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Buck Revisited

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:57:41 +0000

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“Late Night Call” Reviewed by Musical Musings and Opinions

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:24:52 +0000

Since their formation back in 2002 Swedish act POCKETFUL have recorded and released one full length album and 4 EPs if I have noted down their history correctly. The latter are all EPs, digital only productions if I recall correctly, and the latest of these is “Late Night Call”. As with all their other EPs it was issued through independent Swedish label Ovanbeck Records.

The music I have heard so far by Pocketful can generally be described in this manner: Compositions blending pop sensibilities with experimental features, the latter mostly in the arrangements and the former in compositional structure, melody, easy to like lead vocals and lyrics. And much the same is the case this time around. Music at the very border between progressive rock and mainstream pop if you like. And they are superbly good at exploring this particular territory I might add.

Title track Late Night Call and the following Professional are the best of the lot this time around as I regard it, the former sporting effective as-through-the-telephone-vocals, swirling electronic textures and dampened guitar riffs to emphasize the overall bleak context of this song to perfection, the latter adding dampened but effective brass, guitar licks and symphonic textures to a song that opens as a simplistic vocals and rhythms creation of the ballad orientation.

The other numbers are almost as engaging, with a particular mention to Sorry, a brief energetic display that to my ears appears as a neat and nifty blend of Tangerine Dream and Pet Shop Boys, with careful additions to the arrangements resulting in a song whose arrangements are both rich and sophisticated towards the end but still dominated by steady rhythms filled with strong pop sensibilities.

“Late Night Call” is a 6 track EP that clocks in at just over 25 minutes, and should be regarded as essential to explore if you have a soft spot for art rock with strong pop sensibilities and vice versa. In particular if you enjoy slightly bleak, melancholic moods explored musically.

My rating: 83/100

http://progreviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/pocketful-late-night-call-2010.html

Pocketful “Late Night Call” – New Video!

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:40:20 +0000

The third video from “Late Night Call” is the title track. It was made by American film and video producer Steven Itano Wasserman. This is how Steven describes the video: “An experimental non-linear vision of the pulsing life of a city at night juxtaposed with an intimate phone call. Just when you thought you moved on from a bad relationship, a haunting phone call brings back the roller-coaster of memories & you find yourself literally taking two steps backwards. The only way to be free is to destroy the caller.”

Pocketful “Extract” – New Video!

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 08:14:08 +0000

The video was made by American video artist and photographer Kathy Rugh and is taken from Pocketful’s latest EP, “Late Night Call”.

“Late Night Call” Reviewed by DPRP.net

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:04:53 +0000

With Late Night Call Pocketful release their fifth EP and this time around the album is just under 27 minutes long and consists of 6 tracks. The band personnel for this release are Johan Engström [guitars], Joakim Gralén [words on Words] Jerker Rellmark [vocals, trumpet, keyboards, samples & additional guitars] and special guest Therése Oresten [vocals on Late Night Call and Professional].

Pocketful music is best typecast as Shoegaze – normally melodramatic in its nature, whilst this dreamy rock brings your mind to ease and gives you a great feeling. The band describe the album as their “heaviest” work to date, however classifying “heavy” here means a more distorted sound in the guitars and keys, but most of all heavy in perception. Listening to the complete song lyrics and music, it is certainly darker. Again it is a very mellow going CD and during my listening session I did wonder if this music still fell within the progressive veins. Then what is progressive music really?

The electronic sound sure has become more prominent than before. Sorry, track four on the album, is a good example. Almost a regular pop song, with an up tempo pace with added sample sounds and noises added. Pocketful really made an effort here in creating a catchy tune. It sticks with you from the first time you here the song and just gets better every time you listen again. Elsewhere the addition of the trumpet in Professional is fantastic, as is the addition of female vocals of Therése Oresten which make the track a lot stronger. The layered guitars in Extract make you wander off immediately to other places, so relaxing it is.

I have said in the previous reviews that Pocketful’s way of production and music reminds a lot of No Man or Blackfield. They are not the same of course, but I still feel and sense a lot of similarity – catchy relaxing songs.

