Astrid Swan - Poverina
Reviewed by jonathan
No longer the land of ABBA and, uggh, Ace of Base, Northern Europe is becoming an alt-music powerhouse. Mew (Denmark), Ane Brun (Norway), Sigur Ros (Iceland), Loney, and Dear (Sweden), they're all making their marks in these great states of America. Astrid Swan, a young Finnish lass, starts strong with her debut album, Poverina. The immediate comparison? A young Tori Amos, what with her smart poetic lyrics, her beguiling piano and her strong femininity, with splashes of Regina Spektor thrown in as well. There are eleven tracks on this new minty fresh album, but with only a little more than a half hour of music be prepared to hit the repeat button on your CD player. Pitch those Roxette albums as well, for Astrid's LP will not be her swan song. [www.astridswan.com]