Saturday, April 19th, 2008

CONTEST – Peter Moren @ The El Mocambo – April 24, 2008


Photo via Touch And Go

Writer’s Block, last year’s breakthrough record for Swedish trio Bjorn and John, had a shelf life of about two months for me before it drifted from maddeningly catchy to simply maddening. The fact that the rest of world didn’t seem to suffer a similar burn out and the trio was damn-near inescapable through most of 2007 – I think they sold out three shows at the Phoenix in under a year? – didn’t help endear them to me, either.

Which is why I’m more than a little shocked that I’m enjoying The Last Tycoon, the solo debut from Peter Moren, as much as I am. Loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished final novel, it’s a lot more bummed out than his band work and the downbeat mood, combined with Moren’s superb melodic sense, is a recipe far more up my alley than the processed sugars that saturate his main gig. Arrangements are starker, largely voice and acoustic guitar but with tasteful chamber-pop embellishments and a genuine, understated warmth that’s very welcoming.

Moren is taking this show on the road starting next week and stops in at the El Mocambo (moved from Mod) next Thursday, April 24, and courtesy of Touch And Go Records, I’ve got a pair of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “Nuts to Bjorn and John, I want to see Peter Moren” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest will close at midnight, April 21.

And if you can’t make the show, remember that Moren is also doing an in-store at Soundscapes at 4PM the afternoon of the show. Also check out his recent Daytrotter session, a video performance recorded for This Is Fake DIY and and interview with The Southtown Star.

MP3: Peter Moren – “Social Competence”

By : Frank Yang at 9:59 am
Category: Uncategorized
RSS Feed for this postNo Responses.