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PRESS "Samme
Stof Som Stof veers in alluring slow motion from antique creak to
sleek futurist dread. Sennenvaldt's deep-breath purr is practically volcanic
in its volume and worry, and where earlier records suggest Portishead
kidnapped by the Sugarcubes, this one has a heavy-riff boom that sounds
like Sigur Rós' idea of Black Sabbath. The lyrics are in Danish,
but this full-moon magic needs no translation." "The
interplay, the spaces left out by one instrument, into which another player
would insert a sound, seemed carefully arranged, and this sort of socket
approach grabbed me instantly. The mood is one of beautiful desolation
and melancholy." "Sounds
like Björk and Mogwai falling down a well together. (...) It actually
sounds like they're straining toward being the Animal Collective of Mogwais,
imbuing those dark, grand structures with weird shambles and Henriette
Sennenvaldt's uncanny chirping. Going lighter on the guitar than many
of their post-rock peers, Under Byen center their songs around wobbly
pianos, melting strings, and shaggy percussion. They thread thin, sneaky
melodies through shape-shifting veils of fog. Samme Stof Som Stof's sound
palette is a vivid and varied range of grays and blues; each song is like
some giant machine on the verge of shuddering apart." "If
you’re a fan of Sigur Ros, Bjork, the experimental side of Radiohead,
the meditative hypnosis of Godspeed You Black Emperor! and the moodiness
of Portishead you need to see Under Byen. (...) After obsessing the good
part of a year over the majestic beauty of their third album (first North
America release) Samme Stof Som Stof, I witnessed their splendor firsthand
when they performed for KEXP during our March SXSW broadcast. The experimental
electronic rock collective exceeded expectations creating deeply emotional
soundscapes at times delicate and introspective, at times bombastic and
mind numbing." "While
they've got the essentials (guitar/feedback, bass, drums), their sound
is also defined by other, stranger sounds: piano and strings that recall
classical music, unsettling percussion cadences reminiscent of Einstürzende
Neubauten, and the torch-singer-from-the-Twilight Zone vocals of Henriette
Sennenvaldt. Some might think she "sings like" Bjork, but the
Icelandic vocalist projects adolescence, as opposed to the Nico-like cool
of Ms. Sennenvaldt. "Samme Stof Som Stof" is the latest thing
in appealingly uneasy listening, ranging from the stripped-down synth-pop
of "Af Samme Stof Som Stof" to the orchestral elegy "Liste
Over Sande Venner Og Forbilleder." "Under
Byen's sound ranges from fairytale shimmer to visceral brutality,
while always maintaining, or at least always returning to, a continuous
sonic narrative. The textures recall the heavier drone of Pelican or Growing
married with the folk-inflected pastoral of Espers or Joanna Newsom. (...)
It all comes together on tracks at turns gorgeous and sweeping or dark
and atonal, but always well crafted, well balanced, and well worth zoning
out to." "This
is the darkness your parents never told you about, the endless struggle
to earn your keep, be creative, be in love. (...) Twelve tracks and not
a single dud, not a single misstep, not a single faux pas. (...) This
is a dynamite album with all the potential in the world lingering under
its floorboards. If you don't take a peek, you'll be missing out on a
thus-far-obscured
treasure." "Eschewing
the guitar in favour of a well-rounded string section, extra percussion
and an amplified saw, they played complex, mournful arrangements that
left jaws agape. (...) Overall, the set was both intricate and overwhelming,
and I look forward to hearing more from these Scandinavians." "By
all accounts, Under Byen is one of the best live bands playing today.
