Ella Rouge

Music:

Member Since: 2/2/2006
Band Website: ellarouge.com
Band Members:

BIOGRAPHY It turns out that the recipe for rock & roll success isn't a very difficult one at all.

Simply take six talented musicians and isolate them in a cozy studio on an island in the Baltic Sea. Add some outrageous weather, complete with hurricane-force gales, to help concentrate frisky young minds on the task at hand. Sprinkle in a variety of impromptu magical musical moments, and voila!you have the formula for the amazing self-titled debut album from the sextet of Swedes known as Ella Rouge.

Well, okay, upon further review, it's not that easybut whatever works. And in this case it worked very well, indeed, as the 11 songs on Ella Rouge represent a transcendent tour through a marvelous musical realm. From the very start, with album opener "That's Me With the Gun" and its somewhat sinister lyrics, "Don't mind me, though inside your head/I won't make a sound," the listener realizes that this isn't a typical first effort. Whether it's the wistful yearning and lilting lyricism of "Holly Golightly," a passionate paean to the heroine of "Breakfast at Tiffany's"; the hard-charging, driving beat of the rambunctious "L.A. Dogs," or the wryly autobiographical edge of "Eldorado High," there's a mood for every moment on the disc. Combine this with some masterful musicianship, featuring everything from barrelhouse honky-tonk piano to an intertwining dual guitar attack propelled by a powerful, potent rhythm section, and the result is an ultimately unforgettable sonic experience.

"I think we knew from our first rehearsal that we had something," observes singer/songwriter Ludvig Andersson. "Usually it takes a while to get to know each other, personally and professionally, but here we had a bunch of guys who had seemed to play together for over 10 yearsafter just one rehearsal!"

This immediate rapport was only strengthened by the recording conditions: the group convened at producer Micke Lyander's studio on an island in the Baltic Sea during the winter of 2005, an isolated locale that grew even moreso with a series of stinging winter storms. Throw in the devastation caused by the Asian tsunami, and the mood in the studio started off as a somber one. That quickly changed, however, as the conditions called for a certain camaraderie. "During the recording we lived together in six army beds in the attic of the studio," relates guitarist Max Lachmann. "We did everything together. We had fights, parties, good times, sad times and a lot of jam sessions together."

This intimacy produced remarkable results, with all 11 tracks on the album being recorded, live, in two weeks' time. But perhaps none was more noteworthy than the recording session that produced the gorgeous ballad "Weary." "We had been trying out a few versions for a while, just checking key, tempo, etc.," recalls pianist Mats Lundgren. "Then Ludvig and I start playingand it's as if the world stopped spinning and Time took a few minutes off to see what magic is happening at the studio."

"The song was originally supposed to be a full-band rock song and everybody was getting ready to go at it," adds Ludvig. "While waiting for the others Mats and I decided to play the song through just once for practice. He started playing his old grand piano very slowly and delicately and I just tagged along. When we where finished Micke, our producer who had been listening on his earphones, came running, screaming, That was amazing!' We asked if he wanted us to do it again, and he replied, You don't have to; I had a good feeling about it, so I secretly rolled tape while you played.' So, what you hear on the album is that one practice run-through that Micke secretly recorded on a cold winter night somewhere in the middle of the Baltic Sea."

And that's merely one of the many magical moments that went into the recording of this extraordinary debut disc. But enough of the verbiage; music, after all, speaks much louder than wordsso why not put this aside and place Ella Rouge in your CD player, and experience the glorious wonder for yourself?
REVIEWS FROM CDBABY.COM awesome!!!
Reviewer: Jaye
This is the first time I bought their CD and heard their songs, and they are my new favorite band! I heard Jekyll n Hyde on Comcast On Demand, then heard others on myspace and now I just bought it. Loved it, absolutely loved it. Usually there's a couple songs I like in an album, but with this one I liked, no, I loved all of the songs. This band is great, really. I was singing along and my sisters are like "what are you singing? Sounds good." Once they heard one of the songs, they were asking to borrow my cd, ha!

addictive
Reviewer: Eric
Heard it on Sirius (God bless them too), bought Eldrado High, then Jekyll and Hide on Itunes, now bought the CD. Had no idea they were from Sweden until now, I thought they were another US jam band like Phish or Government Mule. Great job mixing the styles, and very addictive tunes.

The quality of the music is astounding.
Reviewer: Mike
I have been listening to this album constantly since I received it in the mail, promptly might I add. I found some of the lyrics to be confusing, the subject or context shifts suddenly, but isn't that the point of music? To express the fickle and transitory emotions that are beyond words... Anyway, I really liked the track "Light the Fuse 82's". Enjoy.

