Kent -- En plats i solen

8/10

"Stately" and "relaxed" aren't exactly two words that go together, but, and I'll say this in a way that gives away my great ego of descriptive prowess, "stately" and "relaxed" perfectly describe Kent's ninth full-length album, En plats i solen (A place in the sun). The song lengths are greatly pared down (unlike the previous sentence), the shortest since the band's debut. No song extends past the five minute mark. The song structures and music sound efficient and precise, and yet...in some ways, En plats i solen is the aural equivalent of a large, official looking man, riding a white horse, wearing a suit with epaulets, a marching hat...and swimming trunks, the horse trotting down the beach on the album's cover (previous album, Röd, did end quite tropically). Perhaps, this is due to Kent employing far more strings into their efficient mix of acoustic and electronic music. "Skisser för sommaren" and "Ärlighet Respekt Kärlek" espouse this quality the most, while "Varje gång du möter min blick" does so while welding the emotional power Kent create so well. While all this makes for a lovely, enjoyable album, it is a step down from the stellar work Kent did during the 00's. Still, En plats i solen is far from a bad way to kick off the decade. Few bands can even say they've entered a third one, let alone entered it this gracefully.


2010 RCA/Sony
1. Glasäpplen (Glass Apples) 4:48
2. Ismael 4:25
3. Skisser för sommaren (Sketches for the Summer) 4:14
4. Ärlighet Respekt Kärlek (Honesty Respect Love) 4:28
5. Varje gång du möter min blick (Every time you meet my gaze) 4:27
6. Ensam lång väg hem (Lonely long way home) 4:11
7. Team building 3:58
8. Gamla Ullevi (Old Ullevi) 3:38
9. Minimalen (The Minimal) 4:21
10. Passagerare (Passengers) 4:18