Toronto – I’m a big fan of the Cardigans starlet Nina Perssons. A Camp is her solo project, which began in 2001 with the self-titled debut. After releasing a few Cardigans albums in the interim, the sultry miss Perssons has decided to get back to A Camp with this latest offering, Colonia. An album that according to Perssons, has to do with the “colonial aesthestic”. During a trip to Africa with a friend, it dawned upon her to do an album about colionialism, hence the title “Colonia”, which is similar to the word “colonial”, but without the letter L.
“You know that love can do you like a shotgun”. Ah so true. Love so can.
Let me start by saying that I’ve long been a fan of the Cardigans, and like many indie boys (and probably more than a few girls), I’ve had a crush on Nina since the Cardigans broke out. I first saw her live at the Kool Haus in 1999 and have been hooked ever since. There’s just something about that combination of fair-haired Swedish good looks, her beautifully feminine voice, and her rock cred that makes us mere mortals swoon.
Her voice is so distinctly unique, and such a big part of what makes the Cardigans what it is that any project Nina does will be at most a stones throw away; and it’s a pretty heavy stone.
Colonia is a country-flavoured rock album building upon the American grassroots theme of its predecessor. It’s been important that this side-project have an identity of its own; singular and separate from the friendly Cardigans pop-rock that we know and love. But, this is Nina Perssons after all. Her voice is so distinctly unique, and such a big part of what makes the Cardigans what it is that any project Nina does will be at most a stones throw away; and it’s a pretty heavy stone. You can’t throw it very far. You’ll probably have to shotput it.
It is certainly not a Cardigans album. But make no mistake: Nina’s seductive Nina-voice is laced throughout.
So that’s not to say that this album doesn’t have its own voice. It is certainly not a Cardigans album. But make no mistake: Nina’s seductive Nina-voice is laced throughout. Her playful lyrics are also evident. I laughed out loud the first time I heard the lyrics for the track Stronger Than Jesus, “You know that love can do you like a shotgun”. Ah so true. Love so can.
Anyway, how do I feel about the album as a whole? I’d say that my blinding Nina-worship has me skewed towards the positive side of where this album actually should be given a more balanced review. What’s up with the track with the male vocalist? It sticks out like a sore thumb. But there’s no doubt that there as some really good tunes: My America, and Stonger Than Jesus being noticably catchy.
A Camp is currently on tour promoting their new album throughout the summer. They are playing the Mod Club in Toronto on June 1st.
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