Mattias Bärjed
Upp till kamp!
Razzia Records
If you've seen the TV miniseries, this soundtrack is the perfect companion piece. If not, your appreciation depends on how much you can get down with retro rock that aims to recreate the sounds of the late 60s/early 70s. As to any complaints that the music here seems all too familiar, especially the full-band material, that's because it's supposed to. Creating something fresh and original is besides the point - this is a retro piece, plain and simple. The music is composed to fit the era and it is remarkably successful at doing just that. However, what's even better are the interstitial/instrumental pieces. Again, the sound is engineered to fit the setting/time period of the film, but the music is allowed more room to breath. These are the tracks that make the record shine, as they are far more evocative and atmospheric, as opposed to purely being set pieces, written solely to move the plot forward.
All in all, The Soundtrack of Our Lives guitarist Mattias Bärjed must be commended for excelling at doing exactly what was needed to make this work. It does lose something when divorced from its visual counterpart, but it's not a deal-breaker. Now, as to my criticism of the show, well let's just say that this soundtrack is by far one of the best things about it and leave it at that.
- Avi Roig
