Just as the title Sotto Voce invites the listener to pry deeper into the phrase's actual meaning, the songs comprising Sven-Erik Seaholm's newest record also reward the committed listener by revealing more beneath its surface. These songs grow and mature as you listen. The album's title is Italian and refers to singing in a very soft voice, a literal reference to this record's unabashed reliance on the unique characteristic of the human voice. But, the meaning is metaphorical too. Sotto Voce trades hype for message, cliché for authenticity and in so doing, it speaks very 'softly,' drawing in those listeners who want to listen.

 The instrumentation on Sotto Voce is varied and always amenable. From nylon guitar to Mellotron, the songs cover a lot of musical ground without straying far from a common thread. The album rolls nicely. Even the change up from bossa nova to acoustic ballad comes across as an interesting eddy in the current; a viewpoint from which to see things differently. Some songs are dense with arrangements and others depend on the more fragile constructs of acoustic guitar and lone vocals. The performances and collaborations on Sotto Voce represent a who's who of San Diego musicians. Ear-catching vocal harmonies, courtesy of Cathryn Beeks, Marcia Claire, Gregory Page, and even Seaholm himself help to present a unique vocal character throughout much of the album. Bass work by Scott Wilson, Marcia Claire, and Jerry Rig work impeccably with Billy Ray's in-the-pocket drums. Together the album's series of moods ebb and flow well together.

 Overall, Sotto Voce is lush and dynamic, but only a few songs really have a catchy phrase. Three tracks stood out to me in this regard: 'Waiting for You' (with rich vocal harmonies), 'Turn Away and Cry,' and 'Baby Blue.' The latter two are remnants from an earlier band (The Gandhi Method), but they mixed well with Seaholm's other compositions. I also felt that some of the guest appearances were mixed so far in the back that I couldn't really hear them. With so many talents, I would have liked to get more definition from each individual's contribution.

 As an accomplished record producer, it seems reasonable to imagine that Seaholm knows what he wants from his own music and how to get it on tape. In the end, the CD is a more personal collection of songs and, with many tricks up his sleeve, it appears that Seaholm opted to serve the songs more than the machine. Love songs mix with reflections on Hurricane Katrina and the contrast can be stark or refreshing, depending on your perspective. With its mixture of styles and topics, Sotto Voce is a great example of artistic freedom and is definitely worth hearing.

- Will Edwards, San Diego Troubadour Magazine
 

Record Producer Sven-Erik Seaholm wows 'em with creativity, enthusiasm

At 123 and counting, Sven-Erik Seaholm's name has probably appeared on more albums over the past decade than any other musician in San Diego. Yet, he remains largely unknown to the general public.

“Most people wouldn't recognize me if I was standing next to them at Starbucks, ordering a latté,” Seaholm said.

That's because this mainstay of the local music scene devotes most of his time to producing albums for dozens of San Diego indie artists, not to his band, the Wild Truth, or to his somewhat less sporadic solo work.

What Seaholm has lost in momentum with his own musical career, however, has come as a boon to his many clients. They have included Jewel, the Album Leaf, Goodbye Blue Monday, Judy Henske, the Beat Farmers and Via Satellite, the band that features his son, Drew Andrews, 28.

“I'm working six days a week, on average, as a producer,” said Seaholm, 44, whose crisp new album with the Wild Truth, “This Golden Era,” is the quartet's first since 1992.

“Every other available minute is spent with the Wild Truth, writing songs, and getting ready for the next solo album I'm going to do. It's like a Jekyl & Hyde existence that I'm living, musically. Mr. Hyde is the Wild Truth, which is in-your-face rock, and Dr. Jekyl is my solo acoustic stuff, so much so that the name for my upcoming solo album is 'Sotto Voce.'”

As a band member and solo artist, Seaholm combines technical expertise and emotional fire. He does much the same as a producer, except that it is the musical vision of his clients – not his own – that becomes the priority.
His keen ears, creativity and unflagging enthusiasm have made him popular, as has the high quality of the albums he produces. Ditto his affinity for a broad array of styles, from electronica, folk and blues to jazz, country and rock (be it punk, classic or experimental).

“The reason I keep going back to Sven is that he's a creative genius,” said lone-named San Diego singer-songwriter Nisha, who is now completing her fourth Seaholm-produced album. “I call him a 'mad musical scientist with a big heart.' He's a perfectionist, always striving to bring out the best in me, and I love working with him.”

