For me, THE GRAND OPENING is mainly about that voice. Hypnotically, bodilessly soaring thru the room , it hits me right where I call the personal, musical core of my soul. Heavy stuff, indeed. But, yeah, it just touches me. Really.

THE GRAND OPENING is a band from Stockholm, Sweden that will be releasing their debut Album on tapete records this fall. Actually, they’re not really a band. Behind everything that is THE GRAND OPENING stands John Roger Olsson. „This Is Nowhere To Be Found“ was conceived and recorded almost totally on his own,mainly in his flat in Björkhagen, Stockholm last winter.

Not sounding „homey“ at all though, „This Is Nowhere To Be Found“ sounds more like it was recorded one neverending night by a clear lake amidst a dark forest somewhere in northeren Sweden. „This Time I Might“, the conjuring „Darkness Save Us“ and especially the heartbreaker „Twist & Turn“ sound as if the night sun shone brighter that night than on any given day.

THE GRAND OPENING have everything that makes bands such as ELBOW and SOPHIA so special to me. Creating whole worlds with their music, feelings, moments, carried thru by the most beautiful sounds and a voice both clear and warm.

Credit must also go out to Linus Larsson here, who having before worked with such refined artists as Anna Ternheim, Ed Harcourt, Moneybrother, Ane Brun or Nicolai Dunger, created these little treasures with THE GRAND OPENING. Linus mixed „This Is Nowhere To Be Found“ and has so given it his totally own, marvellous touch. Here’s a collaboration that has truelly worked! The density of the 10 songs and brilliant production speak for themselves.

John Roger Olsson is a nice man. One who never takes himself too seriously, never at a loss for a good joke. At first, it was hard to comprehend that this same man was the face, the voice, the whole idea behind THE GRAND OPENING. His work being so complex, so mystical, it seemed strange to put the two together. To be honest though, I’m quite happy that he is exacltly who he is.

The music needs no mythmaking.

To me, „This Is Nowhere To Be Found“ is definitly one of the most touching albums of 2006.

Sebastian Tim