I'm From Barcelona
Who killed Harry Houdini?
Mute/Dolores
I'm From Barcelona's approach to songwriting reminds me, for whatever reason, of Wes Anderson's films: the modernization of older tropes and themes; the narrative and occasionally cinematic style of the songs; the playful nature one can adopt while exploring the significance one attaches to the world, and that is attached to the observer; and it never hurts that tracks such as "Andy" and "Music killed me" could easily find their way onto an Anderson soundtrack (and would feel dreadfully out of place in an effort like "Juno"). References to the "Cosby Show", complete with background television noise, evoke comparisons to Montt Mardié and Jens Lekman, though I'm From Barcelona's interest in the past is not the main focus of the album and serves to compliment their excursions into fuller twee compositions. One can hear elements of Shout Out Louds, and of Scandinavian indie pop in general -- glockenspiels, 60s-style backing vocals and backing instrumentation, but the success of "Who killed Harry Houdini?" is embodied in I'm From Barcelona's ability to stir up remembrances of one band or genre of music and then continue onwards through varied avenues towards the band's original goal. "Rufus", the album's closing composition, wonderfully exemplifies my ideas: stumbling into David Bowie territory, complete with spacey backing vocals and fabulously manipulated lead guitars, only to break back down into the paths carved out by the record's earlier tracks. "Who killed Harry Houdini?" is far more difficult to sufficiently describe than it is to enjoy and eventually fall for.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
