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CD
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TR 306CD
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In his three albums preceding Golden, Stockholm-based, English-singing German musician Johannes Mayer aka The Late Call has churned out sparsely arranged gems, with, at most, only hints of piano chords and the slightest accents of percussion. But in 2012, after the release of his album Pale Morning Light (TR 237CD/LP) and corresponding tour, Mayer turned away from this singer-songwriter style. He spent a year writing new material, then packed his bags full of songs and went looking for a band. In October 2014, Mayer (guitar), Patric Thorman (bass, Hammond organ), Henrik Roger (piano, Mellotron), and Lars Plogschties (drums, percussion) spent ten days in the grand recording room of Studio Nord in Bremen. The result was Golden, an album that brings to mind the music of the early '70s, the heyday of folk-rock, with songs that are at once warm and clear, laid-back and dynamic. Instead of the digital editing associated with most records in 2015, this album features the musicians playing together, standing in a half-circle. It captures a golden era when Hunter S. Thompson was writing Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Bob Dylan was riding on horseback with Kris Kristofferson through New Mexico. It was the time of the first indie songwriters, who flourished on both sides of the big pond -- here Townes van Zandt and Tim Hardin, there Nick Drake and John Martyn. But while the songs undoubtedly evoke folk and Americana, early '90s independent Britpop also shimmers between the lines. And yet this eclecticism has never been Mayer's ultimate goal -- in the end, he and his band sound only like themselves. It's no coincidence that the last track, "Telling Stories," makes use of tape delay, which seems to draw sound out into eternity. Musically and lyrically, Golden sheds light on the ordinary and everyday, finding subjects that might otherwise remain hidden. "The Pact" revolves around two people reminiscing about their youthful pledge to never become like the old. When Mayer's voice joins with his long-term musical acquaintance Ylva Ceder in the line, "never to become like them, never to give in," one can't help but think of two other voices, also "blending in perfection": Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. All through the album, this special songwriter, with a voice full of longing, carries you away to drop you off three minutes later at the place you once dreamed of being.
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LP+CD
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TR 306LP
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LP version with CD. In his three albums preceding Golden, Stockholm-based, English-singing German musician Johannes Mayer aka The Late Call has churned out sparsely arranged gems, with, at most, only hints of piano chords and the slightest accents of percussion. But in 2012, after the release of his album Pale Morning Light (TR 237CD/LP) and corresponding tour, Mayer turned away from this singer-songwriter style. He spent a year writing new material, then packed his bags full of songs and went looking for a band. In October 2014, Mayer (guitar), Patric Thorman (bass, Hammond organ), Henrik Roger (piano, Mellotron), and Lars Plogschties (drums, percussion) spent ten days in the grand recording room of Studio Nord in Bremen. The result was Golden, an album that brings to mind the music of the early '70s, the heyday of folk-rock, with songs that are at once warm and clear, laid-back and dynamic. Instead of the digital editing associated with most records in 2015, this album features the musicians playing together, standing in a half-circle. It captures a golden era when Hunter S. Thompson was writing Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Bob Dylan was riding on horseback with Kris Kristofferson through New Mexico. It was the time of the first indie songwriters, who flourished on both sides of the big pond -- here Townes van Zandt and Tim Hardin, there Nick Drake and John Martyn. But while the songs undoubtedly evoke folk and Americana, early '90s independent Britpop also shimmers between the lines. And yet this eclecticism has never been Mayer's ultimate goal -- in the end, he and his band sound only like themselves. It's no coincidence that the last track, "Telling Stories," makes use of tape delay, which seems to draw sound out into eternity. Musically and lyrically, Golden sheds light on the ordinary and everyday, finding subjects that might otherwise remain hidden. "The Pact" revolves around two people reminiscing about their youthful pledge to never become like the old. When Mayer's voice joins with his long-term musical acquaintance Ylva Ceder in the line, "never to become like them, never to give in," one can't help but think of two other voices, also "blending in perfection": Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. All through the album, this special songwriter, with a voice full of longing, carries you away to drop you off three minutes later at the place you once dreamed of being.
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CD
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TR 237CD
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This is the third album by The Late Call. Johannes Mayer delves deep into his own world of sound. The songs here place their focus on the creation of expressive sonic pictures, on rhythm and on narrative texts. In that sense, the new album is sometimes more experimental than the previous two: Leaving Notes (TR 146CD) and You Already Have a Home (TR 192CD/LP). The songs often have complex structures -- they change their character, they are alive and full of little details to be discovered. What remains, however, is the love of melody found on the earlier albums, which invited comparisons to bands like Kings Of Convenience, Tunng, John Martyn or James Yorkston and M. Ward. While working on the songs it was important to the Stockholm-based songwriter to create associative and imaginative connotations in the lyrics. What results are short stories that take place in the mind's eye in conjunction with the music. Rhythm also plays an important role on the new album: Songs like the opener "Wandering Through an Empty Field," the Robert Smith-esque "Forest Fire" or the energetic "Heavy Heart," show just what he means. Also appearing on the album are live-band members Ylva Ceder, Simon Ståhlhamre and Patric Thorman, as well as Sarah Nyberg Pergament (Action Biker) and Moussa Fadera (The Amazing). Once again, the album was recorded and co-produced by John Roger Olsson.
