The Airportline: Observations

One of last year’s must under-rated album was Peter Bjorn and Johns Living Thing. Coming off the success of their breakthrough album Writer’s Block they made sure to alienate as many people as possible by throwing out the warm sound of that output and instead land in a colder, more detached and minimalistic landscape. On Living Thing the band steered away from easy to digest melodies of Writers Block favorites like Paris 2004 and Young Folks.

I struggled with that change at first but eventually grew to like their new sound as the songs started to settle, and even though there is a coldness creeping around, the band never forgot how to be blue eyed romantics (I Want You!), funny (Living Thing) and deliver of the most amazing pop anthems of 2009 (Nothing To Worry About). Peter Bjorn and John have always walked their own way and there is a lot to be said for that. In this video by Amsterdam Acoustics they turn It Don’t Move Me into a celebration of musical creativity aided by what must be one of the coolest pianos on the planet.

Below are two other noteworthy video from the people at Amsterdam Acoustics, one where one of my true artistic role models, Erlend Øye plays on an Amsterdam tram, displaying some of the cities stunning beauty when the weather is good (I forgot the weather could be good here!) and a beautifully toned down and melancholic version of Passion Pits normally over the top The Reeling. Thanks to Katharina and Antoinette for opening my eyes to these recordings.

Maybe you thought that Peter Bjorn And John were a one hit whistling wonder. Well, I forgive you for thinking so, but you were always wrong. The Swedish three pieced orchestra is getting ready to hit back after their monumental album Writers Block, and they're doing it sounding like Lykke Li's Breaking It Up (Bjorn produced her debut album Youth Novels, so you should not be that surprised) mashed up with Teddybears Stockholm. The two first tastes from their forthcoming album shows that they've clearly lost their mind, in the same good way as M.I.A.s clothing always did. The videos for Nothing To Worry About (above, containing Japanese Rockabilly gangsters in black doing choreographed dancing) and Lay It Down (containing ironic dancing with face masks in basement party) shows that the band still have a killer sense for what is contemporary (funny videos on youtube) and still know how to put together a pop song, with Nothing To Worry About being especially impressive with it's big beat and fuck you attitude, not so common in Sweden (excluding big mouthed The Hives).

On the 26th of March they grace Amsterdam and Melkweg with a visit, I've got tickets, you should come too. Last time I saw them here, fall of 2006 in Paradiso's small hall the base player seemed stoned and talked about Skellefteå AIK, a Swedish hockey team, in Swedish.

Later in the week I will write about Brussels and yell at corporate leaders and their lack of communication understanding. It will be great.