A Little Bit in Lykke With Her
Ben Barna
May 09, 2008
When Lykke Li asked the packed crowd at Bowery Ballroom how many of them were in love, we estimate about fifteen people put their hands up, including the couple in front of us (her first, then him). They gazed into each others eyes and kissed as Li reminded them of what they shared. We wanted to smack them. “This song is for everyone who’s not in love,” she announced amid cheers from the dispossessed, us included. Li was the centerpiece to a soiree of Swedish sweeties, her flawless set bookended by Scandinavian songbirds—Anna Ternheim first, and Sarah Assbring last, playing under her nom de plume El Perro Del Mar.
But it was clear who people came to see. While the other sets were marked (or marred) by the din of chatter, Li had everyone enraptured with unstoppable hooks and irresistible pop charm. Prone to breaking into wild fits of spastic dancing, Li is one of those artists who likes to—and knows how to—move to her music. Her set-list was pulled right from the liner notes of her new album Youth Novels, and was backed by a trio of handsome Swedish boys, who lifted her songs from potential acoustic strummers to all-out anthemic wonders. And on songs like “Breaking It Up,” Li sung through a megaphone to match the filtered distortion heard on her album. When the show ended, we wished we had another shot at answering Li’s initial question. This time we would’ve raised our hands.
Posted by stefan on Mon May 12, 2008 at 12.06 pm
YES. saw Lykke at Joe’s pub the night before… a buddy had just photo’d her for spin (he’s good. check it out.)
The other two sets were boring as hell. but Lykke BROUGHT IT. dangly goldplated ish around her neck. including kazoo and bells. which she used. and weren’t cheesy.
her stage presence is a lot like beck’s. see her when she comes back to the city.