I feel Pocketful have released yet another strong EP with Late Night Call and it is about time they were discovered by a broader audience and thus receive the attention they deserve. Late Night Call is another step in the right direction. I cannot wait to hear a full album, It only takes four more songs to complete one?

Conclusion: 7 out of 10

http://www.dprp.net/reviews/201110.php#pocketful

“Late Night Call” available on iTunes

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:39:09 +0000

We are happy to inform you that the latest Pocketful EP, “Late Night Call”, has now been released on iTunes (Europe). Click here to download it to your iPod.

“Late Night Call” is more than OK

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:52:06 +0000

We have now tried and tested our release of “Late Night Call” and found no corrupt files so the release is back online. If you have problem with any of our releases please contact us and we will replace the corrupted files.

Enjoy the silence.

Problem with “Late Night Call”

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 11:58:51 +0000

We have received reports about some kind of problem with the “Late Night Call” release. The release has been taken offline until we know more. If you have bought a corrupt version of “Late Night Call” please contact us for new correct versions. All corrupt music files will be replaced.

Pocketful “I Don’t” – New Video Out Now!

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:55:50 +0000

Pocketful Review by DPRP

ivan@ovanbeck.com — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 09:44:09 +0000

Gert Hulshof from the Dutch music site DPRP recently reviewed all Pocketful releases except the debut album:

Pocketful are a band hailing from Sweden who consist of Jerker Rellmark (vocals, keyboards and trumpet) and Johan Engström (guitars and keyboards), together with lyricist Joakim Gralén. Pocketful formed back in 2002 out of the remains of a long gone Swedish band. After three years together they released their first album called Sparkling, after which they vanished from the scene for a while, only to come back in 2008 with their first EP release for Ovanbeck Records called A Sparrow’s Mind. In contrast to the first album the come back EP received good critiques, resulting in the re-release of a handful of tracks from the Sparkling album, aptly called Sparkling Revisited. It had taken a while before a A Sparrow’s Mind saw the light of day, but in the meantime Pocketful kept writing and recording. Two more releases were to follow in the following year – Ambigious Signs and Pocketful Evergreens.
So far so good. In my opinion it is time to give some attention to this band. The music of Pocketful is on the edge of ambient, chamber music, down tempo and progressive. You could say the music has hints of No-Man, Blackfield along with Coldplay. The music is very mellow, emotional, although there are the occasional up tempo songs. so the tenure of the music is mostly dark, ambient in style with the occasional cheerful song.
The end of 2010 sees a new EP album from Pocketful released and I was hoping to review that one along with the rest of their music, thus spanning their whole discography in one review. I have not yet received the album for review, so I need to do that next time around. Now for the individual EP’s and tracks in reverse order so the newest CD first.

Ambiguous Signs:
Ambiguous Signs contains six tracks and before I start I can say the tracks here are all of a different nature.
Voices is the opening track for this EP and how they open it – a song that could easily be released as a single and with a high potential to become a huge international hit. If the media would only pick it up and play it of course. A pop-rock tune with a Coldplay like progressive edge to it, that honestly would appeal to a very broad audience as it is a damn good pop song.
A Hint Of What Is Missing, is a mellow, emotional song in the Blackfield mould. A very good melody, strong on vocals and with the addition of a female voice for the extra effect. Not too sombre but if one feels emotionally low, perhaps not one to listen to. The track features a nice trumpet solo in the middle of the song. Addictive – you keep listening (well I do anyway).
Ever heard of Kraftwerk? Well I know Pocketful have heard of this German band, as Speak, the song I am writing about now, is electronic based with voices over. Yet in many respects it is nothing like Kraftwerk, only the electronic sounds remind of the illustrious band of Autobahn fame. The singing of Jerker here sometimes reminds of Dahl Ohme from Gazpacho.
In Wasting My Time I feel as if I have stepped into the world of the mellow, jazzy blues – like the world of Sade and the likes, Again this song differs in intonation quite a bit from the rest. The common parts between all songs so far is the emotional spirit they contain.
When The Leaves Fell From The Trees has an amazing, unbelievable and addictive nature. It amazes me over and over that these songs all are of such a high standard, yet Pocketful have not been picked up, or even worse have gone unnoticed more or less. The sheer simplicity here makes it as progressive as you can get. A minimalistic approach, with grand choruses.
Wrong – this is Pocketful not Gazpacho. Need I say more – it’s that intriguing.

