“You are my family!”
Title: Familj
Artist: Dungen
Album: Tio Bitar
Release: Kemado Records, 2007
Posted: February 18, 2018
Dungen: En Gång I År Kom Det En Tår
“Once a year there was a tear.”
I’m wrapping up my study of Dungen’s Tio Bitar this evening with the instrumental En Gång I År Kom Det En Tår. Translations vary, but the title means something along the lines of Once a Year There Was a Tear. How nice that it rhymes in both Swedish and English. Read more
Dungen: Svart Är Himlen
“Black is the Sky”
Svart Är Himlen is the ninth of Tio Bitar‘s ten pieces, and sort of begins the home stretch toward the end of the album. It kind of has that “It’s all building up to something,” kind of vibe to it. Inspring, although I think the drum fills are a little extra. The title means Black is the Sky. Lyrics are here, and kinda lonely.
Dungen: Mon Amour
“Låt mig slippa bero på allt som dom sa att dom ville att allt skulle bli”
Mon Amour is the lengthy centerpiece of Tio Bitar that manages to remind me of both Soul Asylum and early Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive.
Tio Bitar, by the way, means Ten Pieces which describes the number of tracks on the album.
Dungen – Gör Det Nu
“Do It Now.”
Gör Det Nu follows Familj after the latter was mercilessly cut short in its prime. At this time in the album, more Familj is really what I want to hear, Barring that, Gör Det Nu makes a satisfactory consolation. Read more
Dungen: Familj
“Du är min familj!”
Familj immediately follows Tio Bitar‘s introduction, and is my pick for the highlight of the album. It’s upbeat, light and bouncy. It gots the psych organ in spades playing a recurring melody. If you’re feeling a little silly happy, like dancing like a Peanuts character, you’ll follow the organ. If you like what’s going on, but you’re feeling a little more measured—a little more Charlie Brown—you might follow the counterpoint bassline. Either way, you’ll have a pretty good trip. This song lets you choose your own adventure. Read more
Dungen: Intro
Disc #6 of the #LastDayAtAKA series is 2007’s Tio Bitar, by the Swedish psych band Dungen, and it’s the most exciting album in the series since Tame Impala’s Currents kicked it off. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this gem languish on the used CD shelf at AKA many times over the year or so before finally buying it at the store closing sale. I might have had it in hand, ready to buy, at least two or three times, but I forsook it each time for other items on the shelf. Read more
Tim G.'s Tune Revue 