Speedmarket Avenue

In November 2012, we released “Goodbye,” a Mini-LP from one of our favorite Swedish bands, SPEEDMARKET AVENUE, where we could hear Isak Klasson bare his soul after a break-up, along the same lines as FLEETWOOD MAC’s “Rumours”, Frank Sinatra’s “Watertown”, TREMBLING BLUE STARS’ “Her Handwriting”, and Bob Dylan’s “Blood On The Tracks”, but with the clear mark of the band’s identity. Now we’re taking “How I Miss You” from that same Mini-LP and we’re releasing a digital single that keeps the melancholic and sad feeling, stilly influenced by the same creative process, though the title track stands out for its marvelous chorus and the beauty of the guitar arrangements.

Once again, the band makes it clear that their compositional skills are all-terrain, and they aren’t afraid to try any format or style. The two previously-unreleased songs from this single highlight the most devastating and painful part of the process of separation that gave way to this significant stage in the group’s successful career. “A Week Is A Year” is a slow, delicate song, which reflects how painfully slow the passing of time can be when emotions are running high. It’s an evocative song, with pure arrangements and a bittersweet aftertaste. On the other hand, “Saturday I’ll Listen” is one of those heartbreaking songs that can only be written from some the darkest place inside you, and that leaves a permanent mark on the more sensitive souls. There are a few small sparks of light in the disarming guitars, and the song’s lyrics hint at the beginning of a new stage, despite being deeply submerged in a painful process that hasn’t finished just yet.

We are still devoted fans of Isak Klasson and his band, who are capable of making us move our hips or making us cry, with the same inspiration and brilliance, leaving us at their mercy, cradled by their great songs.