Swedish Rockers Dungen at Neumos Sunday
Dungen. Taken from the band's Myspace.
Have you ever wished you could jump in a time machine and go to 1976 and see some of the classic rock n' roll groups perform in their prime? Sunday night at Neumos you'll kind of be able to do that. The only catch is you likely won't be able to understand what they're saying at all. Dungen is a Swedish band centered around multi-instrumentalist Gustav Ejstes, who writes and plays all the instruments for recording but tours with a full band. Many may only be familiar with Sweden's past musical exports - Abba, Ace of Base - but Dungen is a far cry from disco hits and mid-nineties pop. (Although, who doesn't love that stuff from time to time, amiright?)
The lyrics sound like total gibberish to me since the only word of Swedish I know is "Ikea" but that certainly doesn't impede upon the listening experience. Don't let labels mislead you, Dungen (which means "the grove") is often described as psychedelic rock, but they make music that is more than just a soundtrack for an acid trip. With jazz and classic rock influences, Dungen produces original music that doesn't require fluency in Swedish for enjoyment and will probably inspire audiences to dance like hippies.
Their 2004 album, Ta Det Lugnt, was very well received by critics and increased awareness of the band amongst American listeners. Six years later, Dungen is touring in support of their latest album Skit i allt, which means "fuck all". The title track of the album makes use of fever-curing cowbell and represents a transition for the band from one dude making music to a more ensemble approach. The new record weaves through jazzy psych-rock and instrumentals. Play Dungen for your friends to show off your more cultured side. They will be impressed.
Their show is expected to be a high energy performance--heavy on drum and piano heavy with lots of instrument switching. Also, these dudes are definitely not a big deal in their homeland, so they really appreciate fans and audience support. So, who knows, you may even be able to snag a set list after they show.
Sunday, 8 p.m. // Neumos // $12
