Timo Räisänen (w. Göteborg String Orchestra)
Timo sjunger Ted
Omitted Records

Ted Gärdestad was an odd amalgam of teen idol and grown up singer/songwriter even while he made his debut as a teenager. His popularity in Sweden remains, even if he succumbed to his demons and died very early. His and his brother Kenneth's songs are enduring classics, and early on he had help in the studio from ABBA's Björn and Benny.

Indie singer Timo Räisänen has toured with these songs and now he has recorded an album. Opener "Viking" is a perfect example of Ted's whimsy and Räisänen emboldens it and makes it his own. "Jag vill ha en egen måne" (I want a moon of my own) is perpahs Ted's best ballad, a much beloved song about sensitivity. Timo sings it with an unguarded approach, and does the song justice. "Satellit" won the Swedish Eurovision in 1979, and Timo's version is upbeat and bouncy. "Come give me Love" features Nina Persson of the Cardigans on backing vocals, making the song even more appealing. It's a fabulous record, and a rare cover album that feels necessary.

Copyright © 2016 Anna Maria Stjärnell