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Nov 01, 2008 Pelle Carlberg By Aaron Passman

I reviewed Pelle Carlberg’s last record, and I was halfway tempted to turn in the same review this time around. It wouldn’t have made much difference—the latest from Sweden’s answer to Scott Walker (with a healthy dose of Morrissey thrown in for good measure) is again largely high-class filler, with a few standouts amidst the rest.

The gimmicky-titled “1983 (Pelle & Sebastian)” cribs from early Belle & Sebastian as much as the title would lead you to expect, while “Nicknames” (though largely indistinguishable from much of the rest of the album) is breezy and fey, with male/female vocals and a hooky chorus. “51, 3” veers off from the norm, experimenting with a bit of distortion and a more rockin’ sound. But Carlberg’s strength lies in simple pop songs, even if that means there are only a few memorable tracks per album. (www.pellecarlberg.se)

Author rating: 4/10