Lykke Li, the Swedish-born chanteuse turned heads in 2008 with her full length debut Youth Novels. It was a solid effort featuring slight instrumentation, a simple guitar pluck here, a piano plink there, eking a delicate framework for her sweet vocals. Charming and sugary, Youth Novels attracted a lot of fans and built anticipation for her follow-up. However, the persona Lykke Li inhabits for Wounded Rhymes was definitely unexpected. Gone are the cutesy coos and the come hither delivery. Like a long shadow, the stories creep over and inhabit the listener well after the album is over.
The psychedelic keys are on full blast on "Youth Knows No Pain" where Lykke Li opens with both barrels blazing. The tough, seedy and impassioned point of view she takes on her lyrics for Wounded Rhymes reminds of the gum-popping, girl groups of the sixties. Artists such as The Shangri-Las, The Crystals and The Ronettes have been huge influences to many modern all female bands. Whereas many of those indie outfits didn't have the chops to wail and purr like the gals from that golden era, Lykke Li employs the right emotive inflections needed for each situation. The plaintive cries on "Unrequited Love" are pitch perfect are come complete with backup doo-wops making the point punctuated. That familiar "Leader of the Pack" beat on "Sadness Is A Blessing" is a necessary reminder of that Wall Of Sound era and Lykke Li manages to stand tall with the booming percussion. She gets sultry and suggestive on singles "Get Some" and "I Follow Rivers", modernizing and empowering the classic image of that tortured girl hopelessly in love with the bad boy. She is the naughty one and makes no apologies for it. All in all Wounded Rhymes is a coming-of-age for Lykke Li and the little ingénue is all grown up. The slinky torch songs, throwback homages and tender ballads have the proper amount of spark from the past while giving the appropriate attitude for today.
Right-click to download "Get Some" here. Right-click to download "I Follow Rivers" here.
Purchase Wounded Rhymes here.
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes (full album)
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