Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

New Music Monday: Small Feet

SmallFeet_FromFarEnoughAway_1500px_300dpi_RGBSmall Feet will release their debut album Friday, August 7th, 2015. Titled From Far Enough Away Everything Sounds Like the Ocean, the record will be released through Barsuk. Small Feet is the project of Swedish musician Simon Stålhamre, though it took encouragement from American ex-pat Jacob Snavely to get Stålhamre to focus on his music. Before the band recorded their debut, the Swede had already worked as a nurse, a fly-poster, and at a cafe.

Having dropped out of school at fifteen, Stålhamre learned English through television as he began to build up a catalogue of songs. However, the songwriter found himself becoming consistently more reclusive and reluctant to share his music. It took Snavely’s encouragement and the inheritance of a cabin in central Stockholm to give Stålhamre the kick he needed to properly record and release his music. Finally encouraged, Stålhamre got Snavely to play bass on the record and recruited drummer Christopher Cantillo to round out the trio.

Small Feet "All And Everyone" [Official Video]

Given the story leading up to From Far Enough Away’s release, listeners might expect a dark, dour record from Stålhamre and company, but Small Feet provide nothing of the sort. It is not as if there is no darkness to be found on From Far Enough Away, but it reveals itself less as an overbearing feeling and a place the band has left. It provides a backdrop to Small Feet’s music, never quite becoming the theme of the music.

Recommended Videos

Stålhamre’s voice, reminiscent of Neil Young or Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, may be the most powerful tool in Small Feet’s arsenal to lift the band from any gloom otherwise found in the songs. The Swede has a powerful voice that uses he to lead the listener through From Far Enough Away as delicate melodies.

Small Feet - Gold live at Larry´s Corner in Stockholm

After a serious time of doubt for Stålhamre, Small Feet’s From Far Enough Away Everything Sounds Like the Ocean is a self-assured debut and a sign of good things to come from the songwriter.

From Far Enough Away Everything Sounds Like the Ocean is available for preorder on Amazon, iTunes,  and Barsuk.

Small Feet "Rivers (Original)" [Official Video]
Terence Praet
Terence Praet contributes to The Manual’s New Music Monday column. He studied Philosophy and History at Skidmore College…
Beginner’s guide to cigar shapes and sizes — and why they matter
Why your cigar choice says more about you than your watch (and how to pick the perfect one)
A collection of cigars

Walking into a cigar shop and facing what seems like a million options is enough to make anyone panic. Cigars stacked everywhere, each with a strange name, size, and a slightly different shape from the last one. If you haven't done this before, it's tempting to just grab something, anything, and run!But hold on a second. Those shapes actually matter. They aren't just there to look fancy or make things confusing. The size and shape change the whole experience of smoking that cigar – how it tastes, burns, and feels. It's kind of like how driving a tiny sports car is way different than driving a big truck. Both get you where you're going, but the experience along the way is not the same.

What are cigar vitolas?

Read more
The writer of one of Netflix’s biggest drama is taking on James Bond next
We still don't know who will star in this new installment.
James Bond at a casino

The news that Denis Villeneuve would be taking on the next James Bond film was certainly exciting for many, and as we continue to speculate about who might take over as 007, we're also learning more about who else will be working behind the scenes on the film.

We now know that Steven Knight, the writer behind Peaky Blinders, will be writing the next Bond movie. While Knight is best known for his work on TV, which includes Peaky Blinders and the recent Stephen Graham series A Thousand Blows, he's also the writer behind Spencer and Maria.

Read more
Every new Game of Thrones spinoff explained
George R.R. Martin's television world continues to grow
Matt Smith starring in House of the Dragon

When it first aired on HBO in the early 2010s, Game of Thrones dazzled audiences with revolutionary special effects and terrific acting in a unique fantasy world. Based on author George R.R. Martin's series of novels, the universe depicts the battles between several different noble families as they try to climb to the top of the continent of Westeros, both politically and figuratively. The war scenes, family drama, and massive number of characters helped make the story feel fresh and new every time a new episode aired.

As Martin's attention shifted to television and away from his books, fans have looked to the TV series to finish some of the stories he couldn't finish on the page. Game of Thrones left fans wanting more, despite its poorly received finale, and a plethora of spinoffs are on the way. House of the Dragon already has two seasons completed, and there are several others in the coming years to look forward to.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon finished its second season in 2024. The show chronicles the heated family dynamics of the Targaryen empire almost two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones. The third season should pick up the civil war between Queen Rhaenyra's forces and King Aegon's after a slow-building conflict throughout the second act.

Read more