Apart from two years of trombone lessons and one year of piano instruction, Seaholm is entirely self-taught as a musician. A Detroit native, he moved here with his family when he was 2 years old, and joined his first band, the funk group Black Pearl, when he was 16.

His most recent completed album projects were with Soulvoice, Whiskey Tango and Marie Haddad. He is now juggling album sessions with three area bands: Buzzkill Romantics, Mustache Revolution and Married By Elvis.

All of the recordings are done at Kitsch@Sync Production, the studio that began modestly in one room in the Del Cerro home Seaholm shares with his very understanding wife, Gail. The studio has since taken over most of the house and is now fully digital.

Seaholm's business is strictly by word of mouth. He keeps his rates low, because – as an indie musician himself – he empathizes with bands and solo artists on a tight budget.

“Unfortunately or fortunately, I didn't have a lot of money. So I learned how to make my own records,” he said. “Then, I realized I could use that skill set to help other people. And that's really helped me.”

- George Varga, Pop Music Critic
San Diego Union-Tribune
 george.varga@uniontrib.com 
 

Some of us spend years in college trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives. Del Mar's Sven-Erik Seaholm needed only a couple of weeks.
     Actually, the two weeks he spent attending Grossmont College only reinforced what he already knew. He was a musician.
     "I was always walking around singing little songs, making them up in my head," Seaholm said of his East County upbringing by phone earlier this week. "I just decided when I was about 8 years old that that's what I wanted to do."
When he was 11, his parents signed him up for piano lessons. But rather than the typical approach of learning the classical masters, Seaholm's teacher taught him to play the pop songs of the early 1970s that he was hearing on the radio.
     "That's all I was really interested in anyway," said Seaholm, who plays Sunday afternoon with Michael Tiernan at the Belly Up Tavern, where both North County musicians will be celebrating their latest albums. "I used to go to sleep every night with my head next to a little AM radio listening to pop music."
     While many local music fans know of Seaholm as the lead singer and principal songwriter for the Wild Truth, and others know him as the producer of CDs by prominent local acts such as the late Buddy Blue, Via Satellite and Tiernan, his new album is a solo release called "Sotto Voce."
     "The basic premise of this record is that all day long, I work on other people's songs, and all night long I go out and rock with the Wild Truth," Seaholm said. "My wife, Gail, said, 'It would be nice if you played some of your softer songs.'
     "I'm singing dramatically quieter than I would with the Wild Truth."
     But if a solo album is a departure from his last few years fronting a reconstituted Wild Truth, it's consistent with his professional history.
     After dropping out of Grossmont College, Seaholm spent a few years teaching himself how to be a professional songwriter. Within a few years, he began performing around town as a solo act, accompanying his singing on keyboards or guitar.
     "I played in some of the worst places ---- talk about dive bars!" Seaholm said, laughing as he remembered his early days as a professional musician. "I played in one place that was actually condemned the next week."
     Seaholm said the transition from solo act to band member and back to part-time solo act (the Wild Truth remains active, although Seaholm is also playing solo shows) has come about in fits and starts.
     "The Wild Truth came about kind of from the ashes from my first band, E-Ticket. After E-Ticket disbanded, I moved to L.A. for a few years, '87 to '88, to really try to see what I could make happen. What I realized living in a music town like L.A. was that it was probably the most unmusical place I've ever lived. Some of my former bandmates said, 'Come on down, we'll get something going.' "
     Seaholm says he took their advice, moving back to San Diego in 1988, and formed the Wild Truth with some of the other former members of E-Ticket.
     "The Wild Truth went for about five years, then I did a solo record in '97."
     For Seaholm, 1997 was also a watershed year in that it was when he took the plunge and began full-time work as a CD producer for other musicians ---- a career that is now a decade old.
     He and some of his fellow Wild Truth bandmates re-formed the band in 2004 and released "This Golden Era" last year.
     His goals for the upcoming year are pretty simple: "The goal is to play my music in as many different situations as I can so I can reach as many ears as I can. Beyond that, I'd like to go more into the education side of things and help people write better songs and make better recordings."
     As for being a 45-year-old playing rock 'n' roll, he says friends still ask him if he wants to be a rock star someday.
     "I play music all the time and go to great shows and hang with my friends, so I'm already a rock star, I guess."

