Jens Lekman

Jens Lekman

Jens Martin Lekman (born February 6 1981 in Angered, Sweden) is a Swedish pop musician. He has released one album and several EPs since 2003. His music can be described as guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings; the lyrics are often witty, romantic, and melancholic. His work is often compared to that of Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields, Jonathan Richman, and Morrissey.

Lekman recorded and released much of his material privately from 2000 to 2003 on CD-R. Because one of his songs during this time was entitled "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl", Lekman was mistakenly referred to as Rocky Dennis for a while (the song was actually written from the perspective of the main character of the 1985 film Mask). Lekman says that it was a "mistake": "someone thought that was my real name cause I had a song about him, and then radio picked up on it, and I never had a chance to change it". He put the confusion to rest with his Rocky Dennis in Heaven EP (2004).

His self-released 7" vinyl EP Maple Leaves caused a big stir in 2003, mainly due to sound files circulating on file sharing networks. When the same EP was released on CD by the Swedish independent label Service Records in the autumn, he was already a well-known name. The songs "Maple Leaves" and "Black Cab" were heavily played on Swedish national radio. He soon signed a contract with the American label Secretly Canadian for releases outside of Sweden. Heavy touring and his debut album soon followed.

His first album When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog was released in 2004, and consisted of recordings made between 2000 and 2004 (some tracks had been previously released independently by Lekman). The album attracted attention among the alternative music press in both Europe and the US. The song "You Are The Light" was a successful radio hit, and a video received some rotation in the Nordic MTV and ZTV. In Sweden the album reached #6 in the national chart. Lekman was nominated for three Swedish Grammies, three P3 Guld and three Manifest awards, as well as dubbed album of the year by Nöjesguiden.

A concert film shot from Lekman's sold-out show with José González at Göteborg's concert hall in December 2003 was broadcast by Swedish national television two times in 2005. In June 2005, a compilation CD of Jens' three first EPs, with extra tracks, was released as Oh You're So Silent Jens. According to Jens Lekman's myspace (which he runs himself), a new album is tentatively scheduled as "upcoming (hopefully this year)."

Live performances by Lekman have differed in style; at times he has performed alone with only a guitar and a CD player, sometimes doing a capella versions of his songs, while at other times he has been accompanied by a choir and string quartet.

Discography

In Sweden

Albums

• When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog Service Records 7 April 2004
  When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
  Service Records
  7 April 2004

EPs

• The Insect EP Self-released 2000
  The Insect EP
  Self-released
  2000
• 7" Vinyl Self-released 2003
  7" Vinyl
  Self-released
  2003
• Maple Leaves Service Records 1 October 2003
  Maple Leaves
  Service Records
  1 October 2003
• Rocky Dennis in Heaven Service Records 21 January 2004
  Rocky Dennis in Heaven
  Service Records
  21 January 2004
• 
  I Killed a Party Again
  Self-released
  29 May 2004
• 
  Julie
  Service Records
  28 July 2004

Singles

• Jens Lekman/José González Service Records January 2004
  Jens Lekman/José González
  Service Records
  January 2004
• El Perro Del Mar/Jens Lekman Self-Released 30 October 2004
  El Perro Del Mar/Jens Lekman
  Self-Released
  30 October 2004

Compilations

• Oh You're So Silent Jens Service Records 8 June 2005
  Oh You're So Silent Jens
  Service Records
  8 June 2005

In the US

Albums

• When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog Secretly Canadian Records 7 September 2004
  When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
  Secretly Canadian Records
  7 September 2004

EPs

• 
  Maple Leaves
  Secretly Canadian Records
  3 February 2003
• 
  Rocky Dennis in Heaven
  Secretly Canadian Records
  6 April 2004
• You Are the Light Secretly Canadian Records 17 August 2004
  You Are the Light
  Secretly Canadian Records
  17 August 2004
• 
  The Opposite of Hallelujah
  Thievery Records/Evil Evil Records
  January 2005
• Live at Stora Teatern Secretly Canadian Records 15 February 2005
  Live at Stora Teatern
  Secretly Canadian Records
  15 February 2005
• USA October 2005 Self-Released October 2005
  USA October 2005
  Self-Released
  October 2005

Singles

• El Perro Del Mar/Jens Lekman Secretly Canadian Records 30 October 2004
  El Perro Del Mar/Jens Lekman
  Secretly Canadian Records
  30 October 2004

Compilations

• Oh You're So Silent Jens Secretly Canadian Records 22 November 2005
  Oh You're So Silent Jens
  Secretly Canadian Records
  22 November 2005

In Australia

EPs

• 
  You Deserve Someone Better Than a Bum Like Me
  Self-Released
  May 2005

Appearances on various artist compilations

• En Garde Fanzine CD-R (2003) - contains "F-Word" and "Sky Phenomenon"
• Based on a True Story (2004) - contains "Be Good"
• Accelerator Compilation (July 2004) - contains "The Wrong Hands"
• Risky Dazzle: A Service Party Shuffle (Jan 2005) - contains "Maple Leaves", "And I Remember Every Kiss (Demo Version)" (previously unreleased), and "You Are the Light (Reprise)
• Rallye Cloak 02: Swim Sweet Swedish (Aug 24, 2005) - contains "Boisa-Bis-O-Boisa"

References

• Jens Lekman Interview by Salvatore Alessandro, Indiepop.it

External links

• Jens Lekman's homepage
• MapleLeaves.tk - the Jens Lekman fansite
• Jens Lekman's official myspace
• Secretly Canadian
• Service
• "You're Not So Silent, Jens", PopMatters interview (10/2005)
• musicohm.com: A review of You're So Silent, Jens