Reviews of Lisa o Piu'sdebute album + interviews and videos etc.

Lisa o Piu - Backlash - Album Review - October 09
http://www.backlashmagazine.com/albumReview.asp?album_id=170&swf_id=3
Whilst unable to offer anything notably unique to set her aside from other artists within the increasingly popular folk music genre, what Lisa Isaksson does have is an unmistakably raw talent worthy of comparison to artists such as Katie Melua, Eva Cassidy and Tori Amos to name but a few.
Swedish born Isaksson and backing band Piu (who together make up Lisa O Piu – roughly translated as "Lisa and then some") blend together a psychedelic folk pop sound with eerie yet captivating vocals, and emotive lyrics and harmonies that could mend a broken heart.
The quintet's debut release, 'When This Was the Future' is largely formed from endearing ensembles of numerous instruments and percussion that give the album a decidedly organic feel. Filled with an idyllic tranquillity and splendour, it’s the album’s opening trio that prove to be the highlights. From the lively, aptly titled ‘Cinammon Sea’ with its overlapping vocal unison and lyrics that appear to focus around diving into a sweetly coloured ocean, to the equally impish ‘Forest Echo’ – a resonant acoustic ballad with some less than discernible lyrics: “Only seven ways to go in searching for the core/Did you see the sign I drew upon the cellar door? Tell you secrets…”.
But it’s the sombre tale of Traitor’ – a winding lament of a lost and undying love, supported by drifting acoustic guitar and lingering flute melodies that confirms ‘When This Was the Future’s beguiling power. And, as Isaksson croons: “One more battle lost before I even knew I was in it”, you’re soon reminded of amiable climes and wind chimes gently blowing against a summer breeze. Lovely stuff. Reviewed by: Debbie Craxton

Psychotropic Zone
http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/reviews.en.php?subaction=showfull&id=1256115504&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&
 Lisa o Piu: When This Was the Future Subliminal Sounds (SUBCD29)
Lisa o Piu is a new, amazing Swedish psychedelic folk band who have prior to this album released oen great 7” on Autumn Ferment Records and a live album together with Roger Wootton from Comus. Both of these come very warmly recommended… The band’s acoustic-driven, really beautiful and quite dark music has clearly been influenced by the psych folk legends from the late 60’s and early but it doesn’t sound outdated at all, but very timeless and fresh instead. Lisa Isaksson, who wrote most of the songs, has as truly wonderful voice and the group’s varied instrumentation includes for example acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, electric guitar, percussion, clarinet, accordion, theremin, fiddle, cither, bass and harp. The whole 40 minutes of When This Was the Future is peaceful, serene and very pleasant stuff. The first, a bit more powerful track “Cinnamon Sea” has also Maria Lägerlöf on vocals in addition to Lisa, and the voices of these two ladies sound just wonderful together. This is an excellent track in other ways to including some fine melodies. “Forest Echo” is a tender, pretty minimal piece as well as the following “Traitor”. Also made into a video, “The Party” is an extremely beautiful, soft and magnificent song and its harmonic chorus gets the listener into ecstasy. Amazing! Maria is again involved on the melancholic track called “Two” that also has some electric guitar. The very sad, pretty and wonderful ”Equatorial Changes” is one of the album’s most impressive tracks. The almost wholly instrumental ”Älvdans vid Kolarkojan” is a bit sunnier piece including traditional sounding fiddle, the album’s last track ”And So On” a beautiful and melancholic masterpiece with awesome atmosphere and also some psychedelic effects. This album really has no weak tracks and I do like it a lot. The album is well suited for hazy autumnal mornings or for some other dim moments for example by the fireplace in the middle of a forest. The vinyl freaks will enjoy the fact that this amazing album is also available in LP format. 21.10.09 by Dj Astro

http://beardedmagazine.co.uk/wp/?p=1287
Lisa o Piu - When This Was The Future (Subliminal Sounds)
Posted on October 19th, 2009 by Pete in Albums
It would be easy to sit here, in grey Manchester and bang on about how indebted this record is to Joanna Newsom’s Ys but it would be neither fair nor accurate to do so. Since 2006 every female singer-songwriter has been herded blindly into the ‘ethereal’ bracket, and whilst a good deal could be considered as such it’s more than narrow minded to assume they all sound the same. When This Tas The Future is a record underpinned by a gentle melancholia, the gently sloping ‘Cinnamon Sea’ opens proceedings as Lisa Isakkson’s vocals weave between tentative guitars, creating a subtle sweeping beauty. Everything here feels intricate, understated and wintery, the soundtrack for a frosty day. The lightness fades with ‘Equatorial Changes’, a hushed ballad that is more a case of brooding hostility than the whimsy Newsom-lite contemporaries. Lisa o Piu are a band that rely upon an awareness of what has came before, and what it means to be a Swedish folk act. It’s subtle, sweeping and it could steal your heart as soon as look at it. But, if you’re not careful you could be forgiven for seeing this purely as a clone like so many will. Take your time folks and you will be rewarded. Will Metcalfe

