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Written in fRoots issue 357, March 2013


ALLA FAGRA
Vintern Ska Värma Våra Fötter
Kap Syd KAPCD004 (2012)

Malmö’s Alla Fagra aren’t a band to trot out the same old same old, and on this third album, only a year after its very appealing predecessor – they’re moving fast - the light melodiousness of the vocals on the opening track might give the impression it’s going to be a bit, well, hippy-twee.
      But keep listening; there’s a lot of variety in these eleven tracks, full of the shapes of traditional Swedish music but all written by band members. Tre Visa Kvinnor for example has a Hedningarna/Filarfolket punch and wildness, while others have early-music touches in their vocals’ parallel fifths, or evoke happy memories of late ‘70s-early ’80s Swedish/Norwegian band Folk Och Rackare. By the end this, their winter album (“The Winter Shall Warm Our Feet”) - with its catchy songs, hooky refrains, airy production, strong command of instruments (bowed strings, winds, frets, free-reeds, harp, bass, percussion), relaxed-seeming but tight male and female group vocals and the arranging thereof, has insinuated seductive winter-warm fun and charm, even - in a good way – cosiness.

      www.kapsyd.com


© 2012 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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