More than two decades into his career, Peter Morén (of the globally-renowned, Sweden-based project Peter Björn & John) continues to carve his own musical identity through SunYears. The Song Forlorn, the project’s sophomore release, features 10 tracks drifting from early psych rock to modern indie rock, each carried by Morén’s ear for a good hook.
Morén spoke with Bandwagon about the record, pointing to his guitar roots, the melancholy of Swedish village music, and live-tracking in the studio—all of which shaped an album released just months after a rescheduled Peter Björn & John show at Denver’s Bluebird Theater.
“What I really enjoy is just getting in [the studio] with a bass player and a drummer and trying to get the sound, while you’re recording, that you like,” he says. “So what you hear back in your in your phones, if you’re using effects… for instance, on the title track, ‘The Song Forlorn,’ there’s a lot of tape echo on the drums, and also a lot of delay stuff on my pedalboard with the guitars. And that was all there.
It’s so you actually react to it in the moment you’re playing.”
Often slotted under indie-pop, Morén notes that stepping away from popularity metrics has helped him reinvent both the song and his sound. “I always liked pop melodies, but when I took away this thing like… Maybe this is not pop music. This is, you know, art,” he adds.
Grungier tracks like opener “Where Are We,” “(Going To A) Cruel Country,” and “Swamp Mob” showcase his electric guitar, while piano and acoustic textures appear elsewhere. Guests include Lisa Hannigan, Sam Genders, de clair, Nicole Atkins, and Madison Cunningham.
Pagan-esque midsummer celebrations, communal singing, and early experiences with violin and guitar remain central themes. Growing up in Dalarna outside Stockholm—“the cultural heart of Sweden” but also jokingly “the Texas of Sweden” for its rockabilly culture—Morén recalls seeing Chuck Berry play in a field, along with other vintage rock-and-rollers who passed through the area.
SunYears took shape during the pandemic after cancelled Peter Björn & John dates. The Song Forlorn follows the 2023 debut Come Fetch My Soul!, another record that began with Morén alone at home with a guitar.
The album also delivers rising acoustic ballads like “If You Were To Ask” and “The Song Forlorn,” familiar to fans of his Peter Björn & John work. Vulnerable lyricism surfaces throughout, particularly on “Your Dad Was Sad,” written about his father-in-law’s sudden passing.
All in all, The Song Forlorn is a strong addition to Morén’s catalog, sure to resonate with longtime listeners. Listen to it HERE.
