The Swedes
The Swedes are Chris Edwards (keyboards), Phil Crain (bass), Phil Harbut (drums), Tony Dilella (guitar), and Jon Gray (guitar & vocals) and they’re not Swedish, just in case you were wondering, nor are they a root vegetable for that matter. The Swedes are actually from Brooklyn and they’re one of those angular indie type bands, the sort that employs those shouty stop start vocals and too much reliance on a synthesiser.
Quirky indie rock it is. Apparently according to their own bio their influences range from the likes of The Cars, Queen and various other 70’s pop rock acts. I however think they sound like another irritating indie outfit trying to sound ‘retro’, it’s very popular I hear. It almost sounds like circus music, or something that should accompany a merry-go-round ride, there’s just something about the discordance of it all and that 70’s psychedelia influence.
I also must say that the production value sounds as if they’ve not quite finished, as if something is missing, probably that magic ingredient that’s going to make this album actually listenable.
Listening to ‘Nothing Says Rich Like Golf Clubs’ is like Disney Land on a bad trip, they mean well, they’re trying to be creative and colourful but the end result is quite simply terrifying. There’s just too much going on, I can’t decide if I should be concentrating on those ever so poppy (irritating) vocals, the all over the place hooks or the synthesiser that sounds like it’s playing an entirely different song to the rest, on every track. Perhaps it is just myself that finds The Swedes just too damn happy. Perhaps I could use this album as therapy and maybe listening to it on continuous play would either convert me or send me crazy, at the moment I think the latter is the front-runner.
If you haven’t already guessed I’m not really a fan of The Swedes, they remind me of a bad imitation of Weezer, playing Darkness songs with that guy from the Futureheads on vocals and if that’s not going to put you off your dinner then you’re probably going to like them. I suppose though if you do like 70’s influenced, quirky, jagged and slightly psychedelic style music, then you will think they’re great. But if you don’t like myself, you’ll probably want to throw this album out of the nearest window, or use it as a coaster, I haven’t decided yet.