Då Som Nu För Alltid

[.namnlös]

I'm also surprised (and at the same time not surprised) at how many people here know The Holy Bible. I've always seen the Manics as a sister/brother phenomenon to Kent. There are so many mirrored themes and common histories involved, as I've stated somewhere in another thread here, like both being closely knit groups of kids from a spökstadt of their country, leftists, etc. I would really, really like to hear what they think of each other, but strangely enough -- like penguins and polar bears -- they never seem to meet in the same breath Maybe it's for the best.

This may turn out to be that rare album where the second half is better. I've certainly focused on that more than the opening, although it is undoubtedly a snappy opening. But...

1st point: OMG kent fans talking Manics. *faints.* I'll come back to this once I've woken up from this dream Personally, I always felt the bop along of Revolt III had a distinctly Manics-esque snarl. It would be pretty cool to hear if kent liked, or indeed like them in any way shape or form. Or just their thoughts on them.

2nd point: Thanks for the review. Very similar to my own thoughts and I almost don't need to write one myself now! I completely agree that the opening is "light." It hit me after a few listens that unlike Tigerdrottningen which is top heavy, this is more likely to be the opposite. Partially I think that is down to the production. I also think Egoist may at one time have been destined for the first half which would have made it a little more lively. Most of the previous albums have quite a heavy hand in the beginning. Mirage for example could easily be toned down in production, but it's quite a nice stomper with the way it's played/produced. Also agree that in general it's the first album for a few that requires a lot of listening. You reference Röd which is a good reference point. It took me ages to get into that, but it's one of my favourite albums by kent by a long way now.

I'll come back and do my own review and other thoughts on your detailed points later. Amazing to hear what you all think of this album.

[Kurvitz]

Personally, I always felt the bop along of Revolt III had a distinctly Manics-esque snarl. .

OMG! How kent is "Between The Clock And The Bed?"

It hit me after a few listens that unlike Tigerdrottningen which is top heavy, this is more likely to be the opposite. P

I went back to Tigerdrottningen last night to see how it fares now that it has a counterpoint. A couple of things hit me:

The end of Mirage, where he goes for that high note on "so naive" is so tremendously endearing. It's always been a fantastic vocal, among his very best with Chans and Nat För Dom Som Väntar* (secretly the greatest song on earth), but in light of this last album it was just so so so... I went through my childhood album a while ago and saw pictures of the siamese cat I had for fifteen years. I was reminded of how much joy and calmness that thing brought to my life. And how little, almost nothing, it cost me.

Then Var Är Vi Ny comes on and oh boy does he sound weary and disappointed. (A tremendous vocal take too) The combination just made me go: "Dear Jocke, dearest Jocke."

This one-two is perhaps the greatest combination of opening songs they've done. 400 Slag and Du Är Anga are technically better because 400 Slags mere presence outweighs everything, but the combined effect of Mirage and Var Är Vi Ny prepared me for this seamless, microdetail-oriented, slightly experimental, very mature, very subtle album. That album never came, though. It's only in Den Andra Sida that it raises it's head again. I imagine this should have been their experimental album too, stretching those Mirage landscapes far and wide, employing micro-rhythms and stuff. So for me, it's ultimately a disappointment, but a disappointment with highlights that point to a "what if" scenario.

Can't wait to hear more opinions on DSNFA from you guys.




* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcHzPoDPSQ

If you haven't already, check out Olle Ljungström's lyrics to this. I think the words really need to be understood to appreciate it. A true lost rarity.

Here's a translation:

http://lyricstranslate.com/en/n%C3%A...e-waiting.html

And here's my humble take



For Those Who Wait

In your chest
There lies a gruesome machine
It has a voice
And devours precious gasoline
Produces hope
Sometimes castrated dreams
When it says stop
How can you feel precisely nothing at all?

