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Unknown man

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Album reviews

Americana Done Right +++++!
author: Andrew Kowal
Ten gallon hats off to Roger Haggstrom. Somehow, from a “dead end town” in Northern Sweden, he has created an album (“Unknown Man”) that is a quintessentially American masterwork. Roger and his merry band of “Rockets” demonstrate impressive range as they perform original songs in various styles (blues, folk, old time country) while always staying true to roots music. Truth be told, there is also a touch of European influence (Irish folk, Bavarian bierhaus) that adds charm and interest to their otherwise all-American sound. The tracks range from barnstormers (“Praise the Lord”, “Educated Man”) to country ballads (“Wedding Day”, “Hardship Trail”). Songs are tastefully arranged and well-accompanied by traditional instruments such as fiddle, acoustic dobra, mandolin, harp, and organ. The vocals are well-placed and accentuate Roger’s strong lead vocal. This is more than a collection of songs, it is a deeply personal “labor of love”. It took Roger 3 years to handcraft, and he has painstakingly fussed over every detail (including an impressive CD booklet complete with full lyrics, extensive liner notes, and original artwork by bandmate Bjorn Sohlin). Roger’s lyrics are witty (albeit somewhat cynical) personal observations. He moves from the allegorical (“Unknown Man”) to the all-to-real (“I Got Hope”). His words are often about making life choices (“Dead End Town”, “Tossing a Coin”). He also has a misogynistic streak that will make you laugh: as Roger confesses in “Educated Man”, he has no idea what goes on inside a women’s head. I was first exposed to Roger and the Rockets on garage band.com where I was asked to review Roger’s work anonymously. The song was “Praise the Lord”, and let me tell you my friends, I was blown away. This is the BEST SONG on Garageband. I have it on my iPod, I have in in my car stereo. It is an instant classic - play it at your next party and check out the reaction! You will find yourself yelling out with the band, “Praise the Lord…for giving me thirst, and pretty girls!” But don’t stop there, you also need “Educated Man”, a fun rockabilly stomper; and the old timey “Unknown Man” - oh heck, you need them all! Get to know the Unknown Man.

I got hope
Great Hook
This song has a 900 lb. gorilla of a hook...this hook is so strong that I guarantee I'll be walking around singing this for weeks.
You sound like you might have jumped in a time machine in 1960..and traveled forward to entertain the future. You could be the Chad Mitchell Trio or those guys who sang "Tom Dooley". Your sound is pure acoustic folk right down to the hopeful message and the simple, clean, direct, effective hook.
Extra Credit: Male Vocals, Lyrics.
- daveyngr from Pine Grove, California on 27Apr2009

What a ride
High quality country train blues
Great country train riff with spot on rhythm guitar, drums and bass work.
Lovely harp fills with lots of subtlety.
Good vocals - tuneful and good technique.
Lyrics are effective and suit the song well.
Reminds me of The Tractors - which is a very good thing indeed!
Good song, well played and recorded - I thoroughly enjoyed it.
- NigelSpiers from Christchurch, New Zealand on 28Oct2008

Praise the Lord
My Kind of Religion
I think even Irish miners might cock an eyebrow at this song's tongue in cheek praise, but ya gotta laugh.
First off, I like the drums that I've been hearing in traditional music lately and this song is no exception. The beat picked up and gave some fanny shaking to the lilt of the song. The snare roll part was cool and added a bit of drama, something that is often lacking in folk.
The vocal is gritty, but has fair pitch and fits this style of tune well. I would ask for clearer diction, a constant theme of mine, as I could not understand the first line after "praise the lord" (for giving me thirst?). If I did understand it I might be too drunk to get it.
The bass had a big, no, humungous low end on it. Like, I could feel it. I think I liked that as much as anything. It let the banjo and fiddle do their thing without the sound getting thin.
So, this is a keeper, with no real "do-over" recommendations. Keep up the good work.
- farmerted from Valley Center, California on 17Sep2008

Hardship trial
THIS is FOLK!!
Folks..let me be (not) the first to tell you this is beautiful Folk music. Gads..where do I begin.
*Great hook.."Hardship Trail" is a sweet turn of phrase and you sell it like a pro!
*Great singer..reminds me of Arlo Guthrie or Gordon Lightfoot.
*Cool harmonies..got that coffehouse group-that-hit-the big time sound.
*GREAT song!!!! Suave and easy like Jimmy Buffet but with an edge like Woody Guthrie.
*Great pickin'...clean and well articulated parts perfectly blended.
*Awesome production..a "live" feel without the unfiltered impurities. It is high grade production quality without sounding produced.
I love it!
- daveyngr from Pine Grove, California on 22Oct2008

Wedding day
Meet Roger and the Rockets!
It's hard to review this because I am already a big fan of Roger and the Rockets, of Sweden. I have purchased their CD and have their material in my iPod. I encourage all of you to do this too! Go to CDbaby and buy now!

Roger and the Rockets have the most authentic Americana sound on garageband, and, of course, they are not American!

Today's song, Wedding Day, is a beautiful composition that on the surface is a happy mandy and fiddle song about maritial bliss but below the surface lies Roger's usual sardonic wit: "our love was grinded down, on the marital battle ground."

Great lyric writing, A+ playing, nice production.

A great work from a marvelous Americana performer. Go get'em!
- AndrewKowal from Southampton, Massachusetts on 7Dec2008

Unknown man
A Pint of the Stout Please
I gotta say that I have listened to this song a few times before. I think it was track of the day or something. So, although I am not hearing it with virgin ears, I still like how it comes off.
The beat has a sloppy Celtic swagger that gives it some nice "smoky pub in a small town" feel. I picture hard working, grubby men swapping stories over a draft of dark beer when I hear this kind of song. I appreciate the way the drums were used, sparingly but not boring. The drums kept the song from getting bogged down and overly folky.
The vocal has a backwater, European accent that gives the song some street credibility and the rich timbre of the voice adds to the emotional impact. I know that the band is from a foreign country, but a bit better diction would help a lot. The lyrics get muddied up some times.
The bass underpinned the progression with a one-five bass line and it worked out very well. The bass line had just enough fills and walks to keep it interesting without getting too carried away.
Mostly, I liked the way the fiddle sewed the whole thing together, by weaving in and around the progression. Some fiddle players get repetitious but not in this case. Again, the mood was established and held very well.
So, even though you're not from around here, I think this is a pretty good song. Good job.
- farmerted from Valley Center, California on 17Sep2008

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