(...) Under Byen will be touring North America this spring. As for me,
I can’t wait that long — I’m flying to Denmark at month’s
end to catch the last show of this tour." "Unpredictability
is one of the Under Byen's defining characteristics. When listening to
Samme Stof Som Stof, one feels as if anything is possible, as if each
song can alter its shape at any moment and become something altogether
different. There is a palpable sense of a band, not attempting to exhaust
the possibilities of each song, but to consciously and playfully invent
each twist and turn, to patiently compose labyrinths constant to their
musical vision. The unexpected chord change which shifts the tone completely,
the ebbing and flowing of unearthly instrumentation, skeletal arrangements
which explode into fissures of sonic debris—Under Byen are masters
of each. (...) Under Byen is incredibly apt at enrapturing one with what
is happening while at the same time putting her in suspense over what
will come next. They are a band that boldly declares that they don't sound
like anyone except themselves. And they are a band that proves it time
and time again." "This
Danish band’s 3rd album (and 1st US release) is an evocative set
of atmospheric songs blending elements of post-rock, classical and more
in ways similar to Sigur Ros, but with more nods to both pop song craft
and rock aggression. Dark, moody soundscapes and clanging percussion are
combined with ethereal melodies and lead vocalist Henriette Sennenvaldt’s
Bjorkian vocals." "Think
Sigur Ros. Think Bell Orchestre. Think late-era Talk Talk. Think Mogwai.
Then think again." "Under
Byen have created a masterful and unique work that is at once the lace
glove and the wool mitten you've been longing for this fall. Full of experimental
sound play that never sounds experimental, dual drummers that aren't redundant,
and built microphones that distort lovely vocals into something even lovelier,
Samme Stoff Som Stof begs to be considered as one of the year's most impressive
works. Unlike so many bands that appear seemingly out of nowhere with
the shelf life of a half-eaten apple, Under Byen offer a lush, incredibly
dense and ethereal landscape of sound, with a style that stands in stark
contrast to the rest of the world's perceptions" "A
simple yet very tender and sultry effort in the vein of Massive Attack.
One worth seeking out! "Dark
textures and warped coos are so reminiscent of the Homogenic-era sound
that I can picture the cardboard elf village within a cardboard elf village
of the imaginary Gondry video that would follow. (...) Throughout the
album, the urge to pull every track to a gushing climax is resisted in
favor of individual instrumental turns and a welcome dose of negative
space. String sections, piano, synths, kalimbas and eerie theremin-like
saw playing helps us forget to miss absent guitars. Even the sequencing
displays a well-developed aesthetic, with short and delicate music-box
pieces cleansing the palette for the opuses. (...) Lack of language comprehension
doesn't diminish the plus-sized emotions on display, even if making sense
of it all is ultimately akin to finding meaning in the frozen face of
a Scandinavian fjord. "Under
Byen is
a band of another place and time. (...) Though they may at times recall
Bjork, Sigur Ros or Massive Attack, Under Byen is a band without peer.
Their stateside debut, Samme Stof Som Stof, walks a very broad line between
ominous and chaotic post-rock and gentle, graceful Scandinavian pop. While
simple, yet gorgeous tracks like “Tindrer” present the more
straightforward side of the band, dissonant clangers like “Pilot”
prove just how confounding they can be. Yet the nine minute centerpiece,
“Film Og Omvendt,” is a cinematic masterpiece, a chaotic and
sweeping epic that is at once devastating and deeply moving. The feelings
that Under Byen conjures within the listener are truly mysterious and
transcend any purely verbal level. Music this powerful speaks for itself." "Each
song from Danish gang-of-eight Under Byen’s delicious third album,
Samme
Stof Som Stof, unveils a different turbulent art-house movie score ripe
for an overactive imagination. (...) Samme Stof Som Stof (Same Fabric
As Fabric), the band’s first album released officially in North America,
sounds like despair, whimsy and some stuff director Lars Von Trier could
use. Its fabric is ornate and delicately fitted with short instrumentals,
a tapestry to behold. The sound of these great Danes stay burned into
the brain long after the images they inspire fade." "Under
Byen create evocative aural experiences that run the emotional spectrum
from tender lullabies to menacing post-rock behemoths to spiritual epiphanies