Pocketful Evergreens:
The Hundred Miles is the first evergreen, your classic down tempo rock song which is nicely crafted around a basic simple theme and then by adding many different sounds the tune excels – pure craftsmanship.
Infection again is electronic based, with high pitched vocals which could be done by Aviv Geffen and Steven Wilson, albeit in a slightly altered arrangement – emotional, lots of electronic sounds.
Nobody Knows No-Man! Hell everybody here has heard of No-man, therefore I urge you listen to Pocketful, these guys can absolutely manage to reach the same high levels that No-man or Blackfield do.
And Once Again is something bands do every now and again, it is just a filler, with no additional value whatsoever. Too short to really stick to you and too long not to stay in your memory. Electro with vocals through a Vocoder I think.
With Keep The Engine Running comes along another Gazpacho like song with a solid approach by the boys. A highly intensive ballad.

Sparkling Revisited:
Sparkling is a more up tempo song than most of the other songs performed by Pocketful. It has a happy song with a strong melody and has great potential as a single. A pop rock song, but again with a Gazpacho-like feel to it.
Before The Bullfight is a cover song originally performed by none other then David Sylvian. This beautiful version by Pocketful sees Jerker Rellmark’s (almost accentless) voice fitting perfectly to the lush music. One of my favourite tracks of all an awesome cover.
Don’t Know Much is another lush track, almost chamber music with a jazzy feel all over. A continuation of what had been started with Before The Bullfight. This is the type of lush, mellow music that Pocketful do best, absolutely full of emotion. Excellent music for a weary afternoon or just to relax to.
Behind Thoughts Part 1 continues the mellow tunes – the tenure of this song is a little different, but still high on relaxing feelings. Some slightly distorted guitar work is added in this song to finish the EP off.
The more and more I listen to the music of this excellent Swedish band the more the shivers run down my spine. Granted you need to be in “that” mood to really enjoy Pocketful’s music. Well now on to the very last of the EP review in this bundle.

A Sparrow’s Mind:
This EP contains just 4 songs, with a total running time of 19:28 minutes, and is the shortest of the four EPs covered in this review. Now so far most of the music described has been down tempo, well A Sparrow’s Mind breaks the mould and starts with a more or less more up (mid) tempo song.
The title track is the starter for this EP, as said a mid tempo song with a wink to the progressive sounds of the “ever so” often mentioned No-Man and Gazpacho. Maybe it is Jerker’s voice that offers most the hints to their Norwegian colleagues. A well structured song with more guitar than most of the other songs.
The second track here is Desire. A song that works very well with good lyrics, a well sung chorus that again gives it a pop song element, but with that great mellow atmosphere the Pocketful can create. Desire is also a more mid tempo type song with a “breathing hunger” present.
She Won’t Steal My Thoughts Tonight has a mellow jazzy feeling to it and again the rich kind of sound I would expect from the likes of No-Man, but with yet again with pointers towards Sade – especially the atmosphere> A touch of brass as a finishing touch.
The aptly titled The Final Song rounds off this review. A duet sung by Jerker and Terese Oresten.
All throughout this review I have been searching for one word to describe the atmosphere in these songs. Melancholia is that word and well, it’s full of melancholia. This is Very well structured, basically straightforward music, but with a twist.

Conclusions:
Ambiguous Signs: 7.5 out of 10
Evergreens: 7 out of 10
Sparkling Revisited: 7.5 out of 10
A Sparrow’s Mind: 7 out of 10

http://www.dprp.net/reviews/201063.php#pocketful1