Four years in Scandinavia did not hinder Joe Algeri's musical creativity. Quite the opposite, new places were the source of new inspiration...

In 1999 Joe left Australia indefinitely. Having just released his first solo album, Everything Under The Sun, he moved to Stockholm, Sweden with no set plans for the future. He left behind his band, Jack & the Beanstalk who were half through recording their second album.

Over the next 4 years Joe finished Jack's Cowboys in Sweden album and also released the band's Vodka Line EP, the later mostly recorded during a lightening visit back to Perth in 2001. His interest in studio production for other artists was finally realised and without his Jack band mates during that first long, dark northern winter, Joe turned his mind to home recording for the first time. Those first recordings from his tiny Stockholm apartment were the seeds for this album.

The Stockholm Years album features 13 songs mostly recorded in Sweden and Finland. The tracks range from Joe alone with an acoustic guitar in his renowned solo style to electrified collaborations with other artists such as Sweden's happydeadmen, Finland's Ben's Diapers and his main collaborator, Magnus Karlsson (now with the Charade). Joe's long long-lost Jack pals back in Australia even make an appearance and so does Danny McDonald (P76) even though the two have never met in person.

With this release Joe's musical vision is fully consolidated, sitting somewhere between the folkiness of his previous solo work with the more up-tempo pop moments of Jack & the Beanstalk - chiming jangly guitars, unforgettable I'm-sure-I've-heard-that-before melodies, reverb drenched harmony vocals, tambourines and yeah, let's double track those tambourines again.

The 11 originals are complimented by 2 cover versions from Gene Clark and Lee Hazlewood, They are appropriate choices as these maligned and misunderstood 60s legends provide Joe with the perfect musical blueprint to continue his musical journey in the 21st century.

The Stockholm Years is being released through Parasol Records in the USA and Rhythm Barrel Records in Finland. For more information check out the Egomaniac Music website:

http://www.arach.net.au/~algerij/
or contact Joe directly:
[email protected]