Suburban Kids With Biblical Names
#1 EP
Labrador
Bouncing along whimsically, the "#1 EP" by Haninge, Sweden's Peter Gunnarsson and Johan Hedberg is smart pop that never takes itself too seriously. It's an impressively catchy four-song debut, especially considering the group started playing together a year ago this month. "Ba ba bas" are in abundance (especially on the harmony-driven "Trumpets and Violins"), matched splendidly with simple piano and acoustic guitar melodies. Against such a sugary backdrop, lyrics like "I notice she's been listening a lot to Joy Division lately/and I notice that darkness in her smile" and "I want to turn all the dance floors/into a burning inferno of ba-ba-ba" sound even funnier than they would otherwise. The closing track even brings Morrissey to mind. Sometimes the lead vocals are a little hard to hear, but then again the EP was recorded at the home of Peter's parents. With melodies that will stay in your head for days and enough zaniness to make you laugh, the young Suburban Kids with Biblical Names are off to a promising start. Labrador was wise to snatch them up.
- Matthew W. Smith