They’re an odd bunch, the Scandinavians.
Maybe it’s because they live in a place where either the sun never sets or it doesn’t seem to rise at all, depending on the season. But one thing’s certain, they make wonderfully melancholy music. With artists such as Swedish ex-pro soccer player Nicolai Dunger, Iceland’s the Funerals and the prolific Christian Kjellvander already making waves, it’s high time you heard about St. Thomas.
Those in the know will testify that this former Norwegian postman — real name Thomas Hansen — has already produced a classic album of bedsit heartbreak and forlorn folk in the deliciously bleak I’m Coming Home. With the European press recently harping on about tales of his boozy excesses, erratic live performances and temper tantrums, can this possibly be same Thomas Hansen who’s responsible for Hey Harmony?
By his own admission, it’s a joyous “hello sky, hello trees!” kind of optimistic celebration. Hansen’s high, keening voice on the breezy opener “Long, Long Time” sounds like Neil Young skinnydipping in a vat of Sunny Delight. Fans of Will Oldham’s consumptive croon or Jason Molina’s Songs:Ohia who want a record that won’t clear the room at a party should look no further than this.
Only the closing slo-core of “Institution” hints at a troubled past far from forgotten, suggesting that some of Hansen’s demons may still remain, scratching away beneath his new happy exterior.