Podunk

Stefan Bellnäs

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“WARNING!

This is a bumpy ride. Some passengers might experience a sense of nausea and sudden loss of orientation and self-control. Your safety can’t be guaranteed but if you sit this one through it might take you to places you haven’t heard before. So buckle up and let´s get out of here!

Yours truly/Bellan”

Stefan Bellnäs is the most sought after bass player in the Gothenburg area of Sweden. The reason is probably that he plays any kind of music as if his life depended on it. He is a member of Beches Brew and plays on so many albums with other peoples music but now,
on November 3, 2018, he finally served us the first album in his own name: Podunk. The release concert took place at Studio HPKSM in Gothenburg.

Stefan Bellnäs, photo Akka Matérn

All songs written by Stefan Bellnäs except “Whims of Chambers” (Paul Chambers).

Musicians

Johan Kylén: drums (4, 5, 9, 14), counteraltoclarinet, saxophone, voice (intro, interludes)
Shree Sundarkumar: kanjira (3, 10, 12, 16)
Anders Kjellberg: drums (2, 6, 13)
Lisen Rylander-Löve: tenorsaxophone (2, 6, 13)
Staffan Svensson: trumpet (2, 6, 13)
Johan Håkansson: drums (16, 17), bongos, vibraphone (10)
Acka Matérn: accordion: (10, 12, 18) Stefan Bellnäs: all guitars, basses and keyboards Produced by Stefan Bellnäs and Bengt “Beche” Berger
Recorded at Beard Sounds by Johan Håkansson (2, 6, 10, 12, 13, 16) Recorded at Gamla skolan in Jarrestad by Johan Kylén and Stefan Bellnäs (4, 5, 9, 14, intro, interludes) Grand piano (8, 12) recorded at Studio Epidemin by Henrik Cederblom Additional recording at Studio Underground by Stefan Bellnäs Mixed at Studio Underground by Stefan Bellnäs Mastering by Göran Finnberg, The Mastering Room
Graphic design by Jon Edergren, Spektra

Podunk is produced with support from The Swedish Arts Council.

Here you can download the iTunes booklet
Here is the english Newsletter about Podunk
If you downloaded the album and want to burn a cd, here is a pocket for it.

Reviews:
Raul da Gama, Jazz da Gama
Jan Granlie, SALT PEANUTS
Peter Sjögren, MONO
Jonas Cornell, DN
Leif Carlsson, Lira
Mats Hallberg, Kulturmagasinet

1. Hi Ho Silver (0:43)
2. Big Chief (4:19)
3. Jonah and the Whale (1:10)
4. Hollow Oak (1:49)
5. Archana Profana (5:35)
6. Searching for the Lost Spice Rack (4:53)
7. Requiem for a Genetically Defect Wolf - part 1 (2:57)
8. An Exercise in Quantum Gravity (1:22)
9. Successful Freezing of Mr Juju (0:43)
10. The Black Lagoon (2:10)
11. Requiem for a Genetically Defect Wolf - part 2 (2:43)
12. Until My Days are Over (2:20)
13. Spokes (5:43)
14. Isabella 98 (5:43)
15. Thirteen Bars in Hell (2:00)
16. Blue (3:37)
17. Whims of Chambers (2:06)
18. The Intern (1:13)

“Does humanity really need another record of music?

To make something truly unique in modern society is met with tremendous obstacles. A googleplex of designs has been manufactured out of every material possible for all kind of uses and then thoroughly tested over and over again. So many words have been spoken, so many poems written, so many colours, hues and shades tried, so many melodies, chords and rhythms put together in so many ways that whatever You do has probably been done before. The human population on this planet grows rapidly and more and more people have the opportunity to make something never before seen but very few succeed. Some scientists talk about the end of creativity and even the avant-garde has gone retro. The answer from the commercial world is to simplify art ad absurdum and to fabricate products that have a very limited lifespan. The goal appears to be to create something that anybody in the targeted area can like but not necessarily need (and hopefully make a lot of money doing it). This leads to a decline in quality, is a waste of resources, both human and material and demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the consumer as well as the rest of the world. Since I consider myself an inventor of sound I had to ask what would happen if somebody in my field did the opposite i.e. make a record that very few would appreciate in order to generate a product that everybody has use for? Even if they do not know it yet? It therefore became my dedicated purpose in this sycophantic paradise that is the music scene today to overcome this deficiency and make a record with complex everlasting music that nobody wants. Will this work? I had to try! I do not know if I have succeeded in my quest – probably not, this has most certainly been tested before, but if someone happens to enjoy this record in spite of my efforts I can live with my failure. What do You think?” – Stefan Bellnäs