- Jim Trageser, North County Times

 

SOTTO VOCE: A CONVERSATION WITH SVEN-ERIK SEAHOLM
by Simeon Flick

Go up to Sven-Erik Seaholm's home studio sometime (there's literally a professional recording studio in his house) and take a look around. It's a shrine, a chapel dedicated to the worship of every aspect of writing, recording, performing, and enjoying music. CDs and old vinyl LPs line the walls on carefully organized shelves. Microphone stands mill about on the living room's hardwood floors and pal around with amplifiers in the directly adjacent spare bedroom. Guitars sit attentively on a rack, patiently waiting for the next bit of inspiration to hit their owner. One boom stand quietly holds an important looking mic; a pop screen stands guard in front of it, and the whole rig is still set up high enough for whoever last sang into it. There's an anteroom adjoining the living room that houses a versatile PC, handling everything from official Kitsch & Sync Production business (self-designed album graphics and websites for clients interested in more of an entire development package, not just the audio capture) to lyrics, this month's 'Zen of Recording' column, photos, and more.

Wander back into the second of three bedrooms and you'll find the ad hoc control room, home to another PC armed with the SONY Vegas digital recording platform, a mixing console, various preamps and processors, and more musical instruments. Underneath the desk housing the computer is a box with reams of as-of-yet unused lyrics on miscellaneous scraps of paper (which comically ends up being dubbed the 'bridge box'). Cables line the floors, meander down hallways into other rooms, and disappear under carpets, carrying their musical signals back and forth as electric inspiration.

You'll also see dozens of posters and memorabilia depicting various bands, some legendary, some obscure, many of whom Sven has recorded. Some of them promote past gigs of his own projects, such as the Wild Truth, maybe even E-Ticket. There's one of a younger-looking Switchfoot, a few of the Beatles, and one of the late Buddy Blue, a longtime friend who recorded there on several occasions both solo and with the Farmers.

You'll see some of wife Gail Donnelly-Seaholm's photographs in the main hallway, vibrantly colorful and visceral live portraits of locals like Gregory Page and Peter Bolland, who both stopped in to contribute cherished aural tchotschkes to Sven's new solo album, Sotto Voce (which drops at the Belly Up Tavern on tax day, April 15).

I recently made the pilgrimage to interview Sven at this musical Mecca in Allied Gardens and found a man still young at heart, happy and healthy, basking in a wide circle of dear friends, brimming with enthusiasm in the continuing fulfillment of his life's passion, and anxious to be seen as a singer/songwriter for a change, instead of 'local producing legend,' as he has sometimes been labeled. Sotto Voce should go a long way in this regard, since being a singer/songwriter is at the heart of everything he does.

TROUBADOUR (T): Okay, we're here with Sven-Erik Seaholm, solo artist, engineer, Belgian beer acolyte, one quarter of the Wild Truth, award-winning record producer [etc.]. Tell me a little bit about where you come from geographically and artistically, a little background if you will.

SVEN-ERIK SEAHOLM (SE): My grandfather was a steamboat captain through the fjords of Sweden, and he was also an engineer and architect. When the U.S. was developing the Panama canal, they put out an open call to locate different people with the kinds of skills they needed, and locks were part and parcel to [my grandfather's] experience. They offered him a deal to come down and help them design the Panama canal, and they rewarded him with citizenship. So afterward he moved to New York and had three kids - my dad and his two sisters.

My dad grew up through the depression. He was one of those guys who hopped trains and went from place to place, boxed and did different things, and when [World War II] happened he joined the Navy and was stationed in Europe.

He eventually came back and got a job working for Preston Tucker [as in the movie of the same name, starring Jeff Bridges]. He ended up being a commercial artist for the auto industry, an independent at a time when there weren't a lot of independents - they all worked for one company or another. When one of those companies needed to meet a deadline and their employees weren't getting it right, they hired my dad to come in and do it.

And he met my mom, and they had a very romantic, passionate relationship for a couple of years, but his lifestyle as far as working long deadlines . . . he'd work four or five days at a time without sleeping, which affects your personality [laughter]!

Eventually he helped her move out here, relocating to San Diego when I was two. I grew up in Southeast San Diego, off of Skyline Drive, up until the time I was ten. I was going to Fulton Elementary School, and somebody came to school one day and pulled me out of class, brought me to the principal's office and gave me a verbal test. Next thing you know, a couple weeks, later I was moved to Encanto Elementary, which was the first school in San Diego at the time to have a gifted program.

When I was about eight years old I remember playing on the monkey bars and suddenly hearing Marvin Gaye's version of 'Heard It Through the Grapevine.' I let go of the monkey bars and I stood there transfixed, just listening . . . I was eight years old and I knew what I was going to do with my life.

