Onesie and Twosie
Two reviews of the same record you say? PFM ran not one but two reviews of Dungen’s Ta Det Lungt and 1) the record is good enough to warrant such madness and 2) the cd was reissued domestically with bonus material just a few weeks ago. The new version has scanned over 3500 copies since its release on 8/2 and with an upcoming month long tour, I can only imagine Dungen is going to reach new heights of fame and fortune in the states. I can’t guarantee the latter but I can be certain of one thing, wherever a band with a mega popular new records is, a reintroduction of their back catalog is sure to follow.
We saw a singles collection of older material in the early part of this year, the souped-up reissue of “Ta Det Lungt” in the beginning of this month and now Dungen fans can rejoice: a third cd is on the way. Astrawerks has licensed Dungen’s second record Stadsvandringar from Virgin Sweden and is looking to have it out by October 4th. What a coincidence, it’s just in time for the bands first mega U.S. tour.
Everybody wins… or cashes in depending on how you want to look at it.
Wondering what Stadsvandringar sounds like? It’s dreamy psych-pop with a diminished focus on creamy electric guitars. I hate to say this but there are moments on the record that remind of the new Coca-Cola commercial where a melting pot of young Americans “would like to teach the world to chill" through song on a city rooftop. (shiver)
Jethro Tull and Anchorman groupies can unite as there are some superior flute solos to bask in and while it sounds like I’m not loving this bellbottom ride, I actually am. In the context of where this particular record falls in Dungen’s rock timetable, Stadsvandringar makes total sense. The metamorphous towards the signature sound of the Dungen we love today was well under way in 2002 and this is the record to prove it. It just so happens that their incubation period sounds a whole lot like a euphoric Laudanum dream.
