Reality Bites by Erik Borelius

The spirit of art can never be imprisoned! "Remember" by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894). Is about the fear of being forgotten when you reach "the silent land". A uncompromising desire to be remembered. But it has to be happy memories. Better to forget and be happy than to remember with sadness.

My lyrics. "Ms.SWE" - the little girl Svea (a paraphrase for "Mother Svea" or "Mother Sweden" commonly used when Swedes talk about the state of the nation) is out of sorts. Nothing is like it was in the great old days. Silent sighs from the surrounding world when they look at Svea. Diamond clear and honest in the past, tired and worn out today. The whole world misses its guide of conscience through time and space! "Nobody Knows" - a question to everybody that believes in a god: Should you worship a being that can see all the pain and fear on the earth but despite its inexhaustible powers takes no action against it?

The instrumental music is not forgotten! "2Cult" - Nordic harmonies meets Latin temper. "Mexico" - a sweaty story about six unowned horses (guitars) struggling across The Gran Desierto in northwestern Mexico. "Pacific" has a recurring theme that everything circles around and takes its energy from. Like the ocean. "Action" is a mix of tv-thriller music and hard rock. You may smile! The old villain Blofeld is back with his purring Persian cat.

The musicians. Three musicians helped me to create "Reality Bites": Per Lindvall, Aare Pöder and Johan Granström. Estelle Estelle Milburne sings. She is well known from the TV-show "Knesset" and as the singer in "Cotton Club".

Many Regards. Erik Borelius.

Reviews:

"A wonderful album filled with beautiful, powerful guitar tones by divinely gifted guitarist Borelius. Definitely recommended!" (Vestmanlands Läns Tidning)

"This album takes my breath away. It is quite simply superb... Estelle Milburne's gentle, but oh so expressive voice.. Reality Bites is one of this year's best Swedish albums. Perhaps we could hope for an award of some sort??" (Kristianstadsbladet)

"Clean, pure tones to delightful pieces of music where Erik dabbles with classical, jazz and pop...well-played and beautiful." (Aftonbladet)

"... Estelle Milburne's singing is a wonderful surprise... together they make this jazzrock album a really fun surprise!." (Upsala Nya Tidning)

"Virtuously and brilliantly played. Reality Bites is sophisticated. ...beautiful and melodious." (Göteborgs-Posten)

Fantastic with fantasy... his excellent technique intensifies the feeling and the exciting timbre of the melodies ...elegantly unlocks your imagination." (Värmlands Folkblad)

"Things have never been the same since I heard EB in 1986 in "No Fool" from his debut album "Perfect Partners". B always communicates something new in his music...the instrumental pieces are all small masterpieces...so if you want to shiver a little, feel fantastic and float away for a while, invest in this self-taught(!) guitarist and, above-all, enjoy the winter nights." (Norrländska Socialdemokraten)

"It is concert music. Modern classical music. Delightful, beautiful, suggestive and expressive. Erik Borelius is a virtuoso waiting to be discovered by a huge audience all over the world." (Dalademokraten)

"Surprisingly fanciful. Borelius virtuously and playfully releases his songs. ...Estelle Milburne embellishes it all.... Borelius lives up to all the high expectations." (Östersunds-Posten)

"... where you expect it to gush he suddenly chooses a brighter tone and you can see that he wants something more. He tries constantly new sound directions and harmonies. Estelle Milburne on vocals is a soft lift for this otherwise advanced instrumental music." (Sundsvalls-Tidning)

"Erik Borelius is a fantastic guitarist. Sensitive, smooth, dexterous and experimental...Reality Bites is like a dream odyssey around the world. Feel how Estelle Milburne's voice envelops you.... the autumn can't get more beautiful than this." (Barometern)

"Favourite guitarist." (Norra Västerbotten)

"The vocals contribute with new exciting horizons of sound...beautiful guitar playing with roots sucking the heat from southern spiciness." (Nerikes Allehanda)

"Well done Erik! Estelle... her voice is beautiful and strong, a great asset. The rest of the band is in the same high class. The music feels totally right...an excellent album which grows with each listening." (Nya Wermlands-Tidningen)

"Erik Borelius' album is a masterpiece in finger technique. He caresses the strings as if the guitar were a Greek goddess." (Östgöta Correspondenten)

"... Super guitarist Erik Borelius....definitely worth a listen for both jazz and rock lovers. Reality Bites is without a doubt Erik's best album to date, his time at EMI included." (Örnsköldsviks Allehanda)

"Pathos and devilish wit combine very attractively in both musicians' performances and the arrangements." (Arbetarbladet)

"Wonderfully pretentious guitar playing which reveres the memory of both symphonic and jazz rock" (Månadsjournalen)

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