Shortly thereafter, I started writing little songs in my head, and I would walk around singing these. I had piano lessons eventually when I was about 12 or 13, and when I got into high school I wanted to continue with music but they didn't really have anything that involved piano. They told me they needed trombone players. So for four years I played trombone, and during my senior year I was in the district all-star band on trombone.

I'd picked up guitar a little bit in my junior year. I don't play much better now than I did then, because as soon as I could play a song, all I needed the guitar for was to accompany myself and sing the song.

It's not like I was always involved in music, it was more like music was always involved in me. Just always compelled to write some song or record something. Record production and songwriting to me have always been kind of hand-in-hand. I didn't really start one necessarily before the other; I did both at the same time. Some people write the lyrics first, some people write the music first, but sometimes they come at the same time, and recording has been like that for me since I was a kid.

My first recording experiences consisted of taping one song, mixing it onto another cassette, and then putting another song on, and making mix tapes before there was really the technology to do it easily. Then I found things where you could have sound-on-sound recordings, where you could record something and then sing along to it. . . .

T: Overdubs.

SE: Yeah. So I was always doing both those things at the same time.

At one point I had a roommate [George Seibert] who had a bunch of recording equipment, and he needed somebody to help him run it anyway, so he taught me how to use all the stuff. I guess from that point on that's all I did; every spare minute was to write songs or record them.

T: It sounds like you became what you were going to become fairly quickly, considering how long it can sometimes take.

SE: My career path has been not so much becoming something than actualizing what I already was. And I do all these things now. I'm not running for mayor, I'm not on a quest to corner the market on every single aspect of music making and listening, it's just all connected. I didn't have anybody who could do graphic art for me, didn't have any money to pay someone else to do it, so I learned how to do that. I didn't have anybody that could record me without paying them a bunch of money, so I became that guy. All those things have been in service of the songs I have in my heart.

T: When did you start writing songs?

SE: Well, I always had what I call jingles in my head, verses or choruses. And then when I was about 12 or 13 I wrote my first complete song, which was an instrumental called 'Ralphie' [laughter], which I then put words to. And then in high school I started writing songs in earnest - I was about 16 or 17 years old.

I was kind of a late starter really. I was already distracted by other interests, like acting. But by the time I was 18, I was a full-blown songwriter. I read this book called You Can Write a Song, and it went through the basis of structure, lyrical and musical, and it really turned me on.

At the same time, Paul Simon's One Trick Pony album was out, and Stevie Wonder's Hotter Than July was out, and I would listen to them every single day, over and over again, and it was like my mind was opening, and my body, my hands couldn't work fast enough to keep up with all of the inspiration that I got from that music.

I spent a concentrated period of time writing very scholastically, writing for the sake of writing, trying to perfect it structurally, lyrically, melodically, chordally. I was maybe showing somebody a song here and there, or maybe I'd go someplace and do an open mic and play three songs. But my 23rd birthday was the first gig I had with my first band, Sven-Erik and the E-Ticket Rollers. There were a lot of jokes that went into making that name, and within a year or so we became E-Ticket.

Then around the time I came back from L.A., I met a girl [Jeanne Wooster] who was an artist, a singer/songwriter too, who really opened my mind to discovering who I was as an artist. I knew who I was scholastically as a musician and a singer and a songwriter. But she really opened me up to finding out who I was and how to express that.

She was really integral to opening the door. She showed me that not only can you write a song, but you can also write it about something, you can address some of the issues that you're carrying around. Recently I was talking to an old friend and told him I must have really had a chip on my shoulder when I was younger; He said it was more like a weight. Being able to not only write songs and be directed musically, but to also be able to use it as a vehicle for alleviating that weight was really cool. The first two Wild Truth albums came out of that and I stayed on that path from there.

T: Sven, tell us about your new record.

SE: The genesis of this particular record starts with the Gandhi Method. When we [Sven, Cathryn Beeks, Chuck Schiele, and Scott Wilson] started the Gandhi Method, we didn't have any songs that were written for the Gandhi Method. Each of us had songs we were contributing that we couldn't fit into some other project and would easily be transformed into this vehicle.

And then we all began to write songs for the project and that totally affected my writing style; I started trying to open up the space for harmonies and other things.

After the Gandhi Method came to a conclusion, when I was playing rock stuff with the Wild Truth, I still had these songs like 'Turn Away' and 'Cry Baby Blue' that are on the record . . . and 'Acquiesce' was one I wrote then that just started me on this whole thing of diving into the world of altering my voice.

