Jose Gonzales

[DudeAsInCool]

Jose Gonzalez a man of contradictions

Saturday May 27, 2006

Jose Gonzalez is an interesting series of contradictions. His family is Argentinian but he was born and grew up in Sweden. He played in hardcore bands but has enjoyed huge success with a quiet folk-like album. He makes lo-fi music yet has sprung to fame on the back of a memorable ad - the one with the bouncing coloured balls - for hi-tech plasma televisions. And he goes about untroubled on the streets of his hometown Gothenburg, despite being named Sweden's Artist of the Year.

Do we need mention that in concert this self-effacing guy, who has drawn favourable comparisons with folk-rock legends Nick Drake and Tim Buckley, is as likely to play a version of Kylie Minogue's Hand on Your Heart or Joy Division's gloomy Love Will Tear Us Apart as tracks from his own album?

Gonzalez, 28, speaking halting but clear English and just back from a small-scale American tour, has captured attention with his measured folk-framed pop on his debut album Veneer - specifically the track Heartbeats, which was used in the advertising campaign for Sony.

Yes, he's a little concerned he might only ever be known as the guy who sang while coloured balls bounced down the steep streets of San Francisco. Heartbeats, a trickle of folk guitar and post-rock vocal drone which is a cover of a track by Swedish band the Knife, is a long way removed from that, which may account for its success.

You can read the interview here:

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