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The Major Seconds - Angelo

from 2014​-​2018 by John Mitchell & Sofie Jonsson

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En brittisk 80-talsdoftande känga till Brexit som för tankarna till The Cure, Lloyd Cole och The Smiths.


"The song feels nostalgic while also feeling dreamy and powerful lyrically. The chorus section of “Angelo” is irresistible in both its melody and delivery... The music video is an extremely powerful artistic portrayal that many are going through all over the globe."

(Rock the Pigeon Arts & Culture Blog)

The ANGELO music video: youtu.be/bvM6mw4GQRc



ENGLISH


Music, like all art, has a rich tradition in the delivery of important political and social messages while remaining open to interpretation. Such is the case with the release of “Angelo,” the new song and accompanying music video by The Major Seconds featuring John Mitchell. The single releases on October 1st, 2018 with the video debuting just a few days later, on October 5th.


“Angelo” was recorded at Valley Sound Studio in Borlänge and was produced by Mitchell and Anders Brandström. Mastering was overseen by Erik Berglund. The video was written, directed and produced by Linnea Thorslund with assistance from Dalapop. Sofia Bergman was in charge of camera and photography. The Major Seconds consists of Mitchell (guitar and lead vocals,) Sofie Jonsson (violin,) Emil Sjölin Bass (keyboard) and Anton Igelström (drums.)


The video stars Fabian Lexner as a soldier caught in the middle of a conflict between two countries while coming to grips with his own identity and sense of self-expression. The soldier’s story, as well as the inner-struggle over the choices he has made in life, are at the heart of the message “Angelo” so expertly communicates. In one moment, Lexner’s soldier is nervously patrolling a field while scanning the area for an unseen and unknown enemy; in the next, he is singing on stage while wearing lipstick and makeup. At one point, the singer persona becomes filled with rage and rushes off the stage and into a nearby hallway.


“He lashes out slamming locker doors, throwing over the trash, and casts off his scarf,” explains Mitchell. “As the rage subsides, he realizes that he could have made the artist and stage performer persona his reality instead of the soldier life he’d ended up choosing. And that is really what the song is about. It is about how it is never too late to make choices ... until it IS too late, which is something portrayed in the video.”


For Mitchell, writing “Angelo” was a process sparked, in part, by one of the international community’s most divisive political stories.


“I was personally moved to write it partly out of the fear that the process of Brexit will begin the turmoil of trying to clarify an old disputed border between North and South Ireland. This may re-open the troubles after a long spell of relative peace in the North. There have been too many lives lost already on both sides, especially young ones! The song is a warning perhaps to not be owned by situations and circumstances that you feel you haven’t chosen.”


The song’s namesake reflects a deeper and more personal connection for Mitchell who served in the Army for a period of five years during which his first posting was in Northern Ireland. Saint Angelo was an army and security forces military operations base in Northern Ireland during the deployment of British forces from 1970 to 1989. However, viewers will likely notice that the video lacks any reference to a specific country or armed force.


“We chose not to depict either Ireland or any side or regiment in the film. Angelo, in the context of the video, is a general location surrounded by threat and danger and is intended to provide a simile to any impending feeling of danger, threat, or unease that the viewer and listener has encountered or could encounter in the future. It can be representative of any country.”

Lexner’s spin as the conflicted soldier -music artist is worthy of high praise. He was cast for the role at the suggestion of Thorslund after the two worked together on a previous project. Thorslund speaks highly of his work.


“When I first worked with Fabian, I noticed that we worked really well together. Fabian was very accommodating against my directions, which made way for great creative collaborations in our work,” says Thorslund. “He was very ambitious right from the start, did a lot of research on his own and had questions and inputs every time we met. I knew that he would take the role with a huge responsibility and that it would be a joy to be working together again.”


Mitchell hopes listeners and viewers of “Angelo” value the message as it is one that can be life-changing for people willing to take it to heart.


“It is important for people to take time to develop psychologically and emotionally, and they need to not only feel free to express themselves but also to seek support and guidance from those that understand that and have lived in that manner,” he emphasizes.


And as “Angelo” teaches us, it all begins with a choice.



“Angelo” is a co-production with Dalapop Sweden. It's out on Valley Music and available for streaming and download on all major digital distribution platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and CD Baby.



SVENSKA


Dalamusiker var soldat i Nordirland

- oro för Brexit bakom Johns nya låt


På 80-talet var han soldat i Nordirland.

