James Yorkston Songs For Nina And Johanna
James Yorkston's Songs For Nina And Johanna opens as a quietly riveting collaboration that reframes his songwriting through intimate duets and spare Scandinavian-tinged arrangements. Critics hailed the record's measured emotional clarity, noting from the first line how the vocal interplay with Anna Persson and Johanna Söderberg deepens lines of romantic loss and longing while preserving Yorkston's lyricism.
Across one professional review the album earned an 80/100 consensus score from music critics, praised for its balance of desolation and tenderness. Standout tracks repeatedly flagged include “A Moment Longer”, where Persson's brooding delivery intensifies the drama, and “Love / Luck”, lifted by Söderberg's effortless vocal beauty. Opener “I Can Change” and the stark “Rabbit” emerge as the record's most desolate highlights, counterpointed by sprightlier ensemble moments such as “Oh Light, Oh Light” and the rangy “Where's the Time?”.
Reviewers consistently praise the collaborative chemistry and intimate instrumentation, crediting the Scandinavian influence and careful arrangements with making this one of Yorkston's most winning partnerships. While rooted in themes of loss and longing, the collection's subtle dynamics and vocal harmonies offer a convincing, emotionally resonant addition to his catalog and suggest that Songs For Nina And Johanna is well worth close listening.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
A Moment Longer
1 mention
"It all comes together on "A Moment Longer""— PopMatters
Love / Luck
1 mention
""Love /Luck""— PopMatters
I Can Change
1 mention
"Opener "I Can Change" is a huge sigh of a breakup song"— PopMatters
It all comes together on "A Moment Longer"
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
I Can Change
Oh Light, Oh Light
A Moment Longer
Love / Luck
Where's the Time?
Rabbit
Love That Tree
Oh Sparrow, Up Yours
I Spooked the Neighbours
With Me, With You
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
James Yorkston returns with Songs For Nina And Johanna, an intimate, beautifully arranged record whose best tracks include “A Moment Longer” and “Love / Luck” for their vivid duets and emotional clarity. The reviewer dwells on how Persson and Söderberg intensify Yorkston's songs with quiet intensity, especially on “A Moment Longer”, where Persson is brooding and forlorn, and on “Love / Luck”, where Söderberg’s effortless beauty lifts the chorus. Opener “I Can Change” and the stark “Rabbit” are singled out as the album’s most desolate highlights, balancing the sprightly ensemble numbers like “Oh Light, Oh Light” and the rangy “Where's the Time?” to make this one of Yorkston’s most winning collaborations yet.
Key Points
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The best song, "A Moment Longer", is the album’s emotional centerpiece due to Persson’s brooding lead and mournful instrumentation.
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The album’s core strengths are intimate vocal duets, tasteful Scandinavian-tinged arrangements, and a balance of desolate ballads and sprightly ensemble numbers.
Themes
