To mark the release of his new album ‘9 Songs About Love’ on French label Vietnam, American songwriter J.E. Sunde has shared a video for album track ‘Risk’.
When asked about the song J.E. says: “Even if you’ve been hurt by people you loved, or you’ve made mistakes that hurt others, or you’ve believed in an unrealistic picture of what love is, but find it really hard to let it go. Whatever the reasons are to not risk the vulnerability when you love someone, and they may be good reasons considering your experience, ultimately love is a risk and it’s worth the risk.”
The animated video was directed by Alden Volney, who has previously worked with the likes of Jamie XX, Iggy Pop, Villagers and Nicolas Godin from Air.
The clever looping animations form the perfect partnership to the protaganist’s constant doubts, balanced against his hopes…the treadmill of love and that “spinning wheel” that brings you right back around – “she could be the silver bullet to kill that howling fear”. The whole song is cleverly constructed and executed, if Sunde is a new name to you then keep him on your radar.
Described by Daytrotter as one of the greatest indie-folk singer-songwriters around, J.E. Sunde’s new album ‘9 Songs About Love’ was co-produced by Brian Joseph (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Paul Simon) and Shane Leonard (Humbird, Anna Tivel, Sean Rowe) and relies on a band-in-the-room aesthetic to capture the live energy and feel of Jon Sunde and his longtime bandmates Shane Leonard (drums) and Andrew Thoreen (bass guitar).
A native of Wisconsin, now based in Minneapolis, J.E. Sunde is a songwriter and composer who writes from the American Songwriter tradition but just to the left of centre. After many years of crafting beautifully unusual music with The Daredevil Christopher Wright, Jonathan Edward Sunde immersed himself in a new solo project that embraces his influences, from smart, bouncy Paul Simon-y folk-pop to the earnestness of Jonathan Richman to the heartbreak and boldness of Nina Simone.
Photo credit: Graham Gardner