Peter Morén, of Peter Bjorn and John, returns as SunYears with “Spanner In The Works,” a new single that lands today with the gentle thud of a perfectly placed pop gem. This “breezy jangly number,” heralds his forthcoming album, The Song Forlorn, due August 21st via Villa. And true to form for a Morén project, it’s not just a single; it’s the title track of an accompanying EP that features covers of David Bowie (Absolute Beginners) and Sandy Denny (Like an Old Fashioned Waltz).
“Spanner In The Works” itself, Morén explains, is an allegorical nod to the winding, often unpredictable path of a life in music – a journey fraught with both exhilaration and unforeseen obstacles. Yet, for all its reflective depth, the track maintains an airy, almost effortless charm, a signature of Morén’s melodic sensibility, following on the heels of previous singles “Dark Eyes,” “(Going To A) Cruel Country,” and “Last Night On the Mountain” (which featured Lisa Hannigan and Sam Genders). The accompanying video, a collaborative effort, shot, directed and edited by Jonas Hemlin with animation by Vince Bigos, adds a suitably jangly visual layer to this introspective narrative.
The EP’s covers are equally compelling. His take on Bowie’s “Absolute Beginners” is a heartfelt tribute, acknowledging the song’s often-overlooked brilliance, while his rendition of Sandy Denny’s “Like an Old Fashioned Waltz” is a tender, waltz-time delight.
About the Sandy Denny cover, Morén says: “the great pedal steel player Roger Gustafsson invited me to guest at his club at a suburban Stockholm cinema where he plays with musical guests. I sent him some originals and some covers we could try, and “Like an Old Fashioned Waltz” felt like a perfect fit. I do love a waltz-time gem, and this is just such a beautiful, yearning lyric and melody.”
On covering Bowie, he recalls: “I have loved “Absolute Beginners” since it was released when I was a little boy. It always spoke to me profoundly; I have always been deeply touched by it. The fantastic form which keeps shifting and building, the chords, the melody, the words – high drama and so much emotion. I think maybe because that period wasn’t Bowie’s most lauded, it sometimes gets overlooked. To me, it is a shiny pearl of a composition and, as a pure song, one of his very best and most eternal. I always dreamt of singing it. But it seemed so tricky. After Bowie sadly passed, I was one of the organizers behind a charity tribute concert at Södra Teatern in Stockholm, and the chance finally came. After that, I have kept dipping into this song now and again, and it feels lovely to have captured the passion we feel for it on tape. Hope you all enjoy! Extra points to Andreas Nordell gorgeous harmony singing on both numbers here — and to our mate Ruben Engzell at Studio Skutan who recorded and mixed it all!”
Morén recently produced Robert Forster’s new album, Strawberries, and will be joining Forster’s touring band in Europe this autumn. These covers and “Spanner In The Works,” remind us of Morén’s knack for delivering deeply felt, meticulously crafted songs that are always, refreshingly, just a little bit askew.
The Song Forlorn will be released digitally, on CD and vinyl on 21st August via Villa.
Pre-save: https://villa.lnk.to/TheSongForlornPR