Song, by Toad

Well I never expected this lot, that’s for sure. Karl-Jonas Winqvist and his cohorts are not exactly the gentle Fife folkster you generally associate with the Fence Collective stereotype, more an electronic Ben Folds from Sweden. He sits behind his electric piano in the middle of the stage, flanked by guitar and trumpet, and proceeds to chatter on for ten minutes about his high school reunion party before even letting you in on the fact that he is actually introducing his first song.

The gig continues like this all night – completely dominated by Karl-Jonas’ hugely engaging and utterly unaffected stage personality. Even the music is just like him – energetic, completely likeable and bristling with good things. It’s like listening to someone discovering music for the first time – lyrically and musically you almost feel as if he’s just happened upon all these new things he can try and just flings them into the songs, almost as you watch. In fact, he’s such a liberated performer that you could almost have imagined that he was making it up as he went along.

Musically this is pure pop, with wit, charm and abundant playfulness. Pianos, clarinets, pretend mandolins, trumpets and electronic beats all jump about all over the songs, making an appearance here and there and then vanishing again, only to reappear again when you least expect them. It’s bonkers, but it’s brilliant.

Blood Music – I Am Your Taxi
Blood Music – There is a War in Almost Every Corner

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