Concrete evidence
Spring's almost here, although judging by the current cold snap you'd be hard pushed to believe it. So what better way to banish those winter blues than by spinning the delicious new platter from Sweden's finest exports The Concretes? Hot on the heels of their impressive self-titled debut comes "In Colour" its bolder, lusher and more adventurous sibling. The northern soul that helped to define the band's debut album is toned down here with folk, country and good old fashioned indie pop coming to the fore.
Opener "On The Radio" is pop at its purest and most beautiful with lead Concrete Victoria Bergsman dreamily narrating a melancholic tale of love and mix tapes that is sure to endear her even further to indie kids across the globe. The band's pop instincts certainly show no sign of deteriorating on album number two even with a broadening of the stylistic palette. Ample evidence is provided on "Change In The Weather" - a gentle almost country-ish affair that recalls early Belle and Sebastian and the pastoral folk pop of the criminally under-rated Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Current single "Chosen One" meanwhile skips along with gleeful indie pop abandon like an excitable child on their way to a picnic and is the closest the band have come to writing something truly anthemic.
One of the most noticeable aspects of "In Colour" is the fact that Victoria no longer commands lead vocals on every track. Guitarist Maria Eriksson crops up on the scintillating "Grey Days" whilst drummer Lisa Milberg puts in a tour de force performance on the sugary sweet "Your Call" which also features guest vocals from Magic Number Romeo Stodart. It's Bergsman's tones that dominate though, her dreamy slightly husky sigh possessing an almost hypnotic like power over the listener. "In Colour" recalls a livelier version of the 'Numbers in places but without the tendency to wander into the realms of mere pastiche. Even the more laid back numbers including the downbeat "Tomorrow" and the metronomic, almost krautrock like "Fiction" are charming rather than dreary even if Victoria does sound like she's in need of a hug and a nice cup of tea. The only weak track here is the awkward piano led country of "As Four", otherwise this album is picture perfect. The lively "Song For The Songs" provides a fitting close to a wonderful album, its gentle brass, understated strings, acoustic guitars and Bergsman's husky vox coalescing in perfect union. For fans of Belle and Sebastian, Gorkys and The Velvet Underground this album is simply a must have. This is a record whose inherent loveliness is surely designed to melt the hardest of hearts so embrace it with all you've got.