We the destroyed
Destroyers go on
Delicate children
With hearts of elephants

God, invent something new
Something to help us endure
Something for those who are waiting
For those with the strength to wait
More

My hearts voice
Can at times be out of tune
Confined to a chest
An embassy without its land
But for flowers,
Hearts, meadows,
Immaculate shorelines
Fell with exclusivity rights
in Christer Sjögren's hands

We the destroyed
Destroyers and so on
Delicate children
With hearts of elephants

God, invent something new
Something to help us endure
Something for those who are waiting
For those with the strength to wait
More

God, invent something new

[dumblikeamoose]

The end of Mirage, where he goes for that high note on "so naive" is so tremendously endearing. It's always been a fantastic vocal, among his very best with Chans and Nat För Dom Som Väntar* (secretly the greatest song on earth)

Yes! Jocke's cover of Nat för Dom som Väntar is beautiful, and what first got me listening to Olle Ljungström. Det Stora Kalaset is an great album... I dug it out and played it again a couple of weeks ago, when Ljungström's death was announced earlier this month

[.namnlös]

OMG! How kent is "Between The Clock And The Bed?"

The end of Mirage, where he goes for that high note on "so naive" is so tremendously endearing. Then Var Är Vi Ny comes on and oh boy does he sound weary and disappointed. (A tremendous vocal take too) The combination just made me go: "Dear Jocke, dearest Jocke."

This one-two is perhaps the greatest combination of opening songs they've done. 400 Slag and Du Är Anga are technically better because 400 Slags mere presence outweighs everything, but the combined effect of Mirage and Var Är Vi Ny prepared me for this seamless, microdetail-oriented, slightly experimental, very mature, very subtle album.

I hadn't thought about Between the clock and the bed. I always felt Lifeblood was the moment their careers almost crossed over. The combination of Lifeblood and Du & Jag Döden was potent, frosty and pretty all at the same time. As we know, both bands took wildly different directions after, but it was an interesting time.

Var är vi nu is such an amazing vocal take. I could literally live inside that song. I have an image of summer Sweden from my last trip etched in my head. The long train journey across to Stockholm, kids jumping in the lake and hanging endlessly out on the "lång natt." The lush almost brochure like images of the leafy waterways and people on boats. I believe that the song isn't necessarily happy, but these idyllic images complement the song in my head.

400 slag remains peerless to me in every way.

[stjärnor]

Kurvitz, I am in awe of your descriptions, honestly. So much thoughtfulness has gone into what you have written. I couldn't even attempt to get anywhere close to what you've posted. I will often notice 'things' in songs, but would not have the words to put them down in anyway others could understand and interpret. Thank you! (and as English isn't your native language, I am even more impressed)

[stjärnor]

Right, here we go, I'm going to start posting my translations from Då som nu för alltid. There may be a couple of places where I haven't quite ironed out the right word or phrasing, but these songs have been with me a week now and I need to post them so I can close the door on the project and fully enjoy the album now. They've been trickier to do than previous albums, not sure why, but it may be a mixture of more unknown words, lots of emotion and working late at night.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Andromeda

The heart will never be full
A lifetime will fit in there
All this and more
That we lost, that we won

And if the heart will never be full
If all that they say is true
So, must the same thing
Can be applied to a whole country

From my bedroom window I hear
The bells that ring
Something begins, something ends
In my life it stands still
However much I run

My heart is your country now
Nothing is forbidden here
No borders, no wall
Do you see the light from Andromeda

We were kids (just kids)
We were small children
We were kids (just kids)
In a ghost town
We were chaos (grew up)
Without responsibility
We destroyed (our life)
With our friendship
But I regret nothing of what we did
You can get where you want if you believe in it
Every thought, every dream, every heartbeat
Will echo much louder in a dead town

The heart will never be full
Even if it goes to a thousand pieces
I can make room
If you think you want to share

We can celebrate another Christmas now
We can long for the snow that fell
in a country that vanished
Under the light from Andromeda