that induce listeners to lift their skinny fists like antennas to heaven." "The
record, Samme Stof Som Stof, achieves an organic immediacy, free of pretension
and packed with feeling." "A
dangerous sensuality reminiscent of Bjork and Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino…making
for a luxurious listen for drama kings and queens." "The
orchestra has much in common with Icelandics Múm and Sigur Ros,
but here everything is organic. Vocalist Henriette Sennenvaldt sings Björkish
fragile/crazy and exploratory. (...) The magic starts on the song 'Den
her sang handler om at få det bedste ud af det'." They are
impossible to classify. (...) The unified whole is just as clattering,
violintrembling, melancholic and joyful as a perfectly balanced overall
sound should be. (...) It's so nasty and nice my stomach hurts." "Refreshingly
unpredictable. Despite clearly defined songwriter duties you get the feeling
of a creative democracy. The band has eight members of which one plays
saw and violin, lovely. The result is a kind of semi-gloomy "after
club"-music, but free of digital elements. (...) The use of strings
can sometimes remind me of dEUS." "The
band isn't going for grandiosity as much as they seek to create small,
spooky spaces. (...) The band gets a lot more raucous than Sigur Ros could
ever imagine. The contrast between the two creates a wonderful dynamic
that runs throughout the whole album, as the band build up a really tense
atmosphere, and then throw the kind of cathartic release that makes it
all worthwhile -- which, really, is a word that could be used to describe
the entire album. Samme stof som stof is a rewarding album to listen to,
and hopefully one that will help Under Byen succeed here on their own
terms." "I
was not disappointed. (...) This Danish outfit were the proverbial 'and
now for something completely different'. Boasting an elaborate and expansive
stage setup, Under Byen dazzled with a show that was both angelic and
gutteral, delicate and hulking. (...) Shrouded either in shadows or silhouetted
by a lightshow and even hiding their supermodel-looking singer further
back on the stage, often crouched down by the floor, the band didn't say
a word to the audience, preferring to let the music do the talking - and
that it did, in mysterious booming tones. (...) It's always nice when
something manages to meet high expectations, but to have them blown away
- as I and many others in the audience were - is even better." "Sucked
the fucking wind out of our lungs." "The
music is beautiful for its non-linear harmony. A mixture of tender melancholy
as from an ancient music box, and stoic insanity because of those curiously
sluggish drums. Something harsh is in the wind, something nightmarish.
Sometimes there are disturbing, croaking sounds. At the same time a certain
sublimity persists. Expressed in the phenomenal harmony that the piano
and the strings maintain. Above all the vocals turn the whole into a haunting
fairy tale, and overcome the fear. Magical music." "Under
Byen create a sound unlike any other band…sure, you’ll notice
a little Bjork in the vocal, and a little Sigur Ros in the musical moods
and glacial time shifts, but like much of the best music, Under Byen defies
classification and comparison. Violin and cello melt into synthesizers
colliding with metallic percussion. Bells, chimes, and otherworldly saw
take you to new highs only to be grounded by raw feedback and noise. Sweet
and comforting, then metallic and brutal. Beautiful and distinctive. Words
fail, so enough with them, listen for yourself." "Samme
Stof Som Stof may be Under Byen's greatest triumph to date, carefully
crafted with a tension that is haunting and beautiful." "One
of the best and most interesting bands in the world right now. Which has
made a fantastic album." "Under
Byen create a sound unlike any other band. At times they can be sweet
and conforting, then metallic and brutal. Beautiful and distinctive." "Simply
put, their music is amazing. (...) The band consists of vocals that are
a sweet intermingling of extravagant Björk-styled vocals, homely
Joanna Newsom song craft and instrumentals that take on a playful youth
mentality much like the music of electronica wizards Psapp. (...) The
music seems to wander around slightly and fade in and out, dancing in
the spotlight for a while then retreating back into the shadows. Samme
Stof Som Stof, which means 'Same Fabric as Fabric,' is sung in Danish
— like their previous albums — and this only adds to its allure." "The
LP is a grower that demands repeated listens, full of dense songs replete
with all manner of pedals, strings, saws and sundry percussive instruments.
