Were we a closeted German lesbian, we’d totally bring Jens Lekman home to Daddy. The fair-haired, fey-mannered 26-year-old Swedish songsmith could definitely play the part of doting boyfriend, while his self-deprecating shy charm and boyish good looks would overwhelm any parental attempts to suss out the real nature of our relationship. To that end, during last night’s sold-out show at Nectar, Jens introduced "A Postcard to Nina" with the true story behind the song, in which his gay penpal in Berlin ambushed him into being her beard (or merkin, if you prefer) for the sake of pleasing her Catholic father. It was pitch-perfect Jens Lekman—walking the fine line between precious and twee, somehow managing to be sweet without giving you a toothache. That’s essential for a singer-songwriter who has deadpan lyrics about asthma inhalers and slicing avocados, and (just once) rhymes "number two" with "coochie-coo," all without inducing groans or eyerolls. more ›

After kittens yawning and cross-species friendship, dear sweet Jens Lekman may be the most precious thing found in all of nature. The Gothenberg Swede makes orchestral pop songs in the vein of Morrissey or the Magnetic Fields without even being gay (just European). To promote Night Falls Over Kortedala, one of the best reviewed albums of the year, Jens has been touring around the States with his almost-all-girl backing band: more ›