We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
SUNDAY
Sometimes, nationalism is a good thing. The members of acclaimed Swedish psych band Dungen have wisely chosen to write and sing primarily in their native language. The prime mover for Dungen, Gustav Ejstes, may be prattling on about some mundane thing, but to Americans, it sounds as if he’s describing a journey through a luminescent forest in a forgotten magical language. I’ll illustrate: Which sounds more transcendental, Ta Det Lugnt, the name of Dungen’s latest breakthrough record, or Grab the Calm, its English translation? And, as devoted as Ejstes is to his homeland, he doesn’t seem to be influenced by Swedish psych rockers from the past. Parson Sound, generally regarded as the backbone of that scene, produced improvisational drones back in 1967 that sounded more like Terry Riley or La Monte Young than anything American West Coast hippies were doing. And though the band has its fans, Parson Sound’s style was as difficult to get into as the subsoil in the Swedish tundra. Dungen’s style, by contrast, is warm and inviting; the symphonic flourishes, catchy pop hooks, and wild abandon shown in the group’s live performances have a much broader appeal. “Dungen” means “a grove of trees” in Swedish—which is exactly the Dungen vibe: hanging out with your best buddies in a lovely sylvan setting, communing with the gentle forest creatures. I bet all of that would sound even better in Swedish. Dungen plays with Mia Doi Todd at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, on the Black Cat’s Mainstage, 1811 14th St. NW. $13. (202) 667-7960. (David Dunlap Jr.)