We were kids (just kids)
We were small children
We were kids (just kids)
In a ghost town
We were chaos (grew up)
Without responsibility
We destroyed (our life)
With our friendship
But I regret nothing of what we did
You can get where you want if you believe in it
Every thought, every dream, every heartbeat
Will echo much louder in a dead town

[stjärnor]

Tennsoldater- Tin Soldiers

You say what you want
Think what you want
But still, you demand more
Your word has become law
Justify your hate
With that I deserve it
I know what keeps you awake
It is the same thing that keeps me awake

You win all the votes
You burn for your sake
You only set the questions
With the answers you want to have
But I can take it
Your contempt for me is limitless now
And that is what makes me human
(no, no, don’t go there)
Is only my endless yearning
(move me, touch me)

But I can’t deceive my heart
However much I want to
I can’t deceive my heart

We choose our words
We hold no speeches
We crouch down and wait for the blow
(and you say)
“But it is just a word”
But hatred is hatred
Whoever holds the weapon

I can’t deceive my heart
However much I want to
I can’t deceive my heart

When our longing has become obsession
All closeness is tabooed
What gets us through the night
Are only the dreams about close contact
I can’t deceive my heart

[stjärnor]

Vi är för alltid- We are forever

History, everything is about our history
All those who go against the flow
Those who go their own way

Dreams
Everything is about our dreams
When we dreamers have finished dreaming
Have you others any dreams left?

They will sing songs about us
We are forever
They will make films about us
We are forever
They will write books about us
You and I are forever
Forever
They will sing songs about us
Then, as now, forever
Then, as now, forever

But we forget
Yes God, so easily we forget
It drove us, it gave us sparkle
Like those stars we once were
History, everything is about our history
So, please go against the flow
Yes, go your own way

They will sing songs about us
We are forever
They will make films about us
We are forever
They will write books about us
You and I are forever
Forever
They will sing songs about us
Then, as now, forever
Then, as now, forever

It is you and I forever
You and I forever…

I’m only joking, no one will write books
I’m only joking, no one will make films
I’m only joking, no one will
Sing songs about us
No songs about us

Sing songs about us
We are forever
Please make films about us
We are forever
You must write books about us
You and I forever
You must sing songs about us
Then, as now, forever
Then, as now, forever

[stjärnor]

Den vänstra stranden- The Left Bank

I took the long way home
Over the bridges one morning at Västerleden
They have built parking over the apple orchard
There we recorded films

I take the long way home
The gravel crunches, dust in the spring sun
Coltsfoot* like gold by the ditch
“You say that you never want to see me again
And I saw it coming”
Here it comes again

Like a rain over the warm water
Like tears and blood in the sand
Like a murderer in the night
Come and meet me on the left bank
A white rose in your hand

But there is no easy way back
But I try anyway to text you one last time
Only want to say that I have woken up now
That I believe that perhaps we can start afresh

Like a rain over warm water
Like tears and blood in the sand
Like a murderer in the night
Come and meet me on the left bank
A white rose in your hand

Even if it has been 24 years since the last I can still
Remember every detail your quiet little one room flat there in the rain
And ‘In Liverpool’ on repeat
Although we live on different continents now a million miles
From each other so I remember those days as
The best, they glided into one another and disappeared

Like a rain over the warm water
(can you say when we disappeared)
Like tears and blood in the sand
(between my fingers like sand)
Like a murderer in the night
(can you say when we disappeared)
Come and meet me on the left bank
A white rose in your hand

*Coltsfoot, Tussilago: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tussilago
In Liverpool- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0df0racc3vk

[stjärnor]

Nattpojken & Dagflickan- The Nightboy & The Daygirl with Anna Ternheim

Say what you mean
When you say that you mean what you say
When say what you think & feel
When you say it to me

The words weighed so heavy
When I heard them last
Now they are air in a castle in the sky
Feathers adrift
Like dandelion seeds in the wind
You know I love your voice
Your earnestness, your tone
Something happens to me
I become a better person
When I hear your voice on the radio

Can you take care of me
If I take care of you
Can you watch my back
If I watch your back
Can you take care of me
If I take care of you
Can you take the breath out of me
The breath out of me now

Say what you mean
When you say that you
Mean what you say
When you say what you
Think & feel
When you say it to me

So what would I give to have you beside
On my side in the battle for now it is war
We dodge the bullets
I know everything has a price
What is your price?
What will I pay for your sympathy?
A kiss in the trenches?

