This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
The title of this EP might make him sound like a homeboy from the Great White North — but Jens Lekman’s name makes it pretty clear he’s not from around these parts.
As you might have guessed, young Jens hails from the great white north of Sweden. Musically, however, he’s clearly more at home next to eclectic eccentrics like Harry Nilsson, Stephen Merritt, Todd Rundgren and Rufus Wainwright. In other words, he’s a sensitive troubadour with a brain too sizes too big and a heart that can’t seem to come unpinned from his sleeve. At least, that’s the first impression you get from his debut EP Maple Leaves, which unveils four tracks of sophisticated misery, downcast beauty and buzz-kill lyrics about killing the party, missing the last train home and settling for friendship instead of love. If he were any sadder, there really would be no way of telling him from your average Canadian.
