Jens Lekman - You Are the Light EP
Label: Secretly Canadian
Style: Indie Pop, Alternative Rock
Released: 2004
My Grade: 4.5 stars
AMG: 4
Sounds like: Pat Boone, The Magnetic Fields, Calvin Johnson


This album bursts to a start with a bust of horns, sectioning off with a wild energy not seen in the past ten years, and from that moment you know you have something different in your record player. “You Are The Light” is such a strong start that it is hard not to like the album, his blend of cheesy horns, chorus backing vocals and hand clapping should not work in any way and yet he has created a stunning piece of pop showmanship.

Jens Lekman is not your common pop singer, he writes stories filled with clever wordplay and seemingly outdated music stylings and somehow it all blends into near-perfection.

It is extremely hard for me to properly explain my opinion of this album, mostly because he is just so hard to classify and compare – something that is quite unique in the industry today. The best thing I can possibly say is that he is amazing, and this album is a worthy addition to any record collection because the entire EP showcases his talents and leaves the listener anxious for more, just the way an EP should.

He has a humor and wit about him that is not easily matched, and his droning vocals blur the lines of Calvin Johnson and Stephin Merritt. Don’t let the comparisons fool you though, because nothing can truly be considered the same as those near classic pop artists, and although Jens Lekman is off to an incredibly strong start, he still has a lot of growing left before he will stand next to them.

Reviewed by: Samuel Aaron