http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/latestsub.aspx?csid1=115&csid2=870&fid1=41270
Lisa o Piu
When This Was The Future
By Jason Schneider
Lisa Isaksson's bio says she grew up in the countryside around Stockholm, spending her free time doing sketches in horse stables. This idyllic portrait is easy to grasp from the first notes of this debut album, recorded with her backing band of school friends: Piu. From a foundation of subtle, finger picked guitar and wispy vocals comes a haunting sound that alternates between pure Ladies Of The Canyon-era Joni Mitchell and the full-blown mysticism of Loreena McKennitt. Isaksson also has a good command of English, as songs like "Traitor" and "The Party" possess more depth than what might be expected from contemporary hippie troubadours, Swedish or not. While often When This Was The Future wavers a bit too close to new age territory, Isaksson still displays a remarkable amount of confidence in her approach. Recommended for fans of Vashti Bunyan and Joanna Newsom. (Subliminal Sounds)

Lisa O Piu - Folkingcool.co.uk Album Review - Sept 09
http://www.folkingcool.co.uk/category/reviews/cd-reviews/
http://www.folkingcool.co.uk/2009/09/09/lisa-o-piu-%E2%80%93%C2%A0when-this-was-the-future-subliminal-sounds/
Lisa O Piu – When This Was The Future (Subliminal Sounds)
It’s a hard life for your budding quirky pop pixette these days. Folk fairies in ‘interesting’ hats have been making men with beards earnestly nod for decades, but every generation the ante gets upped when a genuine genius peeps out of the hedgerow. Joni Mitchell really buggered the sixties and seventies up for everyone else. Björk stomped on the whimsy of a thousand would-be wistful warblers. When Lisa O Piu (or just plain Lisa Isaksson as she’s known to her mum) first heard Joanna Newsom, who knows whether she was inspired to follow or felt doomed to stay in her shadow. Either way, she made a pretty, quirky, folky album about odd relationships, fantastical parties and horses dying of grass sickness.
The comparison was never going to be far away. So, does post-Newsom have to mean sub-Newsom? Well, yeah. A bit. Joanna Newsom is brilliant. But Lisa O Piu isn’t far behind. Lush, layered songs twinkle with Swedish sparseness like a lingonberry trifle or a particularly polished Ikea bookcase. Maybe. The band (who look wonderful by the way, Google them, they’re perfect) have apparently locked themselves away in a shack on the beautiful coast of somewhere I’d never heard of to work on the album, as is the way of these things. Blah. I’m imagining the shack was pretty well stocked with toys and gizmos, as each track has half a dozen little signature flourishes that speak of happy musicians at play. Strummed piano strings, funky old mic effects, even a bit of plucked harp (the cheek!) glisten on top of swelling orchestration in a way that could have been a real mess but is more of an exotic tiffin box. A bit of this, a bit of that. All tasty. Stephen Taylor