A fatastic cross between Oasis and the Scissor Sisters!
Reviewer: Will Rossetti
I love this CD, i have been waiting longer than you can imagine to get this CD. Boy was it worth the wait! I absolutely love it, all the tracks are different in some way and you catch yourself (and anyone around) just jigging, humming and murmering along to the songs. A band with huge potential!

Simply FANTASTIC
Reviewer: TRM
This is one of my top 5 favorite cd's of all time. ABSOLUTLY FANTASTIC.

NOT your average Europop!
Reviewer: Mike
I bought this CD because I loved Jekyll & Hyde when I heard it on Sirius. The great news is that the rest of the album is the same quality! I think Holly Golightly is my favorite, simple yet beautiful.

Love those Swedes!
Reviewer: Dawn
My boyfriend heard this album on satellite radio and I got it for him for his birthday. We listened to it on that evening and Ella Rouge was the hit of the birthday party. It's in permanent rotation in the stereo. We love it!

Gotta Love It
Reviewer: Lisa
The CD is AWESOME! Since I got it I have been listening to it. Even my brother knows some of the words now.

Wowie
Reviewer: Gwilym
This CD is amazing :P so i think that every one who vaugly likes it buy it now!

Amazing!
Reviewer: Sharry
I LOVE this CD! The music is brilliant, it gets stuck in your head until you are singing it in your sleep!

Pleasantly surprised!
Reviewer: Jamie
When I first heard of this band, on MySpace, and thought, "Wow, another cheesy guy band... they're going to suck." I was very surprised!!! This band is wonderful. The songs are well written, the music rocks, it's all you could ask for. Holly Golightly was my favorite!

They invade my mind
Reviewer: Angie
I bought this cd on a whim and i can't stop listening to it. I have two copies, one for my room and one for my car and when i'm not listening to it, all i think about are the songs. Elle Rouge is hauntingly good.

Awsome!
Reviewer: Sleeptech BB.
Ella Rouge has put together one hell of a peice of work. I am not a "Pop" music listener, but this CD Rocks while it Pops!!!! The band is tight, fun, and imensley talented...every song is different and the vibe flows with the changes, not against. An awsome first effort that is going to be difficult to follow up.

Reviewer: Martina Cederqvist
I love it, Ludvig is an amazing songwriter. He's able to speak to his audience with his extraordinary sexy vocal and has a brilliant band beside him. Ella Rouge is current, hot and genuine!

Steps out from the crowd
Reviewer: Kayla
This cd is plain out GREAT. Every song has it's own feel to it and is good. The only difference between tracks is the fact that some songs are exceptional compared to others that are good. This is a completely solid cd that you can listen to the whole way through over and over again. Amazing.

In a word: brilliant.
Reviewer: Lina
I can't say enough good things about this CD. Every song is simply fantastic. I haven't played anything but this CD since it arrived in the mail. I look forward to future releases with great anticipation!

Purely Genius!
Reviewer: Benignvirus
Everyone is guaranteed to love this CD. The guitar and the piano go perfectly together and sound great! If you like rock, folk, country, blues, or alternative, you will live Ella Rouge. BUY NOW!

Good music, original sound, amazing band.
Reviewer: Sunev
I wasn't sure what to expect from the CD as all I&..39;d heard was a few songs on MySpace from Ella Rouge. But it really was worth buying, each song was unique and catchy; from the upbeat sounding Jekyll N Hyde to the slower Into The Light. The CD features meaningful lyrics and varied instrumentation. A superb album, it didn't take much to convince my friends the same.

Wow... nuff said.
Reviewer: Reese
I was amazed.. simply stated. I fell in love with the bands few songs I had heard off Myspace, and getting to hear the whole CD was uber awesome.. I get lost in the 'feel' of this CD. It's so nice to have music that does that once again. I would reccommend this CD to anyone. In fact, to everyone..

Original Sound and Rythms that just Don't Die!
Reviewer: Brandon Mader
This album has to be one of the best released this year. It has amazing lyrics, rythms, and melodies that just make you listen over and over. The CD has good balance too, a wide variety of songs and sounds. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

..rc="http://cdbaby.com/css/stars5.gif" / This is what you've been waiting for if you're a fan of genuine music, INCREDIBL
Reviewer: Jasmine Hauffen
From the moment your ears lock into an intimate dance with Ella Rouge's wonderfully funky tunes, You are taken on a ride jam-packed with get-up and move feelings. This authentic, rich, and beautifully written "happy-pill" gives those who thrive on genuine music the perfect thing to resort to. INCREDIBLELY written and worthy of any award!!!!


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Influences: Rock and Roll
Type of Label: None