Isolation Years: Inland Traveller

When was the last time you listened to a handsaw solo that opened a CD? Right from the start, you realize that Isolation Years‘ debut Inland Traveller is going to be something different. This quintet from far off in northern Sweden (their hometown of Umea is located within the Arctic Circle) serves up an intriguing amalgam of influences and arrangements that converge to make for some interesting music.

The vocals of Jakob Nystrom, paired with his unusually moody, oft-paranoid lyrical visions, make these songs instantly compelling. Occasional folk instrumentation is another attention getter. Overall, this debut album (originally released in Sweden in 2001) comes across as far more professional than what one might expect from a dozen songs recorded in a home studio.

“Talkin’ Backward Masking Blues” leads things off with some nice horns (Daniel Johansson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Zacharias Wagnefjord on trombone) that add dramatic emphasis to this lyrical nightmare of dark and swaying silhouettes talking backwards in this guy’s face, to say nothing of the bloodstains on his shoes.

“I’m Gonna Flip” is driven by a strong beat (Daniel Berglund on drums) and an infectious chorus that is reminiscent of any number of bands, yet comes across as original. Lyrically, it’s about a guy on the edge.

Another winner of a song is “Hemisphere”, a lament of the only one left in a world where everyone else is dead or dying. “Cold Morning in Minusinsk” starts off as more of a folk song, employing accordion (played by bassist Anton Berglund) in the celebration of storytelling as a means to keep from yawning (when cold in the morning).

The title track goes for a psychedelic folk angle (again, Jakob Nystrom plays the saw), then builds into more of a rocker, using interesting sounds and instrumentation. This is the musical story of visitors from another world who are powerful but, unfortunately, have no need for the Isolation Years’ songs.

The superb horn work draws you immediately into the winningly upbeat “New Start”. This is a song about directionless confusion that is guaranteed to get you moving: “I need a new start / To cover up my tracks / In-between nightmares and daydreams / I’ve forgotten why I’m here at all”.

“Goblins and Pines” treads more psychedelic territory, sounding like something from the late 1960s, while “Light the Torch” sounds like something Bono could have sung in the 1970s (and actually so does “Melting Minds”).

The Jakob Mostrom instrumental “Maranata Club Lounge” has a film-noir feel; you can practically see and feel the blue smoke of the crowded club.

The CD closes with “Green on White”, one of the strongest and most unusual tracks. Again, the horns are great, accenting the rock flavors (akin to some of the finer use of horns by the Undertones or the Housemartins), while the lyrics go off into some kind of psychedelic reality: “It’s an anti-gravitation thing at hand / And it’s sending us away / From each other once again / Leaving wider gaps than what was before”.

Inland Traveller is fun to listen to, though chances are it won’t be everyone’s cup of grog. I really like the tracks that use horns to great effect, and you can’t go wrong with Jakob Nystrom’s haunting lead vocals (though his handsaw solos are still being debated). It’s a fascinating and accomplished debut, and one that should bode well for this new record label.

Apparently Isolation Years already has a second album just released in Sweden. After giving this debut many listens, I’m curious to know what the follow-up sounds like (any chance of a U.S. release, folks?). Since I don’t get MTV Nordic (where their new video has been playing), I suppose I’ll just have to hope and wait.