Nu släpper den skotske dalmasen John Mitchell låten ”Angelo” baserad på sina upplevelser.

Han är orolig för att Brexit ska få konflikten i Nordirland att blossa upp igen.


- Jag är rädd att Brexit ska leda till att konflikten kring Nordirland återuppstår när Nordirlands gräns blir EU:s yttre gräns mot Storbritannien. Det är en konflikt som redan kostat alldeles för många människoliv på båda sidor. Det fick mig att skriva Angelo, säger John Mitchell.

Egna minnen
Det är Johns egna upplevelser som ligger till grund för låten. Som 16-åring i arbetslöshetens Skottland, tog John värvning i brittiska armén 1984. Ett år senaste blev han placerad på Nordirland och Angelo var namnet på den militärbas som han flögs in till.
- Att arbeta med låten och videon har varit ett sätt att bearbeta mina egna minnen. Jag har en del bra minnen, men jag minns också den skräck jag kände. Jag fruktade att året i Nordirland skulle bli mitt sista.

Bor i Sälen

Samtidigt drömde han om ett annat liv: att bli musiker. Efter fem år lämnade han armén. I dag bor han i Sälen och lever på sin musik.

Huvudpersonen i musikvideon är till stora delar Johns alter ego.

- Han är en ung soldat som inte riktigt vet varför han är där eller vem som är fienden. Han känner en rädsla, skräck och ett ständigt närvarande hot. Panikkänslor och stress. Han drömmer om ett annat liv, om att bli artist. Han sminkar sig inför sina uppträdande, vilket inte var ovanligt i mitten av 1980-talet då det här utspelar sig. Det blir en väldigt skarp kontrast till det strikt militära.

Videon om denna blodiga konflikt är inspelad i Malung och Transtrand.
- Det kändes lite märkligt. Men samtidigt skulle det här kunna utspela sig var som helst. Känslorna av panik, stress och skräck är inget som var unikt Nordirland, utan är något som de flesta som befunnit sig i konfliktområden eller varit utsatta för hotfulla situationer kan relatera till.

80-talsmusik
John spelar i flera olika konstellationer tillsammans med sambon Sofie Jonsson. De rör sig mellan olika stilar som country, rock och svensk och keltisk folkmusik.
- ”Angelo” är inspirerad av musiken jag lyssnade på under 80-talet, särskilt Sting och Police, The Smiths och The Cure. Den är ganska så representativ för den musik vi spelar i The Major Seconds, något slags new wave, säger John Mitchell.

”Angelo” släpps på Spotify 1 oktober. Videon släpps 5 oktober.

lyrics

ANGELO by John Mitchell MANUS (STIM)


I pray to God from the valley below that you fly me safe back to Angelo

Through the night, as black as sin, fear creeps through the skin

This senseless game that noone wins, we just get high on adrenaline

A single thought to a mojo pin, fools go rushing in

Any wonder at the shape we're in, still I close my eyes and...



Oh oh oh, Angelo... My heart's not really here so let me go

Oh oh oh, Angelo... My heart's not really here so let me go



30 years under a fading sun, many battles fought, many battles done

Politicians they just have their fun and the turning wheel turns in

Any wonder at the shape we're in, still I close my eyes and...



Oh oh oh, Angelo... My heart's not really here so let me go

Oh oh oh, Angelo... My heart's not really here so let me go

Like a new-felled tree they came and cut you down

Was noone there for to hear that sound?



Oh oh oh, Angelo... My heart's not really here so let me go

Oh oh oh, Angelo... My heart's not really here so let me go

Like a new-felled tree they came and cut you down

And the old idea, well it's still hanging around

Beyond the count of three you stay in the ground

Where noone else can hear that sound

credits

from 2014​-​2018, track released October 1, 2018
John Mitchell: vocals and guitars
Sofie Jonsson: fiddle and backing vocals
Emil Sjölin: bass and backing vocals
Anton Igelström: drums and backing vocals
Recorded, mixed, and produced by Anders Brandström at Valley Sound Studio in Borlänge, Sweden.
Released on Valley Music by Dalapop.

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John Mitchell & Sofie Jonsson Sälen, Sweden

John Mitchell from Scotland and Sofie Jonsson from Sweden have built their own unique, acoustic sound on a firm foundation of Scottish, American, and Swedish folk music.

We won the "best live show" category at the Dalecarlia Music Awards 2017.

Our song Gagnef Girl reached no 37 on Spotify's playlist Sweden Viral 50 in December 2018.
... more

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