The most exciting thing Scandanavian thing since Ikea! (Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn & John)

Member Name: SpookyMoon

Product:	Writer's Block - Peter Bjorn & John
Date:	09/04/09 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Really and truly unique.Some catchy songs.

Disadvantages: Sometimes feels a bit ambiguous and distant.Dare I say, cold. But I think maybe that's the point.

Peter, Bjorn and John are one of the most exciting things to come out of Sweden since Ikea! Peter Morén is the vocalist with the haunting (delicately accented) voice, but he also plays guitar and harmonica. Björn Yttling is just as deliciouse in his vocals and he also plays bass and keyboards. Last but not least John Eriksson deals with drums, percussion, and accompanying vocals.

After forming, they began playing gigs and were soon appearing on compilations alongside artists like Sahara Hotnights, Badly Drawn Boy, and Holiday for Strings.

Although this band are pretty big on the indie scene, you will be forgiven for not hearing about them as they have still remained a bit underground (despite the massive TV and Radio play of 'Young Folks'). Describing their sound is really tough, the best way I can is by saying its a bit baroque pop and a bit new wave. There is certainly something experimental about them and part of their charm is that they are really different to anything else I have in my record collection. If I am pushed I would say that they succeed where bands like The Gorillaz failed.

The one bad thing about this album is potentially one of its great strengths. It is a bit ambiguous sometimes. Some days I listen to it and really can 'feel' it and other days I try and try but alas cant make the connection. Certainly songs like 'Young Folk' are catchy but not every song on this album is like that. When trying to describe aspects of the album as a whole, I feel like the title is more telling about the undertone of each track than the lyrics of the tracks themselves. The feeling I get from this album is something that cant be described, where words do kind of fail you (like writers block I guess) but put more deeply than that, there is a kind of brewing stunted frustration that dies impotent somewhere in the midst of these distant faraway tunes. On a good day, this is what I love about Peter, Bjorn and John and on a bad day, this is what leaves me a bit out of touch with them.

Summary: Words fail me.