Loney Dear

Loney Dear started off my SXSW experience quite nicely indeed. Playing under a shed in the otherwise dappled sunshine of Red 7, Emil Svanangen brought his "full color" style of bleakness to the Red River stage. And with the gloriousness of the weather, the epic excitement in the air, and Svanangen's sweet, beautiful voice flitting about, it was hard to find what is so incredibly sad in Loney Dear's music. Instead, we had an afternoon of pleasantness, uncrippled by angst, and an easy, sunny day.