[Cover photo credit to Tina Axelsson]
Over the past few months, Scandinavian singer/songwriter Peter Morén of Peter Bjorn and John has been teasing The Song Forlorn, his new SunYears album out now from Villa.
Now he’s also released Rock-driven track “The Body” featuring Nicole Atkins, following in the collaborative aspect of previous tracks.
The SunYears project has become known for crafting Alternative-Folk music. The Song Forlorn marks the first full-length album since the debut, Come Fetch My Soul!, which featured collaborations with Jess Williamson, Ron Sexsmith and Eric D. Johnson.
Speaking on the themes and inspiration for “The Body,” Morén says:
‘The Body’ is pure garage-rock-pop, but a sultry, intelligent sort. A cool riff, beat, and groove that explodes in the chorus and middle-eight. It has that classic “on-off” dynamic. A simple song maybe, but a raw, passionate record—and a serious subject of course. In middle age, health scares are part of the everyday. For yourself, or for friends and family. Around the time I wrote this, I had just fallen and sprained my foot, but also had problems with migraines. I literally checked my head to see if all was OK. It seemed to be pure stress. I’ve also had anxiety attacks. I should probably see a shrink. But songs are my shrink.
On Nicole Atkins’ contribution to the song, he continues:
Nicole Atkins is an old dear friend that I met years and years ago on tour with Peter Bjorn and John. We met up again when I went to Nashville and wrote some very nice songs together that I hope the world will hear at some point. An amazing singer, I wanted her to sing on this ’cause I thought of her energy and feel when I listened to the track. At first she was scared of doing it… superstitious maybe, ’cause she felt it was connected to what she had gone through with her own body recently, battling alcohol, but also a fall that was almost fatal. But finally she delivered! It’s less of a duet, more like we’re becoming one voice here, like we’re at a karaoke bar belting and battling.
