The Flaming Lips – At War With the Mystics [Warner Bros -2006]

It’s been 7 years, yes that’s right, since ”The Soft Bulletin” grabbed almost everyone with two functional ears by the neck and twisted it times two around with the explosive melodic piece “Race for The Prize”. Now it’s time for the “comeback” and expectations are high, maybe too high.

The result of these expectations is from one moment to the other surrealistic upbeat pop music that makes you want to dance, just to go crazy with noise you in another situation wouldn’t stand listening to. Then it takes a turn and erases everything you thought you understood about the music with arrangements only a child could come up with, just as they’ve always done. So their way of always trying catching the listener off guard becomes obvious after a while and the surprise effects don’t work that well.

There are no obstacles too high or wide for these guys, but it’s not as interesting as it was 7 years ago listening to how they conquer them. Don’t get me wrong here. Some of the songs on “At War With The Mystics“ is really fantastic, but sometimes it feels like they push it too far, and do it just for the sake of doing it. It wanders off and they have a hard time finding their way back.

“My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion” is a strong pop ballad with a broken crazy guitar. ”Vein of stars” is really something with its floating feeling. “The Wizard turns on…” gives away a lesson in how to use flickering spacious sounds. “Mr. Ambulance Driver” is a great melodic history with an annoying siren in the background.

I don’t know what I expected from the 12 new songs but I think it was something else than this.

Listen to some songs from “At War With the Mystics”.

The Concretes - In Colour [Licking Fingers/ Emi - 2006]

In 2001 I saw this band playing at a local pub, what I thought was appealing about this band back then has now improved and gotten really good. They have developed their own little pop sound that they play in their own little world. They do it easy for themselves, keeping it small, pretty, soft and laid back. And everyone seems to go crazy and spit out one remarkable word after another about them.

I’m probably stupid because I still can’t seem to get it. As I see it they are just a little pop orchestra with some nice tunes and nagging lyrics that is very overrated. It’s perfect as background music while cleaning the apartment or just doing the dishes ´cause it is happy and very easy listening. The record doesn’t demand much of you as a listener; you don’t have to take part in what they are doing to get it. Usually it’s two or three chords and a melody with three tones accompanied by a regular drumbeat all decorated with semi-orchestral arrangements in the spirit of 60’s. It got the feeling of being stuck at the kindergarten. Clap your hands and smile, kind of feeling.

The production of “In Colour“ is really great though. It sounds amazing, like you’re standing in the room where they are playing and they are playing just for you. Comfortable and dynamic.
My problem is that I rather be in another room most of the time.

Watch the video for "Chosen One" from "In Colour".

David Gilmour - On An Island [EMI-2006]

You can ask any Pink Floyd fan you meet, David Gilmour is God almighty and his way of playing his guitar and singing with his delicate voice is a physical version of heaven.

Since Pink Floyd’s weird, complex and hysterically beautiful work of art have been living by my side as a soundtrack of my life for so many years now, its with nervous fingers I put David Gilmours new album “On An Island” in the record player.

It’s been twelve years since the last Pink Floyd album and twenty two years since David Gilmour’s recent solo record, which wasn’t that much of a good investment. But much have happened since then. Maybe not song wise, everything that makes this guy who he is, is still there. But thanks to some divine power the horrors of the massive 80s production is gone and hopefully locked away in a safe place no one will ever find the way to.

During some, both long and short, moments “On An Island” sounds so much Pink Floyd that you have a hard time to separate David’s music from what Pink Floyd did in the 70s. And as if it’s not confusing enough Richard Wright, also from Pink Floyd, steps in and even strengthens the illusion of the Floyd’s golden days with his dramatic keyboard licks and vocal harmonies. He plays and sings as if it was yesterday these two played together. David still plays his guitar solos too long and too much, but hey it’s David, that’s it.

”On An Island” is simply very often 52minutes of delicate sweeping melodies with songs like the title track, "Smile" & "The Blue". And its way better than most of the meditative relaxation records that has been released during the last years.

Tonight I once again understand why I fell so damn hard for “The Dark Side of the Moon” that late night for several years ago.

Listen to some clips from "On An Island".

Hets! - S/T [Etikett: Hets / V2 - 2006]

With members already well established in the Swedish music scene Hets! is now set to release their debut album. Hets! arrives in a time when some fresh punk music is longed for, in a time when radio and television is stuck in their commercial pattern of pumping out more junk than ever.

