Moto Boy
Lost in the call
Songs I Wish I Had Written
Moto Boy's music has been described as "desperate pop" which, for both hopeless romantics and cynics, might be the only review needed. Like Rufus Wainwright with his needle permanently stuck in a 1980s groove, Oskar Humlebo deftly mines the depths of his angst, squeezing out every drop of sympathy, even when his sweet falsetto trips over some of the stupidest of sentiments. (Case in point: the borderline insipid chorus of "If only your bed could cry") While not as instantly as inviting as 2008's ethereal EP "For Martha", "Lost in the call" provides another satisfying chapter in Humlebo's ongoing bid to become the Scandinavian Morrissey. When he cuts himself on lines such as "There is no life without you any way" ("Early grave"), prepare to bleed.
But how much heartache can one man take? By the album's midway point Humlebo's wounded theatrics threaten to wear thin. However, just when the outing is in danger of becoming a one-note pity party, he unleashes the haunting orchestral piece "Siekas", ushering in the delicate reflection of "Nite time is my time" and saving the project from certain stagnation. The high energy "When my heart was high" may not break any new ground, but it's jammed with the sort of morose cheer you can vigorously sway -- if not dance -- to. Then there's closer "The way I feel tonite", a send-off so gloriously delicate, Humlebo is guaranteed to leave more than a fare share of listeners with a lump in their throat and a tear in their eyes.
- Laura Studarus