It's an interesting record to me because of the way it turned out. I'd be working all day and playing loud music with people or recording loud music, and I would pick up the guitar at the end of the day and Gail's like, you know, it would be really cool if you played something really soft and quiet, and she just likes when I sing softly, anyway. Hence the title Sotto Voce, which also means to say something under your breath.

Ultimately, I made this album for Gail. This album is the most cohesive musical statement I've made because I set parameters that I tried to stay within. If there's any eclecticism about this album, it's just in the difference of the songs' impetus, not in the production style. 

One of the overall themes in making this record was the celebration of my friends. I was talking to my mom a few years ago, and she said, 'You know, one of the things you're going to find as you get older is that it gets harder and harder to make new friends.' And I've already seen that somewhat. But we're just so blessed with the people we have in our lives here. We know so many awesome people that we consider close friends.

So a lot of this album is an attempt to give back to my friends in the form of a testament to our friendships, so either they're playing on it or I'm addressing them in some way, just acknowledging that bond, and how happy that Gail and I both are here. Marcia Claire came in, Patti Zlaket, my son Drew Andrews, Cathryn Beeks, of course. . . . There were more women who played on this record than men, which was on purpose; I wanted to purposefully stay on the feminine side of things.

T: Any closing words?

SE: Just that it's the most honest record I've ever made. It's been a realization of myself as an artist since 1990. I always start with the song, and the song tells me where it's going to go. So all of my albums and projects have been very eclectic because of it, because I always go where the song tells me. To come to that [on this record] makes it feel very important to me as far as defining myself for myself. I hope it translates to people.

T: I'm sure it will.
 

Through the Truth, Wildly

Like many bands, the Wild Truth has a twisted and gnarled family tree. Since 1990, it has included the talents of four different drummers, three lead guitarists, three bass players, a keyboardist, a  sax player - and the guy who writes the songs, sings, and plays rhythm guitar (Seaholm). Whenever Seaholm thinks about the definitive lineup, it will always be the current one.

Charlie Loach plays guitar in a fierce style that can only be described as singularly American. Among the influences one can browse through in his playing are the Boston-bluesy squall of Aerosmith's Joe Perry, the southern gentleness of Chet Atkins, and the laid-back Californian intensity of Joe Walsh. Amazingly, these disparate inspirations blend into a sound that is simply Charlie.

Bassist David Ybarra (Playground Slap, the Cloud Merchants) would seem to hail from a completely different planet by comparison. Whether he's slapping with funk-inflected panache, laying down the sturdiest of rock solid foundations, or nimbly walking through jazzy gardens of soul, he has been the rock Seaholm depends on for almost 15 years. He's also one of Seaholm's favorite local producers (Meghan La Roque, Marcia Claire), with a crazy sonic signature all his own.

Grammy-winning drummer Bill Ray is a songwriter's dream. Not only does he play a great groove under you, he's deep inside the lyrics as well, underscoring hidden meanings, heightening emotional context, and making things just mean so much more. His deft touch, dynamic sensibilities, and textural colors made him the obvious choice to play on Sotto Voce, which, Seaholm says, 'is pretty much my musical Dr. Jekyll to the Mr. Hyde I become within the Wild Truth.'

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE, DOUBLE YOUR FUN ...
Pictures can be misleading, which is why you should try to ignore the potentially violent undertones that may be suggested by the photograph of Sven-Erik Seaholm and Michael Tiernan that accompanies today's column.

Advertisement Anyone expecting these two to pound the stuffing out of each other when they appear Sunday afternoon at the Belly Up Tavern will be disappointed. But those seeking an opportunity to hear two of San Diego's most promising singer-songwriters in action should be richly rewarded.
They are teaming up to celebrate the release of their new albums, Seaholm's “Sotto Voce” and Tiernan's “Jumping In.” Seaholm produced and performs on “Jumping In,” while Tiernan provides vocal support on two songs on Seaholm's self-produced album. Both releases feature the sterling instrumental work of San Diego guitarist Peter Boland, who will also join in at Sunday's Belly Up show, along with Cathryn Beeks, Barbara Nesbitt and other musical guests.

“Sotto Voce” is the fourth solo disc by Seaholm, who is one of San Diego's most prolific and versatile indie music producers (with 100-plus album credits to his name). It is also his most accomplished work to date, beginning with the luminous ballad “Waiting for You,” which Brian Wilson would no doubt be happy to claim as his own. With few exceptions, the rest of the album is no less charming or enticing.

