Jesper Lindell is a roots sensation on his forthcoming album, Twilights (18 March). Featuring artists from Amy Helm to Klara Söderberg and Theo Lawrence, the LP is stacking up to be a who’s-who of popular western-spanning Americana and finds its roots in blue-eyed soul and vintage rock. Its title track, “Twilight”, is an exemplary showcase of these influences, replete with a whirring organ and scorching electric guitars. Lindell’s gritty vocals soar on the track, which also features aforementioned powerhouse artist Amy Helm, who is also Levon Helm’s daughter. This comes fittingly enough, considering the album was largely inspired by the Band, and the tune itself is an obscure Band number.
The two produce a tour de force duet, as Lindell reflects. He tells PopMatters, “Twilight is one of my favorite Band songs and I think it would have been regarded as one of the true classics if the original recording had been better. When we were looking for a cover to record, ‘Twilight’ came up and we tried it out. We felt our version needed some additional vocals, and recalled someone singing the song in the background in the Levon Helm documentary. It turned out to be Amy Helm. We asked her to sing on our version and it was a dream come true when she said yes, and joined us from Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock.”
Hear this song on the PM Picks: Best New Songs playlist.