Jens Gustavson has been making music for close to thirty years in the Swedish music world. He has written, recorded, and shared his songs in many ways, both with different groups and all by himself. In the past, his band, Andras Ungar, was known for having loud, very energetic concerts. Even though he is part of the alternative music scene, Jens Gustavson gets ideas from many different places. He blends music styles like Swedish folk songs, sad blues music, loud punk, and even heavy stoner rock. This shows that he is always willing to try new things. His main influences are important songwriters like Ossler, Anders F. Rönnblom, PJ Harvey, and Mark Lanegan, but his overall music style is too wide and varied to easily put a single name on it.
With his new album, Vissa dagar (which simply means “Some Days”), Gustavson shows a big change in how his music sounds. This record is much more acoustic and plain than his earlier work. It feels more connected to traditional sounds, welcoming listeners on a journey through different kinds of music. The sound moves smoothly between the soulful feel of New Orleans blues, the simple beauty of old European folk songs, and the directness of acoustic indie music. The album was mostly recorded live in a studio in Jämtland, Sweden. This gives it a real, honest sound that lets the listener feel like they are right there watching the performance. This careful process was finished by Robin Lindqvist, who took care of the mixing, production, and mastering.
The main point of Vissa dagar is about the honest, real-life struggle of just carrying on every single day. The title itself points to the simple truth that sometimes life is just hard, full of tough moments and daily tiredness. But even with this honest feeling, the album holds onto a small, important sense of hope. The music shows this theme by holding back, using simple music parts where every single note is important to the overall message of the song. For an album made without a major label, the eight songs connect perfectly. They tie together stories about the artist’s own life with wider thoughts about society. It is the kind of music that asks you to take it easy and listen carefully. It promises to show you both the hard parts and the gentle, good parts of life.
The album starts with the song “Humlor,” which means “Bumblebees.” This soft, quiet opening immediately sets the peaceful, rooted mood of the album. The main idea here is about simple, strong continuity—the quiet sound of life that keeps going even when things get confusing. Just like how a bumblebee flies without a clear plan, the song thinks about how we find the strength to keep moving forward when we feel like stopping. The way the guitar is played is simple and real, suggesting that the most important answers are found in the small, daily work of just being alive. This sets a serious and thoughtful mood for the rest of the album.
Next is “Numera” (Nowadays), where the writing becomes more personal, creating a clear picture of the artist’s journey through small, quiet details. The main feeling of the song is a calm look at who the singer is now, comparing it to the person he was after many years of living and facing challenges. It builds its message by using small, clear pictures from his life. It shows that big changes in life don’t just happen all at once; they happen slowly over time as a result of many small choices, losses, and wins. The music has a soft, almost sad sound that makes the reflection feel real and honest. It’s like looking into a mirror and accepting the hard times while being thankful for the simple fact that life keeps moving.
The song “Kanske just det här” (Perhaps exactly this) is a thoughtful part of the album, set up like a travel story. The main idea looks at good luck, chance, and the different roads we take in life. The message says that the biggest lessons might not come from hitting large goals, but from the side trips and the idea that the time we are in right now is maybe the place we were always supposed to find. The music is very simple, or “bare,” and it uses a slide guitar sound to mark moments of sharp feeling—like a quick moment of knowing something important during a long journey. This song mixes perfectly the sound of New Orleans blues with a deep, thinking Nordic folk feel, helping us find calm in the confusing parts of life.
The shortest track, “Vals för utmattade” (Waltz for the Exhausted), is very honest and straightforward about its feelings. The core message is simply about being real about feeling completely tired and overwhelmed. It takes the feeling of “I can barely get out of bed” and sets it to a catchy, soft waltz beat. The song is a tribute to the heavy feeling of a normal morning and the inner fatigue that modern life often tells us to hide. Its short time is important, making it a fast, strong moment of truth before the listener has to face the day again. This shows that this feeling of exhaustion is a normal thing that comes and goes. It proves that a deep idea does not need a long song, only complete truth.
“Chant” is the last song on the album, and it’s a very powerful one. It changes the subject completely, going from personal stories to big social issues with a very serious, almost church-like feel. The style is clear and wide-reaching, looking at the growing lack of kindness and understanding in the world. The core message is a strong call for people to think about their morals. It’s not a protest song, but a deep, repeating warning—a shared, necessary song against letting a lack of kindness become normal. The music uses backing singers and the deep sound of the Helicon instrument, which makes the song feel like a group ceremony. “Chant” forces the listener to carry the album’s deep thoughts out into the real world. It makes the point that being truly honest must mean caring about the problems in our shared community, not just our own personal struggles.
Vissa dagar is a quiet success. It’s a beautifully made, honest album that shines a light on both the struggles inside us and the worries we see outside in the world. It is the perfect music for anyone who wants a real, deep friend to listen to when life feels tough. It is a record that proves the power an artist finds when they focus only on sharing the truth.
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