Hets! was founded in January this year. They recorded and wrote the songs for the whole album the same month, and the outcome is brilliant. It’s not a perfect recording, some things are sloppy and raw, and because of that the authentic feeling increases along with their credibility. Markus Krunegård uses his voice like KSMB and EBBA GRÖN together, it’s just so old and done but yet so very refreshing. Some of the lyrics are really funny and smart at the same time. The story is that Markus wrote them all during a visit at his parent’s house since he was so bored.

11 songs with a great blend of the 70's raw punk combined with direct melodies and the steady beats of the new wave era. It’s like a look in the review mirror what the Swedish punk scene was like back in the days.

Per Nordmark, the drummer of Fireside, Christoffer Roth from Monster, Doktor Kosmos' own Henrik Svensson and Markus Krunegård who also sing in Laakso, have surely made the best Swedish punk record of the whole 2006. I find this one very hard to compete with.

Listen to some songs from Hets debut album here.

The Sounds – Dying To Say This to You [New Line Records / Scratchie – 2006]

The Sounds new and second album “Dying to Say This to You” is produced by Jeff Saltzman, who also produced the Killers’ “Hot Fuss”. And the similarities are really obvious in flashes of melodies and the constant keyboard pounding. The Sounds isn’t a band that offers the listener any musical adventures. They concentrate on getting to the chorus as fast as possible and sing the same thing as many times as they can without losing their breath.

Overall the songs are way better now than on their debut "Living In America". The biggest difference is Jesper Anderberg's way of adding delicious synthesizer lines that are occasionally corny, but still add its charm. This is probably thanks to Jeff Saltzman’s input. The rest of the band give off the impression of doing what they’ve always done and seem pretty satisfied with that (?).

This type of music isn't that creative or important but it will make both the mainstream and indie kids dance their shoes off from now and then without really knowing why. (For what that is worth...) Their small 3 minutes pop songs are pumped up with danceable tones and beats which sure will get played over and over again on every radio station there is, and pollute us all.

Listen to the some songs from “Dying To Say This to You”.

Bear vs. Shark – Terrorhawk [Equal Vision - 2005]

I don’t remember how I stumbled across this record. How I remember it I was drinking some wine at late night and surfing the net and somehow ended up at Bear vs. Shark's homepage.

Here we’re talking about dramtic Punk Rawk ‘n roll played delivered with great punch and melodic edge. It’s mixed with nice electro keyboards, pianos and horn sections. To be boring and lazy and get away much too easily, you could say their sound and approach is similar to Hot Water Music mixed with some Dischord Records vibes.

The slower and more naked songs are easily as good as the most alarming ones.
“Entrance of the elected” and “5 6 kids” are my favourite songs and maybe 15 songs is a bit too much but, hey! These guys know what they are doing, and they do it good.

The band news is that they already split up in the end of 2005. But I’m looking forward to hear these people’s new bands.

Listen to “5 6 kids” from the album “Terrorhawk”

The End Will Be Kicks – S/T [Chalksounds 2006]

After long months of delays and waiting The End Will Be Kicks self titled record finally get released. TEWBK came out from the ashes from bands like Him Kerosene, Breach and Apesex.

In 2005 they released a CDep that at that time showed that they are a unique band. The debut album with TEWBK is really something. The 10 songs are filled with everything from awesome, weird, complicated and simply beautiful melodies, unforgettable hooks, strange chords and lovely lyrics. And all this is backed up by the amazing energy and furious drive from the rhythm section.

The singer/guitarist and songwriter Niklas Quintana is known from the path breaking music he has made with both Him Kerosene and Breach earlier on. In The End Will Be Kicks he combines the melodic parts from Him Kerosene with the moody darkness from Breach and the result is nothing else than fantastic.

Don’t miss out on this one!

Listen to “Always Looking Out” from the selftitled album TEWBK.

Plural - Love Sleeps Where Love Lies [Nah Pescado Records – 2006]

Plural is a band playing out of San Diego, California. They have been compared to bands like Wilco, The Shins and Guided By Voices with their way of presenting multi-layered vocals, and lush melodic arrangements. I can agree in some ways, but it’s rather in certain moments those elements shine trough, but when they do they really do.

The multi-layered vocals are their strongest part. The two singers sing really well together.

"Love Sleeps Where Love Lies" is Plural's 3rd album following 2005's "I Feel Beautiful" and 2003's "Have a Rad Summer.
The arrangements of the songs are neat and tasteful. It never gets too much. It’s sometimes balancing on the edge to erupt but never really does. I would have wished for a better production ´cause one problem is that it sometimes feels too impersonal and flat.

