courtesy of lykkeli.com
There is no artist whose sound better encapsulates youth than Lykke Li. Her 2008 intimate diary Youth Novels, produced by Bjorn Yttling, was the songbird's first attempt to tell the story of a generation. As a performer, Li's presence is magical: her voice is like that of an airy sprite; on stage she moves like a seductive Swedish mermaid, twisting and swerving about, yet she entices and commads the audience like a siren; her songs are always layered in echos of haunted harmonies. While on Youth Novels all this magic frames her as a charming fairy, Wounded Rhymes is a testament to her old-soul wisdom. With doo-wop inspired rhythms, Li swims through every level of youthful emotions, from unashamed lust to residing melancholia. Each track captures a fleeting moment, thereby reminding the youthful listener of her worst fear: that the clock is swiftly ticking down to the day when mistakes leave brutal consequences. Until then, we are invited to basque in our unrequited love, over-dulling privilege, and adventurous hearts.
Courtesy of lykkeli.com
The opener "Youth Knows No Pain" sets the tone of this journey, while "Rich Kids Blues" is a beat short of a protest song and "Sadness is a Blessing" both laments and welcomes the wisdom of heartbreak. Li's magical nature is not absent from the album but instead weighed down by passionate metaphors, a worldly narrator, and flawless production.
Take for example the third track, "Love out of Lust", by far the most beautiful song on the album and most prolific love song of the year. Carried by a slow-paced march coupled with an organ that crescendos at the right moments, "Love out of Lust" is the anthem for any who dare to overcome selfishness and stifling nihilism for the sake of love. Li's lyrics are beautifully poignant; her vocals capture the vulnerability of youthful courage. She easily makes bold and wise proclamations, such as: "Rather live out a lie than live wondering/How the fire feels while burning/For love is like a flame and the ash is for wasting/So honey don't be afraid to dance while we're waiting." She rejects the narcissistic quest for immortality by accepting that in this world and in love "We will live longer than I will." By the end of the song, we understand that true love comes to those both old enough to understand what it takes yet young enough to still seek it out.
Lykke Li's idea of youth is not the sun-washed Gap commercial of her "Little Bit" music video. It's the icy shores of her "I Follow Rivers" video: full of danger, pain, sadness, sex, and somehow--happiness. There are still a few whimsical ballads on Wounded Rhymes, but the album is anchored by tracks that capture the truth of the fleeting, hurting, and persevering youthful spirit. It's by these attributes that we experience the most fiery romances and cynical burns. Through Wounded Rhymes Li reveals a secret few want to accept: being young is really about becoming old and the experiences that make you grow.
You can watch the songbird perform the entire album and other favorites on MTV's Unplugged Thursday at 9pm, but if you're lacking a TV you can enjoy some of the teaser "Live from the Moon" videos she's released from the session on YouTube.
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