Tiernan, whose second album was also produced by Seaholm, is a similarly gifted singer-songwriter. He is equally adept at tender ballads, country-inflected ditties and smart, savvy pop-rock. His songs are finely crafted without sacrificing their emotional essence for aural slickness, and he shares Seaholm's knack for letting his music breathe.

If the record industry wasn't imploding, I see little reason why a major label wouldn't try to sign both of these local music gems. For now, at least, the industry's loss is San Diego's gain.

'Who Made You God?' Earthly Musical Musings By George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune
 

About "Upload":
 

Wow, this is an absolute labor of love, and if you aren't immediately taken with this lovingly crafted ode to everything right about rock music and great pop songwriting, I'm not sure what you're doing at this Web site at all. Sure, Sven-Erik is filtering a lifetime of good taste and great records back through his own wonderfully melodic sensibilities and sense of craft, but when's the last time a guy this multi-talented came along with the songs and creativity to match his way around the recording studio since Todd Rundgren?
I'm really not trying to gush, but as a fan of the Beatles and everything that happened because of them, it's hard not to love a guy who comes on with so much charm, cheer, irony, licks and melody. Sven-Erik's been around San Diego for years, so this record should come as no surprise to those that love him and have worked with him (including lowcloudcover and Waterline Drift), but go Sven go.

Though Seaholm essentially produced, recorded and put the whole magilla together himself with a crew of musician friends at his "suburbohemian" Wonderment of Wires Studio, this is not labored music. It's as spontaneous as the best music that influenced Sven-Erik and his players, with a myriad of tight instrumentation and tasty surprises packed into each song: the hardest-working horns on "Hindsight," the Dave Edmunds steel guitarisms that kick off (and the dreamy, creamy trance that closes) the fabulously appropriate "Modern Times," the mysteriously resigned melody of "Onward and Upward" that blossoms into an ascending chorus, the gently pumping keyboard surprises and chewy guitars on "Sister Mary Jane," and that surprise cover of Badfinger's 1970 hit (and perfect song) "No Matter What". What's not to like?

"Fashion Can Wait" is laid-back Revolver, Sven-Erik kicks off the set by inviting the listener in with the earnest "song," waits his turn to talk on "Listening" with a whistle borrowed from the Association and lays, lays, lays it down on "Wicked Little Town" while Gustavo Peraza's steady drums anchor "River Opens Wide" with wahing guitars and general environs that create an expanse worthy of mile-wide New Zealand river beds.

Rain is a wonderful thing, but Upload will make the clouds go away if necessary. Get happy, and get Sven-Erik. That music like this is a novelty instead of the norm is a sad commentary on the taste and mood of the record buying (buying?) public, and any song as sharply ironic as "Shadytown" deserves to be a big, fat hit. Remember, that's not just a heart-shaped box of chocolates Sven-Erik Seaholm is holding on the back cover of Upload, that's what Lou Reed calls a Rock and Roll Heart...delivered with love, craft, and melody.

- TommyHough, SDAM.com

New>>
Pop music. That's what this is. Pop music at heart. Sure, there are electronic elements to the mix, and at some times Seaholm seems like a bit of a rocker. There's even a country tune. But Upload is a pop album. And there's nothing wrong with that.
On Upload, Seaholm spins off pop tunes as if they were nothing at all. One after another, this album spits out catchy ditties aplenty. Right from the delicious opener, "song," the melodies are alive and kicking. Other hits include the infectious "River Opens Wide" and fun-fun-fun pop/rocker "It's Coming Back", among others. The whole album is very catchy and particularly original, although not lacking influence. Beatles (surprise, surprise), Badly Drawn Boy, and Sparklehorse styles are all heard on this disc, which is clean pop at its finest. Covers of Badfinger's "No Matter What" (country style!) and a Hedwig and the Angry Inch tune are also thrown in for good measure, hinting at Sven-Erik's other musical persuasions.

Overall, this is a very recommended album for fans of pop music. While Seaholm doesn't stick to the common indie pop formula, fans of the genre will not be disappointed with the terrific Upload, which heaps on the pop hooks and never quits. Could be a sleeper hit.

- Matt Shimmer, indieville.com

A little bit hard to pin down stylistically, but this is still a minor pop gem. Seaholm’s well-known as a local producer, and here he throws in the kitchen sink to great effect. New wave, swamp rock, power-pop, folk—it’s all here and more, with melody at the forefront. The disc ranges from the twangy balladry of “Wicked Little Town” to the horn and wah-wah peddle drenched rocker “It’s Coming Back,” and rarely misfires. Favorite at the moment is the Costello-meets-The-Cars “Metronome,” but it’s a hard call—this album has more hooks than the Shelter Island fishing pier on a Sunday. - Scoop Stevens, CityBeat Magazine

There are basically, two kinds of musicians. There are those who operate on the notion that the music is there to serve the artist. And there are those that strive, as artists, to serve the music.

