Label: Novoton
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Their website claims that the debut record from Sweden's Antennas (formerly Novak) reflects the music from the 1980s and 1990s in which they grew up, but it may well be closer to the synth pop sensibilities producer Giorgio Moroder popularized in the late 1970s as he worked his way out of disco toward new wave. The ten songs on this record are built on synthetic plink-plink-plinky sounds, around which alternating conventional rock guitars, bursts of energetic drumming, and electronic distortion are juxtaposed with the organic sounds of pianos, strings, or horns. Eschewing conventional song structures, Antennas favor recurring motifs and unexpected transitions, the songs shift more than they build. Despite the variety of instruments, the sound is relatively sparse, leaving the focus on idiosyncratic vocals a listener will either adore or tire of quickly. There are a lot of interesting qualities here and some stand out tracks, but as a whole it wears thin too long before the end.
- Nancy Baym
I should really like this, you know – I should like it a lot –it's super charming, energetic, it has Swedish lyrics, attitude, and a dirty and raw sound that makes me blush and think of Jesus & the Mary Chain. I've tried and tried to like it, but I've come to the conclusion that Pascal are to me another band where style overshadows any real substance, "Förbi fabriken" lacks a key ingredient – good songs. I feel a bit sorry for Pascal, they've got their heart in the right place, but I can't help to think of them as way too puerile and – in places - plain embarrassing. They're the embodiment of the band that you go and see when you're a kid at the local youth club that put on a great show and who all the girls fall in love with, but then they never go anywhere and they'll loose the girls' attention, since their songs are all crap. Call me posh if you like, but I'm going to stick with Mattias Alkberg BD and pass on this one.
- Simon Tagestam
Not to be mistaken with the Sega Master System game of the same name, Black Belt play a brand of rock that is reminiscent of bands from the '70s (AC/DC, Cheap Trick, etc...) and which a lot of bands today are trying to do (I'm looking in your direction, Jet.) In this case, Black Belt manage to do a decent job of it.
The Swedish trio's debut, produced by Johan Gustafsson (the bassist from Randy, who also had a hand in the recording the latest albums from The Hives and the Sahara Hotnights), was something I really enjoyed. A lot of the songs, such as "Shoplift girl" and "Belly up", showed a lot of potential from this band. It's pretty good stuff to play in your Mopar-fueled Mustang while speeding down the street to. The balance between the guitar and bass complimented one another without overpowering each other. I found myself sinking into the guitar solos and trying to pinpoint what they reminded me of.
The only downside is that the lead singer's voice gets too warbly on the first track "Plastic angels" and the first minute or so of the last track "Hands Up!" He has a great voice that reminds me of the lead singer of The Cult but on those two tracks, he strains it too much and it loses its richness. The warbling spoils what is a good album overall. If you could just move past the first track, then you'll enjoy "First blood".
- Navy Keophan
I was really shocked at how mellow this album is considering that "It all works out in the end" is such an energetic and uptempo single. It's cool I guess, it's just not at all what I was expecting. Novak plays the kind of classic power-pop that takes obvious cues from the likes of Cheap Trick and Badfinger all the way down to the retro-sounding recording. The tracks with the tight, in-your-face drum tone totally nail the vibe I think they are going for. However, the best thing about this record is definitely the lead guitar playing. The songs are so chock-full of great riffs, but c'mon guys- no solos? I bet Novak is more than capable of amazing guitar heroics and even have that extra something to pull it off tastefully. The songwriting lacks a certain boldness and it's holding them back. The first half of the record is a solid listen, but they quickly run out of steam before the end. That makes for a great EP, but sadly, only a mediocre album.
- Avi Roig
Energetic power-pop/glam rock on a huge, thick slab of white vinyl. Always good to see. The music ain't so bad either. On the a-side title track there's some great Thin Lizzy dual guitar lead riffs and an excellent bridge part that reminds me of something Cheap Trick would do. The b-side keeps energy level high and injects a bit of twang with the cleaner guitar tones. The vocals are kinda squeaky like the dude's been huffing helium, but they're balanced by some excellent harmonies and arrangements. You can tell a good deal of forethought went into the production and it helps elevate them above other bands playing in a similar style. I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more stuff from these guys when the full-length comes out.
- Avi Roig
Antennas
Pascal