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LP+CD
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TR 237LP
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LP version, includes CD. This is the third album by The Late Call. Johannes Mayer delves deep into his own world of sound. The songs here place their focus on the creation of expressive sonic pictures, on rhythm and on narrative texts. In that sense, the new album is sometimes more experimental than the previous two: Leaving Notes (TR 146CD) and You Already Have a Home (TR 192CD/LP). The songs often have complex structures -- they change their character, they are alive and full of little details to be discovered. What remains, however, is the love of melody found on the earlier albums, which invited comparisons to bands like Kings Of Convenience, Tunng, John Martyn or James Yorkston and M. Ward. While working on the songs it was important to the Stockholm-based songwriter to create associative and imaginative connotations in the lyrics. What results are short stories that take place in the mind's eye in conjunction with the music. Rhythm also plays an important role on the new album: Songs like the opener "Wandering Through an Empty Field," the Robert Smith-esque "Forest Fire" or the energetic "Heavy Heart," show just what he means. Also appearing on the album are live-band members Ylva Ceder, Simon Ståhlhamre and Patric Thorman, as well as Sarah Nyberg Pergament (Action Biker) and Moussa Fadera (The Amazing). Once again, the album was recorded and co-produced by John Roger Olsson.
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CD
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TR 192CD
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This is the second full-length release by The Late Call aka Stockholm singer/songwriter Johannes Mayer (The Cedar). Throughout the record there is an energy which remains a driving force, all the way through to its gratifying end. You Already Have A Home comes as a marked contrast to the acclaimed debut Leaving Notes on which Johannes Mayer was given the opportunity to cut his teeth with an album of beautiful songs exercised in the art of restraint. On his sophomore record, he has put together an album full of punctuation marks, giving a completely new perspective to the introverted nature of Leaving Notes. This record features a stronger emphasis on percussion and strings with old pianos and brass thrown in for good measure. The result is a collection of songs that have been arranged with great love and attention to detail. However, you will not find any form of musical overload or effect-fireworks in any of the songs. You Already Have A Home, in evolutionary terms, could be described as the missing link between Kings Of Convenience and Bon Iver. The situation in the studio reflects life's circumstances which The Late Call describe on this record: the attempt to build your life, the struggles, the set-backs and the belief in a rewarding and positive end. You Already Have A Home arrives with an impressive clarity and sharp observation, combining a beautiful interaction of lyrical content and melody with a simplicity that demonstrates how much this artist has developed as a songwriter and musician. The album was recorded and co-produced by Tapete stable-mate John Roger Olsson (The Grand Opening) in his Stockholm studio. Furthermore, the album features collaborations with, among others, Ylva Ceder (who Johannes Mayer toured with in December 2009), bass player Patric Thorman and Maria Eriksson (The Concretes).
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LP
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TR 192LP
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LP version, featuring an extra vinyl-only track. This is the second full-length release by The Late Call aka Stockholm singer/songwriter Johannes Mayer (The Cedar). Throughout the record there is an energy which remains a driving force, all the way through to its gratifying end. You Already Have A Home comes as a marked contrast to the acclaimed debut Leaving Notes on which Johannes Mayer was given the opportunity to cut his teeth with an album of beautiful songs exercised in the art of restraint. On his sophomore record, he has put together an album full of punctuation marks, giving a completely new perspective to the introverted nature of Leaving Notes. This record features a stronger emphasis on percussion and strings with old pianos and brass thrown in for good measure. The result is a collection of songs that have been arranged with great love and attention to detail. However, you will not find any form of musical overload or effect-fireworks in any of the songs. You Already Have A Home, in evolutionary terms, could be described as the missing link between Kings Of Convenience and Bon Iver. The situation in the studio reflects life's circumstances which The Late Call describe on this record: the attempt to build your life, the struggles, the set-backs and the belief in a rewarding and positive end. You Already Have A Home arrives with an impressive clarity and sharp observation, combining a beautiful interaction of lyrical content and melody with a simplicity that demonstrates how much this artist has developed as a songwriter and musician. The album was recorded and co-produced by Tapete stable-mate John Roger Olsson (The Grand Opening) in his Stockholm studio. Furthermore, the album features collaborations with, among others, Ylva Ceder (who Johannes Mayer toured with in December 2009), bass player Patric Thorman and Maria Eriksson (The Concretes).
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CD
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TR 146CD
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This is the debut full-length release by The Late Call aka Stockholm singer/songwriter Johannes Mayer (The Cedar). Leaving Notes is definitive proof that a long-distance relationship leaves its mark, and that you don't need much more than some acoustic instruments and simple lyrics to create a staggeringly brilliant pop album. In the time spent waiting for late phone calls from his girlfriend, Mayer appears to have frequently reached for his guitar, producing the tangible and bittersweet emotions contained on this record. From the first notes, you are drawn into a very special, quiet, intimate atmosphere. The feelings on this record are real, and they do not let go of you over the full length of the album, giving you the kind of goosepimples one usually only associates with listening to Nick Drake, Damien Rice or José González. Warm acoustic instrumentation creates The Late Call's distinctive sound. "Thinking What To Say" is carried by a vibraphone, while in the background, an old piano is playing a haunting refrain. Accordions and harmoniums often pave the way for lighter acoustics, and the great string arrangements such as those on "Cards On The Table" and "The Summertime" speak of a musical aesthetic that is grand, without being overwrought or melancholic. Leaving Notes sounds like a manifesto against modern Saturday night partying, and is a rare musical find. The album furthermore contains a wide range of collaborations with Andreas Söderström (Ass, Rubies, Taken By Trees), Elias Åkesson (Elias & The Wizzkids), Björn Kleinhenz and Henrik Roger (Ghost Of Tom Joad). These intimate acoustic songs manage to convey the contemplative spaces between the farewell, the departure and the arrival.
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