Lars Lach'n Jonsson-Songs From Cities of Decay,LP/CD,1989/1996,Sweden

Swedish multi-instrumentalist, closely associated with Bauta label and its staple of bands, including Ur, Ur Kaos, Zut Un Feu Rouge, and most recently, Förträngt Hushållsarbete. Lach'n (Lars) Jonsson released two solo albums in the 1980s, both containing avant-rock music in typical Bauta fashion. Note, that the first one, Music For The Dying Forest, has been released under the J. Lachen moniker.

Song From Cities of Decay is more feathery or better said atmospheric, less busy, more delicate when comparing it to predecessor and incorporates plethora of menacingly hovering sounds. It is bridge between MFtDF and sounds of Ur Kaos. From the first listen I know this is one of the most important records in European progressive music, along with RIO releases. However this one again is not falling squarely into RIO genre, but it has some ties to it. Things are going from grave to sable, all throughout sombre or downright exalted (anthemic vocals of Lach’n make a great contribution to that), bordering on the plaintive rather than on devilishly mocking, so don’t expect the titter of UZ’z muses here. Lach'n is playing all instruments and had carefully sung all vocals of its own, producing gorgeous harmonies and strange counterpoint not heard since the era of shining Gregorian chorales. Here it is hard to detect accurately certain instruments, because the music immediately pulls you into into itself, let you inertly watching how your body swirls in it, but also allows you to take a breath with each new track. And lets you do nothing more. Tracks are mostly short, ranging from minute and half to three minutes and half, until you came in front of the portal of "Monuments", a 24+ minute long symphony; on the original LP, the whole side B. Lach'n's composing and performing skill leads you through succinct and effective themes, again from medieval to chamber to industrial, ambiental if you like and back to barocco-classical. Words fail me, or better said they seemed quite useless, as it seems I'll never manage to describe the exquisiteness of these records. If description would be inevitable, I’d say this is superb Hyperborean avant-rock.

Nenad Kobal for New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Prog. Rock

A true masterpiece!

At the request of the artist, this link has been removed. To find out more about Lars Jonsson's work, go Here