Sven-Erik Seaholm's Upload is a case whereby this Master of so many things musical (from songwriting to recording and producing, to band leading, to designing CD art...) still chooses to serve the music.

There is something modest about this CD. It's not pretentious. It bears the quality of the matured writer who listens to the heart of his instincts rather than gives in to the ego of precocious whims. There is also something kinky about this recording. Yep. Kinky. While the writing and production often refers to the influences Sven so proudly wears on his sleeve, he also injects his innate sense of anarchy into the mix in a way that salutes his heroes while grabbing the wheel in terms of where it's all careening from here.

"Shadytown" sports a vocal arrangement that would make Brian Wilson spit and try harder next time. I have yet to locate the words to express how much I like "Modern Times", a freaky-sexy drum-loop rocker. But it has made my top-20 all-time favorite song list. "Listening" artfully beckons the Bic-flicking arena gig. "Sister Mary Jane" is appropriately trippy, but by looking at the title I already knew what it was about and how it was gonna sound, so I rolled up "Modern Times" again instead.

- Frederick Leonard, San Diego Troubadour

Upload is one man's personal love letter to pop music. The aurally educated will note sly nods to everyone from classic groups such as the Beatles, the Rascals, Pink Floyd and even the Turtles to more modern-minded acts such as Matthew Sweet, Beck and the Foo Fighters, all in an expertly recorded, succinct package with more than a hint of mellifluous psychedelic sensibility.

- Buddy Blue, San Diego Union-Tribune

Sven-Erik Seaholm is a fortunate songwriter/performer. Not only is he a talented composer and lyricist, but he also has a large number of friends who collaborate and perform with him on the recently released CD "Upload."

The 14 tracks cover a number of musical forms and an impressive variety in arrangements. Seaholm, like his contemporaries, works within a narrow melodic range, thus the value of his songs lies in the lyrics. Seahom covers subjects in rich detail because he, as principal vocalist, articulates the songs' meanings with illuminating results.

The first track, "Song," introduces Seaholm in a number of roles. He is the vocalist, as well as self-accompanist on the Wurlitzer, harmonium and guitar.

"Shadytown" is a great tribute to San Diego. Joining Seaholm are guitarist and backup vocalist and guitarist Dylan Ankney; bassist David Ybarra; drummer Mike Bedard; vocalist Clark Stacer; and Neal Wauchope on piano and organ.

The mood changes to blues on "Don't Remind Me," with the same musicians plus guitarist Drew Andrews. With the addition of saxophones, trumpet and congas, as well as taps by a trio of dancers, "Hindsight" is a great number in the big-band style. "Modern Times" dips into psychology with primal screams along with disturbing lyrics.

The variety continues through Seaholm's arrangements. Handclasps supplement the rhythms in "Metronome," "Onward and Upward," with Seaholm on electric piano, shows the influence of rhythm and blues. "Sister Mary Jane" is rock gospel. "Listening," featuring Eddie "Muggles" Croft on flute, is slow and sincere.

Other musicians who contributed to the program are Jeff Berkley, percussion and guitars; guitarists Charlie Loach, David Howard, Paul Mossenbarger, drummer Tim Reece, bassists Ted Pence, Clark Stacer and Wayne Preis; vocalist Chuck Schiele; and saxophonist Jason Hicks.

Grade: A

- Bill Fark,  North County Times

I highly recommend Upload. I expect it will be a winner of an award or 2 at the next San Diego Music Awards...Sven has done a very classy bit of work on this one. The material is catchy, almost "power-pop", but it keeps an edge and a dynamic that maintains your interest without hitting you over the head or sending you into sugar shock.

Another coolness is that the CD is "enhanced" so if you stick in your CD-ROM drive, you get to watch a video of Sven telling you some interesting stuff about making the CD and all the musicians involved and lot's of other stuff...including pronouncing his name correctly. Very trick!

- Dave aka "The Bloozman"
Webmaster/Guitar Jammer - www.musicjammers.com

Sven-Erik Seaholm after writing his first song at age 8 has traversed the journey many aspiring musicians attempt to take. Sure he`s had his ups and downs, his nuances with different bands, writing and producing for other artists, and whatnot. But what has it produced you ask? Well simply, an eclectic desire to insert pop and wit into an approachable modern rock sound complete with tangling piano ballads and rocking tunes.
This is a semi-polished gem in my rather fabulous collection, if I do say so myself.