Can you take care of me
If I take care of you
Can you watch my back
If I watch yours
Can you take care of me
If I take care of you…

Say what you mean
When you say that you
Mean what you say
When you say what you
Think & feel
When you say it to me

You must think about the words you choose
You stand up for the things you do
I must think about the words I choose
I stand up for the things I do
We must stand up for the dreams we sell
We must stand up for the things we do
It’s not just about all that we say
It’s also about the things we do

Say what you mean
When you say that you
Mean what you say
When you say what you
Think & feel
When you say it to me

[stjärnor]

Förlåtelsen- The forgiveness

The first time I saw you
Moment where everything turned
In the memory a painting
Which will never be altered
Whatever happens
Remember how we talked
The moment that killed me
And everything I lacked
Suddenly became an advantage
I had an advantage

We changed the plans we had
Built up new from scratch
And you were like nothing I’d known
I was lost
Everything was lost
Everything was lost
I was lost

This city is nameless
All the streets are deserted
All the houses in ruins
Here the forgotten end up
Condemned
I walk through the park
Hand in hand with a ghost
Where everything is overgrown again
Outside the desert
I see only the desert

The plans we once made
Are like memories of dreams where
The morning comes
Now we are so far, far, far, far
From the mark
From the forgiveness
All was lost
I was lost

So is there any purpose in saying sorry
Is there any way to lead us home
Is there even a home where the road ends
Can you forgive?
I can forgive
I only have my damn word
All these big empty words
Is there any purpose in waiting for
The forgiveness, the forgiveness?

I lost the pace
Released the grip on reality
I was so proud once
I was elitist
Idealistic

Lost my searchlights
High up in a turn of the century house
I forgot my driving force
There is no heart
If you do not have fun
I lost myself
Everything in my world went to pieces
And now in the end, I lose you
I have lost
All is lost

All is lost
I have lost

So is there any purpose in saying sorry
Is there any way to lead us home
Is there even a home where the road ends
Can you forgive?
I can forgive
I only have my damn word
All these big empty words
Is there any purpose in waiting for
The forgiveness, the forgiveness?

We inherited our sins
Our eternal sins
We have our sins
Our eternal sins
Our actual sins
That we allow ourselves to believe

[stjärnor]

Skyll inte ifrån dig- Don’t blame someone else

There are journeys that you only make once
On a road that you know goes in the wrong direction
The moment when an open door is closed
When you no longer distinguish between enemy and friend
There will be days that you want to forget
Things happen that never should happen
But you raise us up
You must raise us up again my friend

I want to give you a perfect world
But it was beyond my power, my wisdom
And it is one thing I have learnt from my mistakes
Don’t blame someone else
It deserves to be said one more time
Don’t blame someone else
It deserves to be said one more time
Don’t blame someone else
I never blame myself

It is such things that are dangerous with the memory
Suddenly you see how the years just run away
And no one knows why it was like it was
You can’t close your eyes for everything you don’t want to see
There is a time when everything when all hope will hang
On the weakest link in the chain
But you should raise yourself up
You must raise yourself up again my friend

I want to give you a perfect world
But it was beyond my power, my wisdom
And it is one thing I have learnt from my mistakes
Don’t blame someone else

That will do now
That will do now
For there is no grace, empathy or
Forgiveness in reality

Don’t blame someone else
It deserves to be said one more time
Don’t blame someone else
It deserves to be said one more time
Don’t blame someone else
It deserves to be said one more time
Don’t blame someone else
I never blame myself

[stjärnor]

