Avicii - Stories [2LP]

Avicii aka Tim Bergling's self-produced 2015 album Stories features 14 original songs on which he worked for two years to push himself genre-wise and maintain his commitment to crafting undeniably catchy melodies and personal themes. The result is music that is grounded in its vision and surefooted in its artistry. On Stories, Bergling collaborated with some of music's most distinctive singers/songwriters including Alex Ebert, Matisyahu, Wyclef Jean, Zak Abel, Gavin DeGraw and Zac Brown among others.

"All the songs have a story I wanted to tell," said the Grammy-nominated producer/ songwriter/DJ. "For A Better Day" was written by Bergling and Ebert, and is an emotionally uplifting track that promises "a better day" in the lyric. The rhythmic "Pure Grinding" is a collision of hip hop, soul and electronic sounds with vocals from Swedish songwriter/producer Kristoffer Fogelmark and U.S.-based Earl St. Clair.

The music on Stories is informed by Bergling's experiences following the release of his genre-busting, multi-platinum debut True. But, rather than making a total departure from True, Stories builds on it. Bergling said the album "refines what I didn't feel was perfect last time. I think there are more layers to the songs than before, and every song has been written on acoustic guitar, so the structure is different." The enormity of the success of True gave him the freedom to be able to make rock songs and ballads, and explore reggae, blues, and jazz, and he made the most of that freedom on Stories.

LP1
1. Waiting For Love
2. Talking To Myself
3. Touch Me
4. Ten More Days
5. For A Better Day
6. Broken Arrows
7. True Believer
8. City Lights
9. Pure Grinding

LP2
1. Sunset Jesus
2. Can't Catch Me
3. Somewhere In Stockholm
4. Trouble
5. Gonna Love Ya