Lonely Crowd
Watching from a distance
Karisma Records
This is moody rock from Norway with a strong resemblance to The Auteurs, which makes perfect sense considering that much of this material was similarly recorded during that band's heyday in the late 90s. "Watching from a distance" collects Lonely Crowd's three early EPs and seamlessly tacks on two new tracks to pave the way for the band's re-emergence. As such, the sound is a tad dated, though not enough to stir up discontent. Nostalgia is a bitch. But really, why bother? Even at their best, Lonely Crowd are also-rans, not a lost gem. Vocalist Stig Jakobsen has a decent melodic and understated delivery, but he has neither the deadpan menace nor the charisma of Autuers mainman Luke Haines. Lonely Crowd simply pales in comparison. Yes, there are a few worthwhile tracks to be found here, but the new material is not amongst them and that does not bode well. Perhaps the promised forthcoming album will make me eat my words, but I'm not optimistic.
- Avi Roig