http://dekrentenuitdepop.blogspot.com/2009/08/lisa-o-piu-when-this-was-future.html
zondag 23 augustus 2009
Lisa o Piu is de band rond de Zweedse singer-songwriter Lisa Isaksson. Voor When This Was The Future riep Isaksson de hulp in van de van de Zweedse band Dungen bekende Matthias Gustavsson, die de plaat produceerde. Het levert een fraaie combinatie van authentiek klinkende folk en betoverende psychedelica op. Het is een combinatie van invloeden die na de hausse van psych-folk van de afgelopen jaren bekend in de oren klinkt en zo af en toe wel wat doet denken aan de muziek van Joanna Newsom, al heeft de muziek van Lisa O Piu ook de nodige raakvlakken met die van folkzangeressen uit een ver verleden als Vashti Bunyan, Linda Perhacs en in iets mindere mate Sandy Denny. Het belangrijkste wapen van Lisa O Piu is de prachtige stem van Lisa Isaksson, die op When This Was The Future via meerdere lagen tot je komt. Isaksson klinkt bij vlagen honingzoet, maar weet met haar gevoelige stem niet alleen te verleiden maar ook te ontroeren. Beluistering van When This Was The Future roept dankzij de sfeervolle instrumentatie, met een belangrijke rol voor strijkers en blazers, en de werkelijk wonderschone vocalen, associaties op met folkplaten uit vervlogen tijden, maar is door de inbreng van invloeden uit de psychedelica uiteindelijk toch vooral een plaat die met beide benen in het heden staat. Waar veel platen in dit genre de neiging hebben om door te slaan in vaag geneuzel, houdt Lisa O Piu de ambachtelijke folksong altijd in het achterhoofd, waardoor de zweverige klanken alleen maar meerwaarde hebben. When This Was The Future is een plaat vol dromerige folksongs die stuk voor stuk een bezwerende uitwerking hebben. Het zijn overigens niet alleen maar mooie dromen die Lisa Isaksson ons voorschotelt, want een aantal songs heeft een beklemmende en wat spookachtige sfeer. Het draagt wat mij betreft alleen maar bij aan de kwaliteit en veelzijdigheid van deze opvallende plaat. We zijn de afgelopen jaren overladen met psych-folk platen, maar ik kan er maar heel weinig noemen die zoveel indruk hebben gemaakt als When This Was The Future van Lisa O Piu. Zeer warm aanbevolen derhalve. Erwin Zijleman

http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hifpxzlaldje

Led by Lisa Isaksson, whose sweet and strong voice provides the core stamp for the album's eight songs, Lisa o Piu on When This Was the Future happily embrace the mystic stylings of strange art folk with psychedelic touches that have recurred with strength in a new century. Even more than solo performers in that vein from 40 years previously, Lisa o Piu's work suggests collectives -- the fragile side of Ghost, the murky neverland of Atman, the hushed reverence of Stone Breath. If the roots are clear, so also is the sense of dramatic flourish in the band's work, from Isaksson's singing -- beautifully double-tracked at many points -- to the loud echo of a gong or the sudden sparkle of finger cymbals amid the steady acoustic guitars and calm percussion. Isaksson plays many instruments herself, and her flute work throughout adds to the air of calm otherworldiness -- a familiar touch that is still breathtaking. Songs like "Forest Echo" and "Equatorial Changes" are standouts, but the whole album is a fine treat and a good pointer to whatever may come next. by Ned Raggett

http://wearsthetrousers.com/2009/08/13/lisa-o-piu-announce-debut-album/

lisa o piu announce debut album
August 13, 2009, 9:30 am
Filed under: news, trouser press | Tags: 2009, alan pedder, lisa isaksson, lisa o piu, music

http://wearsthetrousers.com/2009/08/13/lisa-o-piu-announce-debut-album/
New Swedish delicacy coming our way in October
Lisa O Piu may be lagging a few years behind the prime of the psych-folk revival but their debut album When This Was The Future is another gem that’s worthy of comparisons to venerable oldies like Vashti Bunyan and Linda Perhacs, as well as their musical descendants Fern Knight and Joanna Newsom. But this is not New Weird America; Lisa O Piu are a Swedish quintet fronted by the captivating Lisa Isaksson. The Latin word “Più” roughly translates to “more”, while the O (short for “och”, the Swedish word for “and”) is a hangover from Lisa’s solo project Lisa O Lillportan, “lillportan” being a colloquial word for her four-track recorder. Her first recording, Cantering, was one of those excruciatingly limited CD-Rs that went out of print so fast that most people didn’t even have time to blink. There were 30 copies made. We’re not even kidding. But even if we never get to hear it, Cantering certainly set the agenda, not least with laying bare Lisa’s lifetime passion for horses.Following the release of their debut single, ‘Waves, Whisperers, Hunters & Sailors’ (popular in Scotland, apparently), Lisa and her friends ventured to an archipelago north of Stockholm to start work on When This Was The Future with the midnight sun snapping at their consciousness. The flawless production comes from Dungen’s Mattias Gustavsson, who succeeds in bringing out the best and most chilling elements of Lisa’s delicate voice. The album is already out in Sweden; Subliminal Sounds will do the honours in the UK on October 26th. Alan Pedder

