Tobias Froberg - Somewhere In The City (Fire Egg)
4/5
By: Chris O'Toole
Every day in the city we all face similar fears; the anonymity of metropolitan life, the paranoia that life is speeding by and that we are missing a trick as we sit and watch on a park bench, that we are simply looking in the opposite direction at the fireworks displaying and the fear and confusion inherent in the many streets and buildings that make up the landscape. Whilst the city feeds us, its also fights a constant battle to break the individual down and merge them into the great mass of the crowd, sweeping us along and assuring us that even the trees are having more fun.
Tobias Froberg shares these fears. With 'Somewhere In The City', Froberg seems to have found an answer; and no surprises the answer is love. For Froberg the search for, and eventual warmth found within, love is the panacea to all doubt and fear. The answer Froberg advocates seems to involve finding a statue of a beautiful muse, putting Simon and Garfunkel on ones walkman and singing gently to the passing crowd to allay the fears that eat away at their happiness every day.
The most obvious manifestations of this manifesto are presented on 'God's Highway' and 'Oh My Love (Here She Comes Again)'. Both are straightforward ballads driven by Froberg's delicate guitar picking, reminiscent of Nick Drake or John Farhey, and his beech trees swaying in the wind on the banks of the river vocal lines. His fruitful joy and optimism build images of a bickering couple suddenly overcome with memory of why they fell in love all those years ago and falling into each others arms under the spell of Froberg's melody.
Whilst it is always difficult to differentiate oneself as simple singer songwriter or a troubled travelling troubadour, with only a six string guitar to pull at the heart strings, Froberg possess a somewhat unique style. Whilst never deviating from the central acoustic guitar and vocal themes, Somewhere In The City uses a medley of instrumentation to illustrate the narratives of confusion and loss. Someone employs a lurking xylophone to add dynamic to the piece, and similarly muted calypso drumming and other forms of percussion are used liberally to build atmosphere. Froberg is master of subtlety, adding variety where necessary, but never afraid to rely on this basic elements of his craft to achieve the desired results.
Strong bass contributions are also maintained throughout the album, the opening track 'When the Night Turns Cold' being a prime example. Here Froberg is positive, natural and alive, creating a carnival that moves slowly through the streets. Imagine a spiked Will Oldham singing amongst a parade devoted to love and optimism. Elsewhere, 'For Elisabeth, Wherever You Are' finds Froberg mournful and searching for tomorrow; offering eternal fidelity in the face of spectral indifference.
However the album is principally positive in nature, an ode to fragile optimism and to moments of blinding happiness. Choral flourishes are added occasionally to build the image of a crowd, and having found a place amongst the tumultuous multitudes in the metropolitan environment. Froberg has created an album that should be played loud in the morning before heading out into the crowd, and album that builds inner strength and creates an optimism that today might just be the day.
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