Plural’s “Love Sleeps Where Love Lies” is not mind blowing, not innovative in anyway but it’s sure worth some of both your and mine attention because it got some good songs to offer. I don't know if I’m going to listen to the whole CD that often, but I will play “Mondail Heart” & “John Faster” now and then while having a coffee.

In “Mondail Heart” the two singers sing: “I can’t keep anything in, it all spills out and I am hollow” and that part speaks of what the whole record in general is about I think.

Listen to “Mondail Heart” from the record "Love Sleeps Where Love Lies"

The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine [The Militia Group - 2006]

The Appleseed Cast started their musical experiments in the second half of the 90's, toured the world, put out a bunch of records ,but as I see it, they still haven’t “made it” yet. And I am afraid that the new album “Peregrine” won’t help them with that. The New album is described by their label as “spacious, thick, brooding, joyful, explosive, and back and forth, yet somehow seamless at the same time”.

Well... It starts really good. I love the way they arrange the songs, chops it up in small pieces, throw them out here and there, experiments with different guitar, organ, drums, you name it-sounds bring the pretty usual songs some extra energy and life. But still there is an essential part that doesn’t work: the Vocals. In fact, Chris Crisci vocals, that have never really been that strong, are probably never going to be that great. But if you like the way he has been singing through out the previous records you’ll probably like it now as well.

Sometimes these four Kansas guys carry tones and sound as stormy and spooky as the album’s theme/storyline, but in the end it’s not enough. What The 13 tracks, “Peregrine” has to offer is a great sum up of what the band’s last four albums offered. It’s 13 more of The Appleseed cast’s songs but with an interesting and tasteful production.

Listen to some songs from the album: “Peregrine”.

I Love You Baby! – Mondegreen [Threwetha Records – 2005]

I Love You Baby! are a five piece from Stockholm, Sweden. Hyped by MTV and other big shots. Their music of choice is some kind of The Knife inspired chaotic electro punk with some diffuse Kraftwerk influences. From time to time they create great melodies and mix it together with what you think are sounds from an old 70s sci-fi movie. Dynamics aren’t important here, the more distortion the better. It’s like they force the music into your ears.

“Mondegreen” is produced by the band themselves in the singer, Jeanette’s living room, (also called “The Babyroom”) and contains 12 songs and is wrapped up in an amazing artwork, worth the money itself alone.

To wrap it up: On “Mondegreen” I Love You Baby! sounds like a wild party animal looks six in the morning.

Listen to:“My 49^th baby” from the album “Mondegreen”

Mogwai – Mr Beast [Pias/Playground - 2006]

I remember how Mogwai’s “Come on and die young” totally blew me away several years ago, and how the following records just was getting better and better, but then something happened. They got stuck in their own sound.

On Mr Beast Mogwai sounds the same as they did Seven years ago but now without that touch of lingering magic. They are still doing the same song over and over again. You know what note they will hit next. It’s like the time stands still in Mogwais world.

Mr Beast sure has some shining moments with songs like: “Friend of the Night”, “Emergency Trap” & “Team Handed” where they reveal a little glimpse of what made them what they are today. But it sure feels like they have made one or twenty two crescendos too much at this time when it all comes down to drowning the trembling melody with a wet wall of distorted guitars.

It’s sad, but Mogwai has grown old and are by far outplayed by other bands in the genre they among with others once invented.

Listen to: “Folk Death 95” from Mr Beast.

The Knife - Silent Shout [ Rabid Records – 2006]

So the long awaited album of The Knife is here. The speculations have been many about how they would follow up the huge success with “Deep Cuts” from 2003. At that time they showed that they knew how to do melodic chorus with neat and powerful hooks, so there was no need for that this time.

All the indie girls that wish they were Karin Drejier back in 2003 are now crying blood while they wish they could understand why The Knife’s sound has become so much creepier. Why they sing about teeth falling out while a droning bass line goes on repeat, holding up the arpeggio blips that are all over the place echoing the shit out of each other. The vocals are often nightmarish pitch-shifted and the lyrics very dark. What we get is one of the most compelling, and strange things I've heard in a long time. Silent Shout is dirty and twisted, with insane noises that somehow bleeds into heartbreaking sweeping melodies. Sometimes it really sounds like a portrait of someone or something that is so wicked, broken and so obscure.

My favourite track is The Captain witch has this incredible long opening with the most Pink Floyd:ish sounds I’ve heard in a long time.
I don’t know where they will go next but I’m happy to follow.

Listen to Silent Shout here:Rabid Records Mp3 Shop