6
There's always something to be said for radio-friendly pop, and whether it catapults it into the stratosphere or recedes in anonymity, at least it's being acknowledged. Unfortunately for Oh Laura, they're kind of waning in the middle, albeit achieving Swedish Chart success as of late. There's nothing unique about their country/soft-rock pop when compared to their peers. However, on the tracks "It ain't enough" and "Out of bounds" they peak at not only their most hook-laden, but also the most musically textured. I'm not condoning a whole album of tracks written from that ilk, but by using their quality as a base, Oh Laura's next album could then be propped alongside The Cardigans and Alison Krauss not only in terms of sheer pop-sensibility, but also in terms of audience.
- Matt Giordano
4
Alright, awkward as this is, I have something to confess: I've been a closet Jessica Folcker fan ever since her debut back in 1998 (Well, maybe fan is too strong a word, listener perhaps?). I have nothing to say in my defense, except that Ms. Folcker's music provides an odd sort of comfort to me. I know exactly what to expect from her albums, the one catchy tune, followed by nothing spectacular. However, this album has been substantially better than I expected. The album gets off to a decent start, as usual, with "Never wanna lose you", and while it fizzles out slightly, the subsequent songs aren't that bad. Am I saying that this is a gem of an album? Absolutely not. The songs on this album are, for the most part, safe, schmaltzy and bland; but they're extremely listenable, regardless. Which, in my opinion marks a tremendous improvement on the part of Ms. Folcker (or that of her production crew, Andreas Kleerup and Andreas Unge). To sum up: If your life has been missing that special something since Britney Spears' recent descent into insanity, Jessica Folcker's "Skin Cclose" might be worth looking into.
- Heinrich Souza
7
Skeptics believe. An organ and a drum played by the Ljunggren brothers combine to form a sound that at times is like a throwback to the electronic craziness of the Mario videogame-induced '80s, but is actually a lesson in basic jazz. It's funny how Ebbot Lundberg from Soundtrack of Our Lives is used to promote this duo's album like crazy on Trummor & Orgel's own website ever since they started touring together. I guess targeting a wider market works nowadays even if it is the wrong market.
The organ's comping effectively creates a smooth jazz feel that wouldn't normally be expected from the instrument, the symbol of church hymns and funeral marches. I only wish there'd be more of these kinds of creative acts out there. It works perfectly: Without needing a full jazz band, one might expect the style to be minimalist but it is anything but.
- Jennifer Ma
Oh Laura