Something to Give

On the new album "Hotel Continental" (Belpid Records) Stellan Wahlström Drift Band
has speeded up the tempo and cranked up the electric guitars.

The music can be described as urban folk-rock and there's a definite flavour of international
metropolis all through, not least in the title track which was written at the classic old
Hotel Continental Saigon. The album cover painting by Angeles Santos was found in a museum
in Madrid, a city where the lush album closer "The embrace of night" is also set.
The raw and hard "Something to give" was written on a train to Delhi, while "Waxholm Hotell"
could be set in almost any end-of-season coastal town.

The album was recorded the analogue way on to 2'' tape at Cobra Studio in Stockholm
by Christian Gabel (who produced the latest Hello Saferide album), and mixed at
PAD Productions in New York by Patrick Derivaz (who just came from work with Television).
Apart from the band playing, there is also some excellent guitar work by Jason Victor of
Dream Syndicate and Mats Grönmark from Eve and the last waltz.

The band in the studio consisted of Johan Werner – piano, Hammond and mellotron,
Johan Adelman & Bo Schager – bass, Lutten Larsson & Per Lager – drums, and Stellan
Wahlström – vocals, guitars (including an electric Hagström 12-string) and the occasional
celeste.

Stellan Wahlström used to be in The Wylde Mammoths (Crypt Records) and then spent
several years living and playing in New York. The previous album "Across the room" got
good reviews and gained lots of airplay on US college radio.

"The mercy" was released as the first single followed by "Hotel Continental".

PRESS:

"The warmth of Stockholm's Cobra Studio's two-inch analogue tape setup shines through on this thoughtful
collection. Poetic and crammed with narrative intent, clever lyrics evoke a spirit of international travel long gone.
"Waxholm Hotel" and "Already done" are superb examples of this artful storytelling at work.
Patrick Derivaz, whose credits include John Cale and Television, renews a longstanding acquaintance with
one time NY resident Wahlström, delivering a sensitive mix that compliments some excellent guitar work from
Dream Syndicate's Jason Victor.
Subtle, clever, a little morose; this is a fine album."
//Shindig (UK)

“Stellan Wahlström Drift Band show attention to expertise and care. He fits this friendlier, warmer, settled format like reliable sneakers, even if the more Luna/Dream Syndicate-like electricity is as comfortable. Nicely delivered.”
//The Big Takeover (US)

“The guitar rock here could originate from the classic new wave-period on Manhattan when Television, Blondie and Talking Heads were the hippest bands in town. Sounds very un-Swedish in a good way.”
//Gefle Dagblad (Sweden)

“Dynamic piano and playful guitars. It was indeed a long wait for the successor to the album Across the room, but the long wait is more than made up by the new album Hotel Continental.”
//Rootstime (Belgium)