Listening to the fourth album from this Swedish band seems fitting for two reasons. 1.) I just saw an amazing show by fellow Swedes, The Hives. And 2.) I can't access Atoms For Peace without buying, so...Given their touring history with The Strokes et. al. I was expecting a rockier vibe. What I got has quality, but instead of an "indie rock" tag, they should be getting one for New Wave Revival. All of the classics are touched upon. You'll hear inspirations of Depeche Mode and The Cure, although I would lean SOL on the brighter side of those otherwise dark bands. Simple Minds, Blondie too.
And then there's a random flute rummaging throughout many songs. A Men At Work influence?
The album kicks off with pretty-enough pop tracks. "Sugar" and "Illusions" will both be darlings of the indie-pop crowd, and if they're lucky, get chosen for a Windows commercial. But overall, the new wave thing is not really my jam and while the music is tight, the songs don't grab me as anything too emotionally or thoughtfully taxing.
Given all of this, I wouldn't think it's much of a surprise to hear that my favorite track of the bunch is the most low key. "Hermelia" is a dark mood piece with a rare lead vocal by Bebban Stenborg. She brings a seductiveness that just isn't there with main guy Adam. Frankly, he sounds quite a bit like the guy from Thompson Twins.
A good enough effort. And don't let my review slow you down. If you're into keyboard driven new wave, you may want to run to the nearest retailer. (2.5 of 5 stars)
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