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From the first piano note I was hooked. The idea of a commissioned radio musical by Sveriges Radio (Sweden’s state owned radio network) was daunting and unimaginable given that the chosen subject figure was Ingmar Bergman . Who? Many will say. I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge – remember this is Sparks and the genius of the Mael Brother – how could I doubt.
Bergman was an accomplished and influential director, writer, producer, filmmaker from Sweden, a highly acclaimed figure of 20th century cinema whose influential bodies of work often dealt with themes such as bleakness and despair as well as comedy and hope. The radio network gave them free range in writing apart from the stipulation that the piece must contain the Swedish language in some manner. A novel way to promote the Swedish language.
Oddly compelling the Seduction of Ingmar Bergman is a 60 minute, 24 song collection and the Mael brothers 22nd studio album. The story is a “What if...?” fantasy from the great minds of the Mael's possibly a question only they could ask about the life of Bergman. How Hollywood attempts to lure him away from his art house roots to Hollywood trying to control him and change direction into making “American” movies instead seemingly at odds with all Bergman stands for. Taken in after the initial acclaim and grooming he soon realises he is being stifled and controlled and yearns to escape. After much termoil he escapes back to his beloved Sweden greeted by cheers “he’s home”.
The piece is almost a Gothic melodrama in astronomical silver screen style. From the first bar you can feel this needs to be a big screen film and imagine yourself following Bergman on his journey. A combination of classical pianos, strings, opera, electro-orchestration together with lyrics and repetitive narrative phrases with flashbacks of Sparks past hits genius and guitars.
If you know Sparks this album is a progression of their whole musical career with many key features and topics repeated which you can trace back to previous albums. A truly original and ambitious masterpiece although with limited appeal and best experienced as a whole. Available as a limited edition Swedish version as well as an English version.
Reviewed by Mya Green | |
