Astrid Swan

PREFIX
"And then, whether compensating for her blond-pixie appearance or just because it's her fancy, she proceeds to bang the hell out of her instrument, making damn sure that all casual conversation therein effectively ends. This seems to be Swan's modus operandi, and it makes Poverina an intriguing debut."


GENART PULSE
"Finnish ingenue Astrid Swan makes a stellar debut on Minty Fresh with Poverina. She tempts her listeners with delicate tickles of the piano and sweeping melodies. "


VENUSZINE
"It's warm, sweet-sounding, and so familiar, you keep going back to it for comfort. The album features 11 original compositions by Swan and all of them will evoke this kind of reaction in you -- and it will happen instantly."

ALLMUSIC
"And it's ultimately this charisma that makes Poverina a compelling debut. These are conscientiously made songs; they're intelligent, whimsical, and entertaining to boot. But they wouldn't be anything without Swan's skill as an actor and interpreter."


AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE
"Poverina, Astrid Swan's American debut, is a beautifully surreal and intensely imaginative album. Unlike many modern day recordings, Poverina's construction has an old-fashioned class and sophistication that is unrivaled."

3 HIVE
"It's something lovely, if heartbreaking, if totally intoxicating."


DOWNLOAD.COM
"Astrid goes from torchy to soaring to saddened in the blink of a hook."

HARP MAGAZINE
"She gets the delicate, fluttery most out of the ebonies and ivories while spilling her non metallic Finnish guts."

HI-FI HEART
"But indeed, she is not heavy metal, which is a good thing for me and hopefully you."

BRING ME UP
"She really is amazingly talented and comparable to even the greats, like Joni Mitchell or Carly Simon."

FINGERTIPS
"...but I also happen to think Astrid Swan is one of the coolest names in show business."

MAXIMUM INK
"Astrid's jazzy flashes of art deco dirges are dispatched over breathy delicacy as Poverina pirouettes beautifully, turning the luminous ominous and the fanciful obvious."

A&A
"This is kind of the opposite of Tori Amos. Amos tortures her voice while playing relatively conventional music. Swan kicks out some seriously contorted songs and then adorns it with straightforward singing. I think I like this better. In fact, I know I do. Pretty sweet. "

SILENT UPROAR
"There are eleven tracks on this new minty fresh album, but with only a little more than a half hour of music be prepared to hit the repeat button on your CD player. Pitch those Roxette albums as well, for Astrid's LP will not be her swan song". 4.4 out of 5

MURUCH
"....but there's a maturity and seriousness to Astrid's songs that suggests her music is more firmly planted in this planet's soil"

WHO NEEDS RADIO
"Her debut album, Poverina, out May 22, is sure to startle and delight with its Kate Bushian sensibility and sweeping piano melodies. Not that she's easily compared to other female artists before her"


POPMATTERS:
Astrid Swan is a one-woman pop project from Finland, and not in the Mariah Carey way. Her sophomore Poverina puts piano-driven pop, a love of British and American music (her recent activity includes covering the Killers' "When You Were Young"), and a clearly stated goal to steer clear from the current stereotype that Finland is a heavy metal haven to the forefront, while her sultry swoon shares a close tie with female songstresses like Kate Bush, Tori Amos and PJ Harvey. Yet her songwriting bears closer resemblance to Elliott Smith, an influence on her, drifting poetically through a string of innocuous metaphors—the effervescent "Life in a Container" has her comparing herself to a "low-fat" packed lunch, and has, without doubt, the coolest mandobanjo riff ever. The cover art says it all: this is an organic collection of very much pop tunes that express themselves through pianos, flutes, strings, and other weird, some might say over-the-top combinations ("Rock n Roll Blonde" features no less than a double bass, viola, cello, trombone, euphonium, French horn and flugelhorn). If there is a fault with it, it's that Swan approaches her singing with a certain lack of emotion, which can render a desperately sad track like "War" a little too joyous and indifferent. Still, as getting-away-from-the-norm, escapist fare, this certainly works.
6/10
by Andrew Blackie

