Vargen shares Christmas duet 'To Stockholm From L.A.' with Anna Vild
12 November 2020
Newsdesk
Swedish Vargen’s “Love / Leave – 11 Songs of Bob Dylan” was praised in international Indie press earlier this year. Now the folk singer shares “To Stockholm From L.A.”, a collaboration with singer-songwriter Anna Vild.
We thought of it as both a song about two longing lovers divided by the pond and as a duet between the mythic North and the City of Angels, says Reine Johansson, the man behind the stage and recording name Vargen. Alfred Lord Tennyson’s classic poem “Ring out, wild bells” inspired the line “I call out to the wild skies”, and that was pretty much a key to the theme for the lyrics. Now of course, the black cloud of the pandemic has added a somewhat another dimension to the song, says Vargen.
Musically, “To Stockholm From L.A.” is a ballad in the folk/country genre. The production focus on the vocals and Mats Borjesson’s piano and Dan Kristensen’s slide guitar work brings the song a touch of americana and blues. The track was the premier session for Studio Recordia, which initially was a bunker (!) producer Fredrik Larnemo found in Stockholm and transported 500 kilometres to new location Varberg on the west coast of Sweden.
Great studio, with top floor Studio 1 having room for a symphony orchestra, Vargen recounts. I remember Fredrik’s reaction when Anna’s guiding vocals came out through the control room speakers. The hair on his arms stood right up and he just laughed of happiness. It turned out we kept that first take, she nailed it instantly.
Release: Friday November 13 on all major music streaming services. Genre: Folk/Country/Americana/Christmas
Glistening snow Candle lights, children chatter Sky crisp and cold Every year, same old pattern
Sunset’s dressed in fire glow Busy n’ bright as I’m walkin' through But it doesn’t matter ‘cause all I think about is you
The night is silent and frozen Heart cries out as Yuletide blows in
To Stockholm from L.A. I call out to the wild skies If there’s a will there’s a way Just as love flies
The night is silent and frozen Heart cries out as Yuletide flows in
To Stockholm from L.A. I call out to the wild skies If there’s a will there’s a way Just as love flies
To Stockholm from L.A. If there’s a will now there is a way To Stockholm from L.A.
Glistening snow Candle lights, children chatter Sky crisp and cold Every year, same old pattern
Words & music by Reine Johansson and Anna Rundbom (C) Vargen Music, (P) 2020 Vargen Records
Credits:
ANNA VILD: Vocal REINE JOHANSSON: Vocal DAN KRISTENSEN: Slide guitar, electric guitar MATS BÖRJESSON: Piano FREDRIK LARNEMO: Lap steel JAN LUNDIN: Bass KLAS ASSARSSON: Drums, percussion
Produced by Reine Johansson, Anna Vild and Fredrik Larnemo at Recordia Studio 2, Varberg. Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Larnemo.