(...) This can almost as easily make for a frustrating listen as an exhilarating
one, but Under Byen’s spirit is heartening they value experimentation
and playfulness while still incorporating an underlying pop aesthetic." "The
album has the weight of ages behind it, a complex personality and everywhere
its implacable, stubborn patience. (...) Under Byen are writing counter
to the pace and temper of our time. Samme Stof Som Stof is an album on
its own terms." "The
band maintains a darkly cinematic veneer all their own." "The
octet does show off a dramatic sense and a style that strays far from
the confines of by-the-book pop or rock. It is interesting stuff, arranged
to showcase the vocals of Henriette Sennenvaldt in a wash of piano, strings,
effects and percussion. (...) The songs are all sung in Danish. Perhaps
Sennenvaldt is singing of heartache, which is what a reasonable person
might guess. But she could just as easily be singing about some pens and
pencils. Or the price of gasoline. Oh, my kingdom for a full translation…(...)
The music throughout Samme Stof Som Stof is entrancing, as is Sennervaldt’s
voice." "Under
Byen are uncompromising in their hunt for new musical horizons, and this
can make the project remind one of the Star Trek manifesto: To boldly
go where no man has gone before. That journey goes both via an immensely
beautiful rendition of the fragile slowmotion ballad 'Tindrer', which
singer Henriette Sennenvaldt colours brilliantly with her drowned and
fallen angel voice. And onwards all the way out into a long-drawn-out
and wild noiserocking acidbath for the senses. (...) And vital - that
is Under Byen. Maybe as never before. The group alternate sensibly between
ingenious and restrained arrangements and collosal sonic assaults. A successful
mission to the stars." "Under
Byen is still an orchestra in a class all of its own". "Under
Byen's music was like an arrow through the heart. (...) The musical experience
was so overwhelming and intense that no one could have left this last
show of the band's tour without goosebumps and a throbbing heart."
"Some
of the most moving music I have heard in a very long time. (...) Why does
it happen so rarely that someone make such a record? (...) You got to
go out and buy the record now. Yes, now." "The
music found on the eight-piece's fourth album, their first for Toronto's
Paper Bag Records, does seat them comfortably alongside art-rock bands
like Radiohead, godspeed you! black emperor and the aforementioned Sigur
Ros. Henriette Sennenvaldt's delicate vocals help to set them apart in
the decidedly male-dominated field. At times reminiscent of Bjork and
at others Stina Nordenstam, her emotional, childlike voice rides the slowly
building wave of
instruments. (...) It is an alternately beautiful and unsettling collection
of songs. Hopefully, this will be the first of many North American releases." "Samme
Stof Som Stof is one of my favorite albums of this year and one of the
most inventive albums I’ve heard in quite some time. Under Byen’s
sound is really unclassifiable for me. Sometimes they sound indie, sometimes
they sound like Bjork (well at least their vocalist, Henriette Sennenvaldt),
and sometimes they just sound like the most incredible post-rock I’ve
ever heard. Their song “Den Her Sang Handler Om At Få Det Bedste
Ud Af Det” (yes, that’s the song name) exhibits so much control
over tension and resolution, it’s ridiculous. (...) This could be
post-post-rock, if you ask me. Anyway, this album isn’t just post-rock
and is pretty far from it. There are songs on this album for fans of all
kinds of music." "The
album is at times dark, has an impressive dynamic range, and for me personally,
a bit of mystery from what the those lyrics could possibly be about. Sounds
georgous regardless. “Pilot” kicks off the album in impressive
fashion with that Surfer Rosa era Pixies kind of loud as hell sound, driven
by two pounding drummers. (...) Samme Stof Som Stof is an unique album,
highlighted by attractive vocals and a vast collection of acoustic instruments
that are not shy about creating a wide dynamic range when required." "Under
Byen singer Henriette Sennenvaldt sings in this dreamy whispery voice
that is simply incredibly sexy, yet triste. The music underneath is post-rock
in a similar fashion to Do Make Say Think, but with a more noisy aspect
of raw percussion and field recordings. Under Byen also uses a lot of
minimal arrangements to create a thin
curtain behind Sennenvaldt, only to explode a few minutes later in an
intense fury. Instrumentation is all over the place and adds to the overall
brilliance. I have heard plenty of post-rock in the last few years, but
this is amongst the best." "When
I saw this remarkable eight-piece group from Arhus, Denmark, I was left
speaking in tongues. With an eccentric armory of strings and keys (violin,
cello, Wurlitzer organ, melodica), fronted by the haunted whoops
and whispers of vocalist Henriette Sennenveldt, Under Byen make a beguiling
dance music of pillowy beats and voluptuous shadows, with finely blurred
echoes of British trip-hop, Björk's elfin romanticism and the ice-floe
rock of Sígur Rós. This will be a hard record to find. But
real treasure never comes easy." "Music
that sounds like it has been thought out in free fall in feverish dreams
'behind closed doors in a house full of riddles'. But still characterized
by an almost virtuos musicality. Challenging, yes, but never unapproachable.
