I've mentioned on numerous occasions the main problem trying to maintain a regularly updated blog alongside a full-time job, family and active social life (as well as training to run a Marathon at the start of October and all my Beautiful Strange involvement) is finding time. Of course, everyone no matter what they do, doesn't seem to find enough hours in the day to do everything they'd like to but the ever increasing number of emails, highlighted posts and draft blogs is a growing indication that I'm not quite finding the time to post about probably as much as half of the acts I'd like to, will my drafts on the likes of Felix, Tiny Ruins or The Paper Shades (to name but three) get written up soon? I hope so, but balance between maintain some aspect of new music, following acts I love and talking about what I'm up to takes much of my spare time already.
That long, rambling paragraph leads me to Sea Lion (aka singer/songwriter Linn Osterberg from Gothenburg) who was one such act sitting in my draft folder for a little while now, I've forgotten my introduction so apologies to them but on what is the second Sea Lion album Guns of Alaska (I've only found it available on iTunes to date) Linn exhibits the sort of fairy tale beauty that is too good for my drawn out words (though I'm about to use some)...
Ten tracks of mainly naked, stripped back arrangements where the instrumentation is often little more than delicate guitar circles and atmospheric echoes which in turn means that much of the musical landscape is created by Linn's exquisite song-poetry and her pretty, pure voice. Delicate and haunting, her sublime whispers are uniquely endearing and captivating throughout. I could pretty much pick any track from the album but the romantic chimes of "Elias" or the devastatingly beautiful "The Loneliest Boy In New York" are amongst my highlights with "Without Brackets" sumptuous fragility another worth mentioning. Sea Lion's beguiling way with wordsand ethereal vocals could probably make the saddest of songs song like a love letter, such is her power.
There's many more treasures to be found on Sea Lion's Soundcloud page, most of her first LP Mercy Land and some covers (I've picked my favourite, a serenely beautiful version of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire")to stream below. My advice, clear your next hour, go grab a nice drink, press play and immerse yourself in the magical world of Sea Lion.
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