A glorious pop rock amalgamation, “Hometown Song” – the new tune from the Swedish multi-instrumentalist known as Wonderfun (or Wonderboy) – is a sprawling, ambitious piece that’s deeply indebted to some of the greats.
Echoes of legacy acts like The Beatles and The Beach Boys blend with (relatively) more modern prospects like Belle & Sebastian and The Beta Band to make a formidable musical force to be reckoned with.
There is a distinct dramatic theatricality to the song that recalls the work of acts like Rufus Wainwright and Patrick Wolf, but also a tender intimacy in parts, reminiscent of fellow Swede Loney Dear. It’s this dynamism that makes a good song great and that gives it a much more enchanting slant.
The distance from where we start – a hushed, eerie, “Eleanor Rigby” style piece – to where we ultimately end up – something that feels like a fusion of The Flaming Lips, Interpol, and Weezer – is vast.
Lyrically, the song is a wry, knowing nod to local institutions, quirks, and landmarks – those that may only mean something to those in the know – and, at its apex, is bolstered by some wonderful “God Only Knows”-style vocal layering.
The entire song is underpinned by an easily detectable Scandi charm that you can’t help but enjoy. This one is a real technicolour treat. Take a listen to it below.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