(...) They will never be popstars. They aim higher. They want your soul.
And you get theirs in exchange. Music that enters resounding in the nerve
fibres, that rush in the bloodstream, that tug in the brain and marks
you for the rest of your life. Under Byen thoroughly does something to
me. Affect me in my very foundation. And how often do you experience that?" "The
eight member group offers solid proof that we should be paying close attention
to any music originating from the frozen north." "It’s
not until nearly the two-minute mark that those guitars slip out of the
chord that they’ve successfully battered into submission. Both moments
are shocking, propelling the listener out of the discomfiting groove that
has been established. It also serves notice that Samme is going to be
an album unlike their previous work: muscular, weighty, and more evocative.
(...) A culmination of their work so far and the best Danish album released
thus far in 2006." "Stronger.
Harder. More difficult. But no banalities. (...)
Actually there is a lot of fantastic music on Samme stof som stof.
(...) A very unusually ambitious Danish pop release. It's heavier and
with more substance than Det er mig der holder træerne sammen." "The
album might have the teasing title Samme stof som stof [same matter
as matter], but Shakespeare's famous line about 'the same matter as our
dreams' describes the music more precise. (...) The band's music is original
and full of tingeling life and unconventional beauty. (...) The lyrics
- which singer Henriette Sennenvaldt render as a drug intoxicated elf
maid - are also exceptionally good and fully equal with contemporary Danish
poetry. (...) The sceptic reader might object: 'Yet another arty band
which the music journalists compete about loving, but no one can stand
listening to'. For many listeners this might be true. But with an open
mind and a little alternative upbringing Samme stof som stof is
a big experience. Believe me!" "Weight
and gravity are the keywords on the third album from the original Aarhus
orchestra Under Byen, and the sound of Samme Stof Som Stof has
the massive gravity of an imploding star. (...) Samme Stof Som Stof
emphasizes Under Byen's position as one of Denmark's most exciting
bands, but also shows that it is outside of Denmark that the popularity
of the band must expand, because their heavy and dark music more than
ever is not accessible enough for a mainstream breakthrough. Samme
stof som stof is a no-compromise dark pearl from Under Byen." "Just
as silky and fine as Det er mig der holder træerne sammen
begins, just as bombastic Under Byen open their new album with thundering
drums. A clear sign that this is a new direction which heralds a fertile
new chapter for the Aarhusian collective. (...) The at times introvert
style that threathened to implode, now instead explodes several places
on the album. That is really liberating. Under Byen has become more of
a band, and even though Henriette's voice is still at the center, it is
now to a higher extent only the small granite hard axis which instruments
and arrangements rotate heavily around. (...) Likewise there is something
wonderfully devilish in the shifts between vocal harmonies and punk outburts
from Sennenvaldt. Under Byen have walked the plank and has become more
sophisticated in big symphonic sound collages. A brave and correct choice." "The
noise brings a massive gravity into the universe, and where there earlier
was soft a forest floor, now it's more granite on which is danced. Henriette
Sennenvaldt's vocals still reach for the sky, and the dynamics between
the lightly hovering and the heavy elements result in a distinguished
power of penetration. The experiments continue on the song Den
her sang handler om at få det bedste ud af det,
which shows a complexity which surpasses everything that Under Byen has
previously released. (...) Samme stof som stof is a great effort
of an album and the band shows that they are still very much their own.