VENUSZINE:
Not only is Poverina Astrid Swan's debut solo alum, it's also her first in English.
Swan is from Finland and although she's played in such bands as Treeball, where she co-wrote songs and sang duets with Nick Triani, she was inspired to put out her first English-language album because of the influence of American and British
music on her own, and, well, for the bigger audience factor too. Judging by the quality of her songs and the freshness of her voice, she may very well reach the kind of success and audience she's after.
When I heard the song "The Kinda Tea You Like To Cry In", I thought it was the perfect metaphor to describe a reaction to Swan's music. It's warm, sweet-sounding, and so familiar, you keep going back to it for comfort. The album features 11 original compositions by Swan and all of them will evoke this kind of reaction in you -- and it will happen instantly. Whether you become hooked on the delicate, instrumental start of "They Need You If They Think You Love Them" or can't get the catchy, sing-a-long melodies of "Poverina" out of your head, Swan's songs are artistically so well crafted, each one has the potential to capture broad audience appeal and commercial success.
Vocally and in terms of her storytelling lyrics, I couldn't stop comparing Swan to Jewel. She also sounds a lot like Tori Amos, especially when her vocal range turns from quiet to piercing over a dramatic piano melody in "Rock'n'Roll Blonde."
The emotional load of the material she writes and sings about can be heavy as Swan reflects on themes of loneliness, family ties, love and personal journeys, but she also offers quirky, feel-good songs like "Life In a Container" in the mix.
When Swan's songs hit the charts and English radio stations -- and they will -- you won't ever turn the dial. (7/10)
---Marisa Lacobucci

AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE
Poverina, Astrid Swan's American debut, is a beautifully surreal and intensely imaginative album. Unlike many modern day recordings, Poverina's construction has an old-fashioned class and sophistication that is unrivaled. Swan masterfully writes songs that are macabre and discerning without being overwhelmingly grave. The orchestral accompaniment in "War" has a sort of theatrical air about it making it a perfect fit for some grand musical production. Swan's ability to paint vivid, striking images is just as fantastic. A poignant take on love, "Dad Said," invokes dreamlike visions of a musical jewelry box; the small ballerina poised on a spring turning ever so carefully to the eerie music. The lighthearted "Good Girl" provides the moments of upbeat indie rock relief that fit perfectly amongst the darker tone of the album. Despite her relatively tender age, Astrid Swan appears to have the kind of fierce intuition, unassuming brashness, and undeniable talent that is a true force to be reckoned with.
Brigitte B. Zabak

ALLMUSIC
Astrid Swan hails from Finland, a country perhaps best known for its epic, costume-clad metal bands, but she certainly doesn't sound like it. Her English language debut, Poverina, croons like Rufus Wainwright, shimmers like Kate Bush, and glimmers with hints of Laurel Canyon artists like Joni Mitchell and Judee Sill; it's the kind of album, in other words, that will expand her reach beyond Finnish shores if only because it sounds familiar. Of course, one might wonder whether the world needs another Wainwright, Antony, or Regina Spektor, but Swan manages to carve out a niche for herself, perhaps in virtue of the fact that she draws from a host of interesting role models. Her fascination with Sill is loud and clear on the title track; like many of Sill's compositions ("Lamb Ran 'Way with the Crown" comes to mind), "Poverina" is lush with loping pianos, jaunty flutes, and airy background vocals. "Rock 'N' Roll Blonde" is a lovely mash-up of Tori Amos and Mitchell; it's all dark piano chords and thick orchestration, recalling From the Choirgirl Hotel and Court and Spark in the same instant. Lyrically, Swan is probably more akin to Wainwright than the Laurel Canyon set; the words themselves play second fiddle to Swan's flexible, clear, emotive alto. Like Wainwright, Swan is a charismatic performer; one is compelled to follow her, and she makes it easy to do so. And it's ultimately this charisma that makes Poverina a compelling debut. These are conscientiously made songs; they're intelligent, whimsical, and entertaining to boot. But they wouldn't be anything without Swan's skill as an actor and interpreter.
Margaret Reges.
- many