Lukas Graham, "3 (The Purple Album)" (Warner Bros.)
The new Lukas Graham album opens with the band attending funerals of their friends and the lead singer offering this hope for survivors: "I pray you won't reach for that rope." Things don't get much happier from there for the Danish band.
Frontman Lukas Forchhammer, whose optimistic "7 Years" was a huge hit in 2016, has crafted an album of regret and moodiness with the 10-track "3 (The Purple Album)," a record also largely shorn of the upbeat tempos and hip-hop elements that made his last album so successful. This is a truly melancholy Dane.
Many of the tracks are simple piano-driven sentimental ballads that employ religious imagery and extend his love for leaning on gospel. They might be well-constructed but none are overly exciting. It turns out that fun songs like "Mama Said" from the last album masked a sensitive balladeer.
Much has changed in Forchhammer's life in the past few years — his father's death, the birth of a daughter and Grammy nominations — and all that is baked into the album. He's looking back a lot — and not always happily. One song is even titled "Unhappy." It's one of the most upbeat, seriously.
On "Everything That Isn't Me" — a swelling, orchestral-backed ballad that's designed to get us to wave our lighters in the air — Forchhammer, in his trademark rap-like cadence, apologizes for not being a better brother, son and lover. "I could apologize forever," he sings. Elsewhere, Forchhammer often laments being away on the lonely road — "Is it worth it when daddy can't dry your tears?" he sings in "Lullaby."
When he looks up, Forchhammer doesn't see humanity doing much better, with the band suggesting that "If life's another game of chess/We lost a couple pieces" on "You're Not the Only One (Redemption Song)," which mourns Bob Marley and John Lennon.
Even the album's name and purple-painted cover — a nude woman surrounded by open bottles — seems to indicate a cool, glum bent from the band this time. Forchhammer is clearly working out a lot of personal stuff on "3," but it's an album that largely leaves the listener, well, bummed out.
Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.
Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.
“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”
And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”
Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.
The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.
Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.
Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.
In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.
“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”
The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.
The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.
He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.
At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.
He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.
The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)
The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)