The courage to never go the easiest way has luckily not decreased, and
even if the band with a little more accessibility could get the world
at their feet, Under Byen still prefer to ride into heaven." "Impressively
beautiful. (...) Not easily accessible, but unavoidable!" "One
really envies the Danish trees." "The
group is fronted by Henriette Sennenvaldt, who with
all apologies to Portishead's Beth Gibbons, is the most striking chanteuse
to cross the Atlantic pond since Nico (and a markedly better singer than
Warhol's muse). (...) She could be singing Dutch poetry or the proverbial
phone book, but Sennenvaldt's voice has a way of sounding as though it
where whispered into an individual attentive ear at a time. (...) The
sound of the band is no less revelatory. Throw out those bulky guitars,
along with preconceptions of how instruments should behave." "They're
eight people on stage and no guitar. And immediately impressive. They
got a lot going on." "The
sound of dreams" "Makes
us travel and dream in a language that we do not know. What could be a
disadvantage, a handicap (not to understand the words) becomes on the
contrary a space of freedom." "The
pieces develop individually and as a whole extremely slowly and it is
also a very visual trip. The fact that Sennenvaldt sings in Danish is
not a problem, because the songs are - picture and metaphoric - about
what everyone would associate with the sound anyway: Longing, departure
and staying - and the dream-like meeting between humans and nature. It
all sounds mostly as heard through meter-thick ice or miles of water,
from the inside of the earth coming out or like an occurance in the horizon,
which sends its last reaching branches straight up to the ear of the listener.
The pieces swell - on again and off again - as if gusts of wind would
carry individual parts of it nearer - to a much clearer clarity." "The
rightful heirs to the throne left vacant by Sigur Ros and Björk.
Where the former seemed to have lost all power with their last album,
and the latter hasn't been very accessible lately, Under Byen stand out
like a revelation. (...) At times, they sound like early progressive rock,
then again move into sombre chamber pop territories, without ever losing
its northern charm. And to make it even better, the songs are even accessible,
if not easy to follow, just the way true avant-garde music needs to be.
(...) I suggest that this is a band every self-respecting fan of new movements
in music has to check out." "Below
the city the dreams sparkle". "You
haven't heard of Under Byen? You will. It wouldn't surprise me if they
became one of the hottest names of the year. (…) Subdued Danish dynamite." "Brilliant!
Refreshing! Different! Once you get used to the unusual language, you
wouldn't want to miss it. An absolute must-have for fans of the early
Sugarcubes and Sigur Rós!" "With
Under Byen it's all or nothing. And the fuel
is self-exploration. This ecological electronica made with apparently
incompatible instruments such as trumpet, ukulele, saw and violin is richly
faceted." "The
most courageous Danish album in ages" "With
piano, cello, violin, bas, saw, accordian, drums and percussion they create
a unique soundscape, that along with the poetic lyrics gives the music
a fairytale glow. But there are still pictures that shake up the softness.
Pure pop poetry." "Goes
against conventional
thinking. There are no easy short cuts. And no way around Under Byen." "Fascinating
and mysterious. An exciting debut with several great musical experiences
- if the listener is willing to put in an effort." "When
Henriette sings, the songs get close to you. From her to you. Uncensored
and without finery. But a thoughtful world with a distinct lyrical vein." "The
second album fully lives up to it's predecessor. It will be difficult
for anyone to surpass this effort this year." "Under
Byen isn't as much a regular pop band as a group of impressionist artists,
people who work on textures and colors at building their own emotional
soundscape rather than obedient servants of the Verse/Chorus clause. (...)
The chilling childish whisper of Henriette Sennenvaldt may sometimes recall
Björk on the quietest tracks of " Homogenic". Ultimately
though, it's more the intimate, atmospheric sound of Lisa Germano and,
most notably, of Stina Nordenstam that comes to mind when listening to
these songs. (...) The black world isn't far and Under Byen certainly
know how to go there. But with such a music, you'd follow them to the
ends of the earth." "Under
Byen were fantastic - and very different from conventional rock music.
It was very trance-orientated and very rhythmical. Of course I didn't
understand a word of the lyrics - but that didn't matter at all." "Spectacularly
exceeds the promise of this impressive debut. Always homogeneous yet offering
a stunning stylistic variety, the music now rides freely, tackling jazz,
folk, classical or repetitive music, and keeping only the piano as the
one common denominator to each track. (...) "Om Vinteren": twelve
minutes of pure and intense splendor, the kind of epic masterpiece that
you'd thought only Icelandic magicians Sigur Ros would be able to achieve.
