Looking back over the breadth of Anders Parker’s two-decade career, there is little he has yet to accomplish or prove. The stylistic range encompassed by his Varnaline work alone is evidence of Parker’s determination to explore, illuminate, absorb and transcend every musical influence he’s experienced, from alt-country and raw folk to pastoral Americana and baroque art rock. And Parker’s catalog under his own name has been equally diverse, be it the transitional familiarity of 2004’s Tell It To The Dust or the ambient instrumental guitar wash of 2010’s Cross Latitudes. There’s A Bluebird In My Heart, Parker’s latest contribution, is a welcome return to his Varnaline/early-solo sound, perhaps in reaction to his recent experimental streak. Parker will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new review of There’s A Bluebird In My Heart.
Parker: My mother was born and raised in Sweden just outside of Stockholm. As a child, I would visit every few years and stay with family. I made it back to Sweden recently and spent a good amount of time in Stockholm. It’s a great city. It’s big enough to be cosmopolitan, but small enough to get a handle on fairly quickly. It’s quaint and metropolitan at the same time. It’s surrounded by water and is built on islands. There’s a lot of great music and art and food and museums. There are many parks and lots of water. It’s livable and clean and walkable. And it’s fun and beautiful.