http://www.themusiccritic.co.uk/2009/07/lisa-o-piu-when-this-was-future-album.html
Lisa O Piu: When This Was The Future - Album of the Month - August 2009
by The Music Critic ~ Monday, 31 August 2009 Labels: Folk
Lisa O Piu is Swede Lisa Isaksson and her assorted band of musical friends. There is some great music coming out of Sweden right now, Håkan Hellströmand Jens Lekman to name but two, but in Isaksson they have an artist that is truly special in a wonderfully weird psychedelic way. With When This Was The Future we have a collection of 8 songs so achingly beautiful that you will feel you have found something totally unique. Opener Cinnamon Sea brings to mind Joni Mitchell circa the Blue album, the harmonies and arrangement perfect, while Forest Echo is a haunting and atmospheric piece that would not sound out of place on the Wickerman soundtrack, the repetitive guitar having an almost hypnotising effect. Mattias Gustavsson's lo-fi production is perfectly suited to Isaksson's breathy reverb laden vocals, giving the album a warmth that has not been heard since the late 60's. This is folk music, but it is so much more. On tracks like Traitor and Two you can definitely hear a kinship with José González. Perhaps it is the sparse arrangement or the monotone vocals, but it is definitely there. She certainly shares the same musical sensibilities as González and even Fleet Foxes, but despite these comparisons, her music is wholly original. The album closes with And So On. At over 6 minutes long it could quite easily have fallen flat, but it is a masterpiece, lifting and laying you as the instrumentation builds and falls. This is a stunning and hugely impressive record that is quite unlike anything else out there at the moment. Isaksson possesses a voice with an ethereal quality that can draw emotions you never knew you had, while her skills as a songwriter means that we will be hearing far more of her in years to come. Buy this album and discover something quirky, beautiful and totally captivating.
[][][][][] (5/5)

Aquarius Records San Francisco:
LISA O PIU When This Was The Future (Subliminal Sounds) cd
So magical! This album has swept us off our feet! We should have known as soon as we heard of the fine company these folks have been keeping. They recently backed up Roger Wootton of Comus (!) for a recorded performance in Sweden, and Mattias Gustavsson of Dungen produced this very album. Fear not, any elevated expectations will be met effortlessly. Needless to say, both of those bands are serious longtime aQ faves, and Lisa O Piu is well on its way to becoming a new one. This is wonderful. But before we proceed any further, please allow us to advise you that this is best heard on headphones! Why? Well, for one thing, there might be no better sounds at the moment to tune out the ruckus of the world outside. Traffic congestion, construction work, random yelling in the street begone! No, we're not exaggerating. Lisa O Piu's debut album is filled with such glintingly opulent folk that both gently creeps and majestically soars. Entering into its embrace is like embarking on a magic carpet ride to some distant enchanted forest. Secondly, they've taken good advantage of the stereo field in the recording process. So headphones really enhance the listening experience. When the three female vocalists - frontwoman Lisa Isakkson, along with Jennie Stabis and Maria Lagerlof - are singing and performing all at once, it's as though your whole head is filled with glorious song. This is a particular joy on the robust opener "Cinnamon Sea". When they are singing solo as they do on the closing track "And So On", it's as though they are taking turns singing right in each of your ears. The lush instrumentation is centered around acoustic, electric and 12-string guitars as well as an ensemble of woodwinds, but subtle introducetions of mellotron, theremin, cellotron and harp slip the proceedings deeper into a hazy psych-tinged dream realm.
Fans of Linda Perhacs, Vashti Bunyan, Sybille Baier and Marissa Nadler... open your arms and ears to these Stockholm beauties!

http://www.psychedelicfolk.com/swedenreview.html#anchor_81
Subliminal Sounds       Lisa O Piu (S,2009)****'
I didn’t have to wait too long before a full release by Lisa O Piu (after a cdr, a single and a cooperation of Piu with Comus’ singer with another full album). The songs are about being conscious in relationships close to natural processes with that touch of magic and romantiscm, facing the differences of one mind and two, or two sources in one, of cycles and processes. Lisa  Isaksson has the sweetness of natural magic in her voice, crystal clear and with overdubbed vocal arrangements. Accompanied by acoustic and electrified acoustic guitar, while glockenspiel, flute moods, fiddle and such and some mellotron add dreamy flavours. Progressive music minded Mattias Gustavsson (Life on Earth! / Dungen) has produced the album. A beautiful new addition to the old classics like These Trails, Vashti Bunyan, Linda Perhacs, Limited edition of 500 copies.