Jens Lekman is several things, most prominently: Swedish, romantic, and funky. With EP titles like ‘I Know What Love Isn’t’, ‘When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog’, ‘An Argument With Myself’, and ‘Oh You’re So Silent Jens’, you know you’re in for some feelings when you open your ears to Jens; happily, you also get some sweet sounds alongside. In How We Met, he re-tells the story of meeting (duh) to the person he’s with– which is literal and sappy in a way that might seem cool if perfect Swede-English is your second language; if not, it’s a touch too sincere to swallow. Thank goodness he’s got that slappy rhythm guitar to distract from how much he cares.
There was a really grabby headline in the Wall Street Journal last week about how “The Hottest Social Scene in Town Isn’t the Singles’ Bar. It’s the Supermarket.” Which didn’t end up being much about dating at all, but rather about grocery stores emerging as community centers. Amidst the dissapointment of the headline flop, something else beautiful emerged: several quotes from the gentleman pictured above, interspersed throughout the article. A twice-divorced lobbyist in Illinois, Bob has a lot to say, and you really get to know him reading this piece. Just don’t forget to look at his photo every time you read a quote. Bob Schneider, everyone:
-“I once dated a woman from the potato section at Mariano’s…The next thing you know we’re at the wine bar and then we’re dating.”
– “Once I had them cook an entire fish,” he recalls. “I took it over to a table where a woman was having a drink, and I offered her some. We didn’t end up dating, but I ended up with a really nice friend.”
-“People aren’t going there in desperation,” he says. “They are trying to get something to eat, be open—and it’s fun. And the cheese section, my God! The samples they throw at you.”
Thanks for being a bright light today, Bob. Send our regards to aisle 6.