Words fail to accurately express such an emotional experience." "Under
Byen sound like no other Danish or international artists. This, the second
album from the Aarhusians, contains some of the most beautiful and moving
images in Danish music ever. Dreamy notes, that can work as everything
from a rock concert over ballet music to movie soundtracks and naturally
at home in your living room." "The
singing may seem familiar, but on closer inspection isn’t: where
the sainted B---k growls and rolls syllables around in her mouth like
marbles, Henriette works with sighs and whispers, her voice breaking.
And instrumentally, it’s unlikely that S---- R-- would risk breaking
their elfin spell by pitching John Bonham down a flight of stairs for
a rhythm track.Under Byen pull in odd directions: elsewhere, “Batteri
Generator” begins with trendy glitches but ends in a jazzy barrelhouse
piano improvisation, and throughout the album one can’t tell whether
intermittent screeches originate from a laptop, electric violin or a musical
saw. A band whose cellist dares to wear angel wings in concert can also
decide to show their mud-covered singer dead in a ditch on the album art.
Adding to the mystique, the band remain (undeservedly) obscure in a growingly
One-Click world." "First
La Chapelle St. Jacques, an enchanting church in the heart of the medieval
town of Vendôme east of Paris. Still novices when it comes to performing
in France, but attentive and curious the band produced an hour of perfect
weightlessness, mostly with songs from "Det Er Mig...", while
the small chapel, crowded to bursting point, hovered to the almost unthinkable
vocal of Henriette Sennenvaldt, which moves from almost intimidating eruptions
to feverish murmurs. (...)
Certain musical groups are good enough in themselves on albums. Under
Byen are among them. Therefore it's even more wonderful to realize to
what extent their presentations on stage shatters the framework of the
songs. Every single one of their concerts, for the audience as well as
the band, is a risky assignment, a deeply mad act: to let oneself be engulfed
in the magic from this music, which seems to come from nowhere, which
one has trouble fixing to something one knows, which lacks references.
To convince oneself you only have to look at one of the band's audience
members, arrived there by curiosity, left the place knocked around, a
discreet smile on the lips, mentally pushed out of their composure. Under
Byen has passed through...
Awards and nominations The Steppeulven Critics Award for 2007 - Awards for Live band of the year and Singer of the year (Henriette Sennenvaldt) and nominations for Album of the year, Song of the year, Band of the year and Author (best lyrics) of the year (Danish music critics award). # 1 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 2006, Ekstra Bladet (Newspaper) # 1 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 2006, Undertoner (Webzine) # 1 in the Best Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 2006, Diskant (Webzine) # 7 in the Best Album of The Year Critics Poll 2006, Diskant (Webzine) # 19 on
the "20 Great Albums You Didn't Hear In 2006" list, JamBase
(US webzine) # 18 in Artist of The Year 2006, Det Elektriske Barometer (Danish alternative radio chart) The Steppeulven Critics Award for 2002 - Nominations for Best Album, Best Singer & Best Band (Danish music critics award). On Rolling Stone's "Ten of the Best From Under the Radar" list, 2002 (US music magazine) # 3 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 2002, Gaffa (Danish music magazine). # 3 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 2002, Ekstra Bladet (Danish newspaper) # 2 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 2002, Berlingske Tidende (Danish newspaper) Album Of The Month, Rockomondo, May 2002 (French Indie Radio & Webzine) Album Of The Month, Rockomondo, March 2000 (French Indie Radio & Webzine) Nomination for Best Danish Newcomer at The Danish Music Awards 1999 (The Danish Grammy) # 8 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 1999 , Politiken (Danish newspaper) # 3 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 1999, Gaffa (Danish music magazine) # 2 in the Danish Newcomer Of The Year Readers Poll 1999, Gaffa (Danish music magazine) # 1 in the Danish Album of The Year Critics Poll 1999, Ekstra Bladet (Danish newspaper)
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