Listen to Matylda, the new single from Folk singer-songwriter Jarle Skavhellen (out tomorrow on Nettwerk Records). Jarle tells us that “The song is about a weekend of drunken debauchery spent on a river boat in Prague. It’s really sort of a tribute to new beginnings, and the city itself.”
Despite his frank description, there’s a warmth and innocence to these verses with the scene being set from the opening line “A hot cup of wine on a chilly afternoon…”. The best is yet to come with an anthemic chorus and a borrowed line from a well-known Australian bush ballad that makes it difficult to resist joining in.
Jarle says that he is heavily influenced by the old-timey guitar stylings of American icons Chet Atkins and Dave Van Ronk despite having lived in Bergen, Norway his whole life. There’s no denying he can craft a good song and with his laid back delivery over those bright uplifting acoustics…what’s there not to like?
Growing up in the small, lush town with a family of artists and musicians, he got his start early when he was taught how to play at age eleven by iconic Norwegian guitarist, Mads Eriksen. His father’s love for vinyl of all genres and his uncle’s ever-expanding guitar collection enabled Jarle’s passion for music to grow. He played in numerous bands over the years from indie rock to funk to even a Metallica cover band in High School before having the courage to start writing and performing his own songs three years ago. Jarle is signed to Nettwerk Records.
Matylda is released on September 1st, via Nettwerk Records.
Photo Credit: Andris Søndrol Visdal