Chris DeLine

Loney, Dear, the nom de plume of Swedish singer-songwriter Emil Svanngen, has come an incredibly long way in six short years. Writing and recording his debut album in his parents’ basement in 2003, Svanngen would later be signed by Seattle’s legendary Sub Pop records in 2006 and go on to tour with the likes of Of Montreal, the Sea and the Cake, and Andrew Bird. In acknowledging the formula that elevated him to his newfound success, Svanngen has since remained consistent in retaining both the warm sound of his music and his bedroom-production aesthetic by recording in his studio apartment in Stockholm. Drafting a complete five-piece band for his live show, Svanngen’s layered sound is developed into a fully realized replication of the multi-instrumentalist’s robust production. Accompanying Loney, Dear will be Champaign, Illinois, trio Headlights. All ages.

[This critics’ pick was originally published by City Pages.]