Singer-Songwriter Lukas Forchhammer was brought up in Copenhagen, Denmark inside a small community called Freetown Christiania. There are no cops, cars, or streetlights. Not everyone had a personal toilet and running water, but everyone was happy and content with their simple lives and were always willing to help each other out. That said, Christiana serves as the inspiration for many of Forchhammer’s songs with his band Lukas Graham featuring Kasper Daugaard (keyboard), Mark “Lovestick” Falgren (drums), and Magnus Larsson (bass). Beginning their career back in 2011, the band has been making waves since andm on April 6, 2016, released their widely acclaimed self-titled debut via Warner Bros. Records in the USA. Securing the #3 spot on the Billboard Top 200, Billboard stated this marked the “largest first-week for a group’s debut full-length album in over a year.” Quite impressive, Lukas Graham’s music is affecting more and more people as the year goes on.
So what is all the fuss? The fuss is when Forchhammer sings, listeners can really hear the joy, pain, hurt, and love as he vocalizes about the past, such as on songs like “Mama Said.” A successful single, here he sings about how he did not have the more luxurious life, how he grew up getting hand-me-downs, and would only get shoes once a year. Something that may be foreign to outsiders, his mother and father said that there is nothing wrong with that, and even though things were not perfect, Forchhammer still followed his dreams. He beat the odds, proving those who bullied him and doubted him that he could still fulfill his musical dream.
In addition, Forchhammer sings about how his father died of a heart attack in the song entitled “You’re Not There.” Dealing to live without his father in an important time in his life, he sings about how it is scary and how he sometimes he feels alone without him. This is no doubt an emotion many can relate to. Forchhammer also mentions his father in the song “Happy Home,” where he talks about the pain of losing him and what he will tells his kids when they ask about their grandpa. Here he also he sings about how no matter how hard life gets, he still has a home and a place to go where people love him, and for these reasons he is never alone. These feelings come across extremely sincere and grab listeners by their heart and mind.
Further examples of the profound songwriting can be found on “Don’t You Worry about Me.” Forchhammer sings how when he was at his lowest, he found strength to keep going, and how sometimes it is tough, but he never gave up. Again, struggles everyone faces, no matter what their situation, it is quite a very uplifting song. On “Better Than Yourself (Criminal Mind Pt 2),” Forchhammer sings about his friends in prison, how he really misses them, and the hurt he feels for seeing them locked up. He lets them know that he has not forgotten them and he believes that they are still good men. A pain that listeners can almost feel themselves, this track really makes one think of those who those they love and miss.
Mixing topics and emotions, on “What Happened to Perfect,” Forchhammer sings about how the girl that he loves no longer has a spark. Expressing he wants to work things out, and reflecting on what happened to their lives, this is one of more somber songs of the album. Although, not all Lukas Graham’s songs are sad. They also have some more upbeat tracks like “Take the World By Storm,” talking about blazing one’s own trail and not being afraid to live their dream. Passionately singing about going out and exploring the world for yourself and tearing down boundaries, it is such an inspiration, enticing the listener to want to go out and chase their dreams.
Keeping with the more upbeat theme, “Drunk In the Morning” is about when Forchhammer got drunk, then called a girl who he loves. The amusing part is, he is not even sure who it is, making for quite an interesting story to hear. Speaking of love, on “Strip No More,” he sings about a stripper who he falls in love with, another extremely catchy tune. Then of course there is the exceptional track “7 Years Old” where Forchhammer sings about life, starting at the age of seven, transcending through the age of sixty. Very touching, it reminds listeners how short life really is. In contrast, fast-forward to the final song, “Funeral,” he literally sings about his funeral. In the track, he expresses he does not want people to mourn him, because his life was amazing. Instead he wants people to be happy and have a good time. Definitely different than most popular songs today, this is what makes Lukas Graham unique.
Lukas Graham’s American debut is so inspiring and really makes stimulating self-reflection. It reminds everyone that life is short and to enjoy it. With that said, sometimes life is going to get tough and we feel like falling down, but we need to keep going. Thank you for the reminder Lukas Graham. CrypticRock gives this album 4 out of 5 stars.
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