Maria Lithell
Country of origin:
Sweden
Type of music generally:
Folky alternative pop/rock
Status:
Most recent release, TIdes (2014)
See also:
Maria Lithell's site
Comparisons:
Aimee Mann
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Both vocally and in her songwriting and style, Maria Lithell has a strong thread of Aimee Mann running through a large part (but not all!) of her sound. Maria Lithell's voice is little higher and less throaty, and she's mining the same kind of folky pop area with anthemic choruses...but she's not a carbon copy, and she has a style and a good range of hooky songs all her own. (Neile)
Recommended first album:
Blessing & Curse (2006) is her debut
Recordings:
- Blessing & Curse (2006)
- TIdes (2014)
Blessing & Curse
Release info:
2006—Little by Lithell—SEWRR05001
Availability:
See Maria Lithell's site
Ecto priority:
Recommended for folky rock fans.
Group members:
Maria Lithell—vocals, backing vocals, organ
Guest artists:
Asa Bosdotter—piano (8)
Marcos Chagallo—violin (1, 6, 7, 10–13)
Maria Diephuis—backing cals (5)
Jerker Eklund—guitars (3, 4, 8–10)
Hanna Ekström—violin (7, 12, 13)
Anders Hedlund—drums (2, 4)
Mattias Helld7eacute;n—cello (2, 3))
Frederik Hermansson—piano (7, 12, 13)
Örjan Högbeg—viola (2, 3)
Magnus Josephsson—guitars (1, 5, 8, 9)
Cecilia Klingspor—backing vocals (4)
Jonas Lidholm—drums (1, 5, 8, 9)
Jonas Lindgren—violin (2,3)
Cecilia Linné—cello (1, 10)
Anna Ljungberg—cello (7, 12, 13)
Emma Nordenstam—backing vocals (4)
Olof Olsson—vibraphone, percusion (6, 10, 11)
Sophia Rimheden—computer (11)
Josef Tapper—viola (7, 12, 13)
Johan Strindberg contrabass (7, 12, 13)
Mari Torphammar—bassoon (1)
Anders Öberg—contrabass (6, 11)
Sebastian Öberg—cello (2, 3)
Martin Östholm—bass (1, 58 –10)
Anders Öqvist—bassoon (4, 6, 10, 11)
Produced by:
Maria Lithell
Comments:
This is a strong, affecting collection of songs. Maria Lithell has a folky but rocking sound and has a knack for anthemic choruses that really catch your ears. The first (and title) track, "Blessing and Curse" is the most Aimee Mann-sounding to me, but the album quickly heads off in its own directions, with the rocking "Nothing in Between," the yearning "Bed Full of Flowers," the heartfelt, haunting "Bully." Though it's a basic rock ballad, the vocals in "Hear and Now" bring me back to Aimee Mann, though the sound is distinctly different. "I'm Still Me" and "Will I Ever Learn?" feel very personal. "Running" is a really lovely peronal ballad, while "Free Society" seems more political and a little didactic. In constrast, the following track "R.E.M." is lilting and playful. "Flowers" is a story song" while "The Ice is Singing" is evocative and dreamy, then powerful and aching. The final track "Freeze the Frame" move between the delicate and the fully yearning. From this you can see there's more to her than the one point of comparison. (Neile)
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