Gigi

In your life, Who am I
Look at me Say what you see
A soulmate, An enemy
Who falls down
On to the knees
Beg for mercy
Do you see white or red?
Something that shimmers, someone who bleeds
Someone who lived that is dead
Dead, we are dead, we are dead, we are dead

Put your life in my hand
Sell your soul to a band
I will worship, worship the ground you move
Put your heart in everything you do

I look at you, I see a child
With your expensive clothes, cheap taste
A burnt out star without a stage
A watch of gold, a heart of stone
You buy love, sell hatred
Believe that speed and sugar are the same thing
Your gift feels like flowers stolen
From a grave

Put your life in my hand
Sell your soul to a band
I will worship, worship the ground you move
Put your heart in everything you do
RIP all my dreams so small
All blue skies
All pink clouds
Childhood and youth are no longer ours
Rest in peace, oh high ambitions
Pride, overconfidence
Happiness is dead, long live happiness

Where have you been
As I have waited
Where have you been
As I have missed you

Put your life in my hand
Sell your soul to a band
I will worship, worship the ground you move
Put your heart in everything you do

[stjärnor]

Falska profeter- False prophets

False prophets
A night wind blows in
Rattles the windows before the rain falls
I illuminate my red light
It will be a substitute for human contact
And warmth

Do we have a soul, if so, do our souls
Have a twin somewhere
A mirror, a crystal ball
Which shows the future
Do you believe in the future?

You must know loneliness
If you want to understand another human
A feeling
We all come from somewhere else
Even where we happen to be
Just now
Everyone we know is running from something
And it frightens us, we cannot choose
The sin, the shame, the debt, death
The inadequacy in ourselves

The door grill slams shut
The wall of concrete grows around us
Grafitti & posters, Peace & Love beside
Nazism, some four letter words, little religion
We defend the freedom of the press, we love
Our choice
We take our freedom
To embrace tolerance but we point
Our accusing fingers
At all those who don’t fit in here

I will be your country
You will be my army
This is my propaganda
You see my flags
Oh, we only have each other
It is the only thing I know
So let Me be your war
You can leave me in peace
Let me be in peace

You say that I chose my exile
But i saw it as an order
A confidence
And even self-imposed loneliness changes when
The years pass to another type of loneliness
The best in my life neither
Loaned, or bought or sold
The best in my life I must dare to give
Only then it is deserved
Do I deserve you?
Do you think that I’m talking about simplified
Mythologised love?
No, no
I’m talking about community, understanding
Solidarity & friendship
I’m so damn stupid

I will be your country
You will be my army
This is my propaganda
You see my flags
Oh, we only have each other
It is the only thing I know
So let Me be your war
You can leave me in peace

You know it
I know it
We are false prophets
I can show you now
I can give it to you
I can show you all my respect
Can you show me now?
Can you give it to me now?
Can you show me all your respect?

[stjärnor]

Den sista sången- The last song

Your sun-warm hands
Cool, pacific breezes played in your hair
I remember it like it was yesterday
We drove through Malibu
When it finally became ours
It would be a chilly night
It would be a long autumn
And you smiled through the freckles
With tears in your eyes

Everything was in the eyes
Everything was in the eyes

We left bloodstains in the tracks
But in the memory the wind blows
Your Wayfarers in your hair
You cried sun-warm tears
Courtney sang about Malibu
And everything could have been ours
It will be a cold night
It will be a lonely night
But I would not change anything
Even if I knew that this was

The last time, the last
Time we met
The last song, the last
song you get
The last time, the last
Time we met
This is the last song, the last
Song you get

We took the car to Roosevelt to fetch the kids
Before the winter break
They stood in line
They sung in a choir
It felt like the sung for us
A very last song
We are on the run again, you and I
We come from somewhere else
Than where we are just now
Oh, they sung for us
One last time
One last song
They sung for us

The stars are up
one fell down
and flew away
Flew away

This is the last time
The last time we meet
The last song
The last song I give you
The last time
The last time
We meet
The last song, the last song
I give you