- J-Sin
Smother.net

This CD is on my 'To Keep Forever' pile...

Lord Litter
International DJ/Promoter
http://www.LordLitter.de

...about Passion's Little Plaything...

"Passion is something that we always try to maintain and amplify in our lives, our work, and especially our romantic relationships," says artist/producer Sven-Erik Seaholm. "It brings a welcome intensity. But if left unchecked, it can unfortunately become a destructive force." Passion’s Little Plaything is a reflection of this awareness. It shines with cameo appearances from some of San Diego's finest musicians, including the highlight track, ‘Wait...’ a duet with the very talented Mary Dolan.

Seaholm's exposure to a rich legacy of pop and R&B is apparent throughout the album - he has managed to incorporate elements of trip-hop and acid jazz into an acoustic-based blues/folk/rock. Influenced by artists ranging from the Beatles to Marvin Gaye to Elvis Costello, he shows off with rich vocals, heart-felt lyrics, and Wayne Preis’ great guitar solos. Passions’ Little Plaything has no limitations. It celebrates a deep love of words and music. The perfect final touches are made by flamenco artist Jesus Bas’ Spanish dialogue, Loam’s Frank Lee Drennen’s harmonicas and Rockola's Marc DeCerbos' backing vocals on ‘Seven.’
This excellent, self-produced record is sure to captivate you as it draws a fine line between being inspired by passion and being controlled by it.

- Tracy Page, SLAMM Magazine

"Wide-Screen Pop"...
"An ambitious examination of obsessive love, "Passion’s Little Plaything" is stuffed to the brim with pop-jazz frills and polished to a near-blinding sheen.
Seaholm’s best tunes are impressive examples of pure pop craft."

- Karla Peterson, San Diego Union-Tribune

Local artist/musician/producer Sven-Erik Seaholm is well known within the San Diego music Scene as a mover and shaker, now he’s expanding into performing by himself in his debut CD Passion’s Little Plaything. Immersed as he has been throughout his life among the arts, Seaholm is relaxed and reassuring without ever losing touch with the musical impressions he wants ho make.

To start with, Seaholm does not stick to form. His calm and easy style displays a chameleon-like quality to describe each mood. The CD’s theme is passion, which Seaholm cites as "something that we always ways strive to maintain in our lives, It brings a welcome intensity. But...it can unfortunately become a very destructive force as well." The songs reflect passion’s many sides in a comforting way due to Seaholm’s smooth vocals and the artistry of the musicians he has called upon to help build that music. His passion is not heated, angry or violent, rather he provides a sense what may lie just below the surface in all of us.

One major fact the listener will notice is that the songs are diverse yet cohesive. Seaholm has a definite style that we will recognize in the future; however, he shows depth in making the music reflect each mood. Just when you think he has settled into a pattern, he shifts gears and pulls you into another direction. Most tunes have a sensation of familiarity to them, but Seaholm manages to bring each one out with a casual crispness keeps them unique. He has genuine talent for sensitive sounds that are not too demanding of one's attention—the music seeps into the soul as sure and peaceful as a warm memory.
The music does not detract from the lyrics either, which have a life of their own. The language is plain arid direct and is a compliment to the music that accompanies it. They combine to express a clear picture of the romance of life. Again, one encounters Seaholm’s sensitivity and calm.

All of this is backed by some real talent from San Diego's growing musical community, the "etc." on the CD's label. Guitarist Wayne Preis is a solid presence in most of the music and he enjoys letting loose with an occasional riff of his own. Jesus Bas, a flamenco guitarist from Spain adds welcome color to "Rose Tattoo." Vocalist Mary Dolan casts long emotional shadows along with Seaholm in their musical dialog in "Wait..." a piece that flashes back to the Motown sound of the '60s (as does another track, "Want pts.1 & 2"). In "Stop Talking." the band surrounds Seaholm’s anguished vocals with hearty back-to-basics rock ‘n’ roll. He really lets go on this one-- beast is out!
Passion Little Plaything is not a coming out for Sven-Erik Seaholm but rather, a culmination of learning, talent and a genuine love for music and poetry. You will enjoy each cut on this CD for it’s originality, diversity and pure ease of listening. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming along!

- K Davitashvili, The Esspresso

"Trust me on this, you have got to pick up this album."
 

- Coe Lewis KGB-FM's "Locals Only"