Peter, Bjorn and John
Giving The Hives Competition for Title of Sweden's Best Export
A review of Peter, Bjorn and John's latest disc, Writer's Block, featuring their hypnotizing hit single, "Young Folks."
Band: Peter, Bjorn and John
Album: Writer’s Block (with bonus CD)
Release Date: February 6, 2007
Label: Almost Gold (US)
Genre: Indie Pop
Members: Peter Morén, Bjorn Yttling, John Eriksson
Guests: Victoria Bergsman
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Not since Axl Rose on “Patience” has whistling been so cool. But there’s good reason why Peter, Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks” off their latest album, Writer’s Block has brought the Swede trio so much attention; the off-tune whistling perfectly captures the simplicity of the entire album. After all, what is indie pop if not minimalist?
The fact that the whistling is out of tune makes the exchange between Morén and Bergsman that much more sincere – as if acknowledging his imperfections. She sings, “I would go along with someone like you / It doesn't matter what you did / Who you were hanging with / We could stick around and see this night through,” and it just seems so sweet.
There is a wide-eyed optimism, intimacy and even naivety towards love in the album that makes lines like those and “While I'm sleeping / You paint a ring on my finger with your black marker-pen / I'm all about you, you're all about me / We're all about each other” so charming.
A Fragile, Broken Heart
But that innocence, that discovery of love found on so many tracks like “Young Folks” and “Objects of my Affection” makes other lines like “I start to melt / With your arms, round my waist / And your mouth, starts to spell / And the words, telling me, to fade” so tragic, like a first heartbreak.
Collectively, these songs are a rediscovery of the mysticism of love; apart, they’re just some sappy, sentimental songs with great melodies.
The layers of sonic texture from classical guitars, maracas, bongos, synthesizers, oddly-driven rhythms and dream-like harmonies create a cocoon for the echoed vocals, making them sound seemingly fragile, reinforcing that innocence.
Great Listens
The opening track, “Objects of my Affection” is a good indication of where the rest of the album goes. The minimalist marching drum, acoustic guitar noise and nasal vocals deliver lines that capture the beauty of now with dramatic flair.
“Roll the Credits” features repetitive lyrics accompanied by a choir of angels and a classic guitar, as the drumming climbs to a never-ending crescendo like something out of Arcade Fire’s Funeral. Lines like “It's between me and her now / Can't separate at all / Let's put the cards back in the sleeve" show the futility behind trying to avoid the power of love.
Poor Cow Off-Target
“Poor Cow” sounds clumsy, almost drunken, compared to the rest of the album. The odd rhythm accompanying the acoustic guitar sounds like it belongs in some drunken pueblo in Mexico.
Fin
“Ancient curse,” one of the tracks on the bonus CD, shows a rare glimpse of insight into the subject of love, understanding the nature and reason of heartbreak. The echo vocal effect works really well at the end of the song – like somebody’s trapped in a well of his their own self-pity as they sing, “Its getting dark now, should have know why.” The claps and bass go quiet and just before the scene ends, there’s a whistle. Fin.
