quartet's musical playing talent and music writing skill.