This is the debut of the solo side project that teams The Cardigans foxy lead singer Nina Persson and Sparklehorse main man Mark Linkous. Linkous produces and Shudder to Think’s Nathan Larson both engineers and plays on the album. A slightly schizophrenic record, A Camp attempts to marry indie rock, country pop, folk and even trip hop. Luckily, the results are often warm and charming. If you took out Perrson’s warm and inviting voice, this record wouldn’t sound a million miles away from Sparklehorse’s It’s a Wonderful Life, maybe a hundred miles away.

“I Can Buy You” is the best pop single you haven’t heard all year. Not dissimilar in theme to The Beatles “Can’t Buy You Love,” Perrson sings that even though she’s a millionaire now she still can’t win over a certain man’s heart. “And what’s the use of being a millionaire if I can’t have you?/I want to buy you a home/I’ll pay your friends if you’re feeling blue/The pain of losing a guy like you is a bigger cost than paying the dues,” Pearson laments before launching into the catchy chorus, “I buy you, oh yeah, oh yeah/But I can’t make you do what you don’t.”

Album opener, “Frequent Flyer,” seems to be about a female serial dater, who’s afraid to commit, cleverly using the term frequent flyer as an analogy. Later, “Walking the Cow” and “Hard As a Stone” sound the most like Sparklehorse, and we’re reminded that Persson also appeared on their latest album. The feedback heavy “The Oddness of the Lord” is the album’s weakest track, and seems a little out o place with the mellower songs that comprise most of this release. The country vibe returns with “The Bluest Eyes In Texas” which was featured on the soundtrack to the cross gender film Boys Don’t Cry. Mercury Rev’s front man Jonathan Donahue plays the saw on “Algebra.” No other household tools were played on this record.

A Camp recalls the likes of Dusty Springfield and Wilco. Hopefully Persson will find time to revisit this project in between albums with her excellent main band, The Cardigans. Sweden’s finest have already said that they will incorporate A Camp songs into their future set lists. You would be wise to incorporate this album into your personal playlist.