My Quiet Companion
Album: My Quiet Companion
Label: MQP
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.myquietcompanion.com

During the Production of Sophia Ekberg's EP 'All the Small Things', Ekberg, Rydman and Cederblom came together to form the trio My Quiet Companion, building on the enjoyment that came from their jamming sessions. The Swedish trio based in Gothenburg bring together three guitars, mandolin and three part harmony to deliver a mix of Americana and pop with a distinct Scandinavian flavour, heightened by the mix of Swedish and English language songs. The trio have performed extensively across Sweden and also worked on projects in England.

The lyrical material is reflective and often narrative, touching on the highlights of stories that feel very personal, from the delicate nature of relationships as in 'Så Nära' to the similarly delicate nature of human life as suggested in 'All the Small Details'. The latter reminds me of Katzenjammer's 'Lady Grey' as My Quiet Companion examines the effect of old age and its habit of slowly eroding a lifetime of memories without becoming too heavy or lamenting.

Throughout the album Ekberg's voice has a gentle intensity and clarity that cuts through the rich textures of the guitar accompaniments. Her inflection suits the Americana inspired arrangements and the harmonies take this to another level. In tracks such as 'Let it Slip Away' she conveys the underlying emotion and varies the dynamic to add further colour to the songs. Rydman also takes the lead on a number of songs and his vocals are similarly gentle and lifted by a sweet vibrato that occasionally accents the ends of his phrases.

Whilst the songs are a superb vehicle for the diverse lyrical material, the instrumental track 'Drömmen' shows off another facet of the trio's musical ability. The writing has undertones of American folk and shares some similarity to the work of Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer. The melodies are driving and the piece highlights the quality of both the performances and the recording and production.

The complexity of the interwoven layers of guitars and mandolin has offered a little more with each listen as different fragments of melody break through every time. I would like to hear more from this trio and this album whets the appetite as much as it is sated.

Lee Cuff