Sounds In English is an almost totally solo album by Richard Ohrn, where it's played and self-produced, he wrote everything on the album apart from Times Not Running Out, that has special guest Ken Stringfellow singing and playing on it. This is in the grand tradition of Swedish musical genius' producing everything in isolation, as Bo Hansson did in the 70's but this is no Attic Thoughts. As well as designing the album artwork, taking the pictures as well. Richard Ohrn Is best known as part of the band In Deed and lives outside Uppsala in Sweden. This is a most impressive solo studio project.
The album opens with Seal Your Move a luscious sixties style psychedelic power pop, with a beguiling Mellotron flute solo, set among the ringing guitars, with near choral backing vocals.
5th Month Announcement is somewhere between Incredible String Band and Lee Hazelwood on a gorgeous song celebrating seeing the ultrasound pictures for the first time.
Times Not Running Out is a very Posies sounding slice of Power pop goodness, with Ken Stringfellow adding his usual sensibilities, on a song that sounds like it should come from early 1968, the guitars interweaving during the solos is brilliant.
The Coolest Manners has such wide screen production in a Burt Bacharach style, it's hard to believe it's just one guy putting this all together piece by piece, not a band playing it. Especially the long out their instrumental part that has echoes of Procul Harum in places.
Someone To Forgive You could be John Sebastian on this beguiling pop symphony. Love And Friendship seems to be at the core of many of my Swedish friends, this feels right to be playing in the background at a Kraftskiva, it also makes me feel like I am sitting by the ancient Runes in Uppsala, very pretty indeed.
Take This Bottle is a Byrdsian song looking for isolation, as he gives his partner a bottle, tells them to leave him alone, over a song with echoes of The Proclaimers as he goes off to sit outside the Gustavianum or whatever brings him peace.
Every Shade has lush harmonies on a slow song full of regret and longing wrapped in strings, congas this song justifies the mention of The Hollies in the press release.
I Chose You has castanets added to the eclectic instrumentation on this love song that has shades of the Shangri La's fused to a chamber pop backing, that's full of the pain of the relationship not working out, this is forlorn yet filled with hope.
Could Have Loved You More has a large brass section and strings on a carefully orchestrated song that seems to be saying goodbye to the greatest love he'll know.
If I Could Read Your Mind is a piano led ballad for the end of the relationship, that feels part early Elton John, part Randy Newman and with a heavy nod towards Ozzy Osbournes Dreamer with a truly pained guitar solo, this could be a huge hit with the right breaks.
This leads into Spanish Moon a chamber pop elegy to close out the album in magnificent style this is neo-classical orchestration over a glorious tune to close a quite stunning album.
Find out more at https://www.bigstirrecords.com/richard-ohrn https://richardohrn.bandcamp.com/album/sounds-in-english
