Seaside Rock

Peter Bjorn And John's long term idea come true

Swedish trio Peter Bjorn And John has been diligently pleasing the indie rock fans with its splendid music for almost ten years already. Little of its colleagues can boast a sounding so rich and saturated which includes a colossal diversity of instruments, attitudes, melodies and topics. As for the discography undoubtedly the most successful of three of its albums is the third one, last year's Writer's Block that has proved to be a real break through. Afterwards the collective has faced a choice whether to try to outshine itself recording another rock collection or try its hand at something radically new. The answer was there at once for the guys had been carrying the idea of an instrumental album for quite some time and now it is the time to make it come true. So Peter Bjorn And John's fourth studio work Seaside Rock is a partially instrumental record devoted to the times of the three members' childhood and also of everyone who has grown up in the country of Sweden or any other North Europe country close to a seaside.

National color on Seaside Rock

The record's ten tracks leave an unforgettable impression of touching the dearest reminiscences in which there are both sadness and joy. Besides there are three monologues on Seaside Rock that make it possible to learn the dialects of places where each of the three members was born adding a great deal of national color to the music. The first one is on Next Stop Bjursele, filled with the feeling of something significant and unusual, the second is in the simple story of an old man Erik's Fishing Trip and the third on Norrlands Riviera revived with seagulls' shouting. A great composition Inland Empire with an unusual rhythm reminding of something between a trains' wheels beating or playing drums with kitchen utensils, is an example of the most interesting percussion you have heard lately. Glockenspiel and harmonica have refined a joyful track Say Something (Mukiya), whereas a psychedelic piece Favour Of The Season probably tells of quiet winter evenings that make the musicians feel melancholic. Almost a danceable work School Of Kraut pleases with its positive attitude, and Needles And Pills is refined with a most beautiful fleute which definitely has to do with some local folklore. The album's longest track Barcelona, lasting almost five minutes and a half is again full of thoughtfulness and nostalgia and the final position is occupied by another optimistic guitar composition At The Seaside with contagious drums and a cowboy harmonica.

A wonderfully raw, honest and fresh sound

It is hard to say whether Peter Bjorn And John has managed to make a record that outdoes its previous work in the level of variety and inventiveness but there is no doubt that Seaside Rock is not at a lower level. The album proves to be quite worthy of being among the band's best creations and opens a completely different side of the talented trio. Naturally the Swedish collective has surprised with its playing most unexpected instruments before as well but on Seaside Rock it has reached the apogee. Some unprofessional musicians have been invited to record the material which resulted in a wonderfully raw, honest and fresh sound adding realness to this music novella. Besides there are a lot of nuances on the album one can catch only after several times of listening and as it is always the case with Peter Bjorn And John, each of them has a certain message. In this case each track tells of this or that aspect of leaving at the seaside and all of them unite in a mesmerizing pattern that comprises the personal stories of Peter, Bjorn and John who have once again shared the most secret with all of us.