If you came up to me two months ago and told me that in two months I’d be listening to a swedish hip-hop band’s album over and over again, I would have assumed you were on drugs or feeble minded in some other way.
After all, I’m one of THOSE Americans, I just can’t seem to get into any foreign music where I can’t understand the lyrics. I had been able to do foreign films for a long time, I grew up on Kung Fu flicks and Japanese monster movies and I’ve enjoyed plenty of other language movies since then. But foreign language music I simply never was able to get into, until now…

From the first minute of the first song I ever heard by them, I was captivated by the sound. A sound that is classic and classy, yet simultaneously modern and unpretentious. Enough complexity to have substantial musical depth and soul, but simple enough that it doesn’t overload the senses. A lot of modern music seems unable to get the right balance in my opinion, but Movits! has it down perfectly.

From the toe tapping and popular “Fel del av garden” to the smooth chill-out sound of “Stick ivag Jack del II”, the sound is moving, solid, and compelling. There are a few songs of theirs I can’t get into, like the last song on their album “Vals pa Vinkelgrand”, it’s too polka-ie for my tastes. The lion’s share of the songs though are just plain good if not outstanding.

I really can’t comment much on the quality of the lyrics as I don’t speak swedish. I did look up the english translation to “Fel del av garden” and the translation I found seemed as down to earth and authentic as the band sounds musically. I have to admit, the first few days I kept thinking “this sucks that I can’t understand them”, but, after a while you realize that if you understand the music, the lyrics are a secondary concern.

So, I’m hooked on this band “Movits!”. If you haven’t checked them out, then I strongly recommend you play one of the youtube songs embedded here. Their songs are available thru Amazon and iTunes and their CD, Äppelknyckarjazz(translated: Apple Swiping Jazz), can be ordered but it is expensive as it’s an import. Luckily from Amazon and iTunes the album is only 8.99 for the 12 song album in mp3 format, or 99 cents a song individually. Either way, very reasonable in my opinion.
Currently, one of my favorite bands in the world. I should write a letter thanking Stephen Colbert, but he’d probably just take that as a sign of weakness, thus ruining my chances of obtaining the coveted “Alpha Dog” award.

Movits! website:
The Best Band In The World