Nikola Sarcevic
Lock-sport-krock
Burning Heart Records
So the frontman for Millencolin wants to try the sensitive singer/songwriter thing. Why not? It certainly seems to be what's cool these days. The problem is that he really doesn't have anything interesting to contribute to the genre. Aside from a more acoustic-based instrumentation, some slower tempos and indulgent heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics, most of the songs here really aren't that different from Nikola's stuff with the full band. Turn on the distortion, lay down a faster drumbeat and you'd be listening to Millencolin. On the other hand, the music is certainly a lot more country than I anticipated, but it's merely adequate. It would be ridiculous for me to call him a poseur or anything, but the playing comes across as someone who is trying to ape the various basic trappings of the genre without actually feeling or understanding it. Picture a yellow cd cover with the title "Country for Dummies". Sure, it's got the proper rhythms, chord progressions and some nicely played pedal steel, but it's lacking any sort of authentic emotional weight or feeling. Part of the problem is that the guitar playing is way too simple. Dashboard Confessional can strum a few basic chords and win hearts of teenage girls, but it takes a bit of picking to get my attention, or at least a bit more developed melodies and harmonies. All in all, I shouldn't get too down on this because it's really not that bad, but I was really hoping for something more than a vanity project.
- Avi Roig