R7

Description

.com Susanne Rosenberg mines some very deep roots with her ensemble, fusing the great vocal and fiddle traditions of Sweden into a uniquely ancient yet startlingly contemporary sound. It encompasses a folky warmth and the icy chill of the avant-garde, and ranges from traditional mountain calls to baroque elegance. Joining leader Rosenberg in this venture are some of Sweden's best artists. String players Sven Ahlbäck, Hadrian Prett, Annika Wijnbladh, and Ellika Frisell and singers Ulrika Bodén, Sofia Sanden, and Eva Aström-Rune are all well respected in the art and folk-music world. The band also enjoys the expert production work of Ale Möller, whose light hand and sympathetic ear has let the music shine through in an almost barren state, uncluttered and yet still complex and diverse. The sound of R7 is direct and local; up-front music with high expectations and no pretensions. --Louis Gibson