A Camp - Colonia Review

If there is one indisputable truth, it's that Nina Persson doesn't make enough records. Her vocal presence renders any song mysterious and beguiling, straddling as it does the lines dividing sweet and nut-job, love and obsession. But with her proper band, The Cardigans, on an apparently permanent hiatus, she rarely gets to demonstrate her special talent. Which makes a new album from her other band, equally reclusive side-project A Camp, a double treat. Not only is a follow-up to 2001's stripped bare, self-titled debut long overdue, it's also now the main attraction rather than the added bonus that its predecessor was; a fact that's key to everything about it.

A Camp's first album was a quiet, thoughtful retreat for Persson. Written and recorded with fellow Swedish indie star Niclas Frisk at the height of The Cardigans' pop success, then re-recorded with Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous between tours, it was an escape from the day job's pop world. A conscious attempt to shake off commercial concerns and make fragile, honest music. While "Colonia" still holds the same values dear, being Persson's main focus, it's less about being wilfully uncommercial and more about having an outlet. The result truly is the best of both her worlds....full text Nina Persson does not like to be bored. After megastardom with The Cardigans she grabbed her new husband Nathan Larsson and Atomic Swing musician Niclas Frisk and set off for a spot of musical camping.

The Cardigans took a pause after their highly acclaimed album Grand Turismo. Thus in 2001 Persson busied herself with recording and releasing her first album with her new project, A Camp. An album of lovely songs, produced by Sparklehorse, it won her four Swedish grammys and showed that she could exist outside of the band with which she made her name....full text Longtime listeners of the Cardigans will discern a noticeable difference in Nina Persson's voice whenever she sings as part of A Camp, her solo side project, than when she sings with her main band. With the Cardigans, Persson displays a sweet, eternal innocence. With A Camp, Persson sings like a mature, aged woman who's seen her fair share of somber days.



There is a beauty to her vocals that remains present in both projects, but they sound as if they're fronted by two different women. That darker side of Persson gives Colonia many of its most beautiful moments and includes some of her best vocal work to date. As talented as she is, the effort would be for naught if the songs were not up to par. But the album's warm country soul suits Persson's lush, pained voice so well that she could easily make A Camp her new day job with few complaints....full text