Björns Vänner formed at the tail end of the last century and, with characteristically long pauses, have since released three–or maybe four–albums, depending on how you count. Their melodic, indie-tinged pop-rock is carried by Richard Schicke’s lyrics — direct yet poetic, humorous yet devastating — that have earned them a devoted following. They like to think their ratio of “heard” to “liked” is pretty damn good.

Their new album All tid i världen is described by the band as “spökprogg”: songs with a restrained touch, a shade more minor keys and mystery, but still urgent and forward-leaning. Many tracks were written in the wake of forced separation, with the inability to fully face life’s challenges running like a red thread through the record. It’s not a new theme for Björns Vänner, but this time there’s also hope — movement, light breaking through the cracks. Live, they’re better than ever, and calling a show with Björns Vänner epic feels entirely fair.

It can all be summarized with a haiku (in Swedish)

Om jag ska ner dit
måste himlen följa med
med fåglar och allt

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