The picture you see above is the massive-looking cover for Swedish post-rock-y band Jeniferever‘s third and latest album called Silesia released earlier this year. I was lucky enough to win this gorgeous LP in a little competition that Fritz’s Corner, my favourite (music) club in Stockholm, held. I was ever so glad to win it because I’ve been following this band for a few years now. Or should I put it this way: they have been following me…

Through harsh teenage years in the frigid Sweden this band has followed me and hammered me with the very same unpleasant truths and feelings you have to face as a misunderstood, moody adolescent in an isolated country so far up north. Their first album, Choose A Bright Morning seemed like a perfect post-rock album designed to soundtrack an early, bright morning to channel the mixed emotions of entering autumn and looking towards another winter further ahead. Is it a new start or is it just the constantly present and hardest part of an evergoing cycle? The second album wasn’t much cheerier, even though it was named Spring Tides and thusly should sound a little more hopeful. But nope. Silesia, on the other hand, feels like the first album where Jeniferever manage to communicate an awe at the state of things, another thing a lot of bands tagged as post-rock do very well. Silesia is towering and might just be another mountain that you’re unable to climb. But still… wow… what a mountain. And all of a sudden everything doesn’t seem shit even though the snow is still lying around in Sweden right now.

Jeniferever delivered a technically satisfying set and that would have been fine there. But they didn’t compromise with the epic proportions of their music and created an emotionally resonant soundscape blowing out of the little stage last night at Lilla Hotellbaren in Stockholm. Supporting act First Love, Last Rites, I must say, do have a kick-ass, self-titled debut album out that so far rank as one of my top ten releases this year. Maybe it’s because I somehow hear both Deerhunter, The Radio Dept. and whatever noise pop band names from the late 80s and early 90s you may throw my way in fragments in their music. Maybe it’s just because I am and will always a be a sucker for melodic shoegaze that dares to show a little strength and impact. It’s too bad this Umeå band don’t quite seem to know how to translate their many strengths to a maximal level when playing live. Perhaps time will straighten things out for these debutants.

P.S I would have some pictures of both bands from the show but I couldn’t transfer them to my computer for some reason. Oh well, they were shitty 2MB cellphone camera pictures anyway.

Jeniferever ‘Dover’ and ‘Waifs & Strays’