WHO ARE THEY? The Swedish indie-pop trio of Peter Morén, Bjorn Yttling, and John Eriksson. And the guys who merrily whistled their way to the top of the charts with the 2006 single Young Folks — but haven’t been able to bottle that sort of pop-hit lightning again on these shores.
WHAT IS THIS? Their ninth album in 20 years, eighth in a row to feature a two-word title — and a deliberately lighter, brighter response to their uncharacteristically pessimistic and negative lyrical mood of their 2018 outing Darker Days.
WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE? The classic musical comfort food of PB&J — complete with all the spry beats, sweet melodies, sugary vocals, hooky choruses, subdued sophistication ear-candy production that entails. Granted, it’s not all sweetness and sunshine; there are still some slightly darker emotions on display in these numbers, but as always, the band’s relentlessly positive musical approach leavens the proceedings, generating a vibe and a sound not dissimilar to a more sincere Fountains of Wayne.
WHAT ARE THE MOST REVEALING LYRICS? ‘I am up for endless reruns.’
WHAT SHOULD IT BE TITLED? Many Happy Returns.
HOW SHOULD I LISTEN TO IT? While wondering what it’s going to take for this ridiculously talented trio to notch another North American hit.
WHAT 10 WORDS SUM IT UP? Catchy, bouncy, clever, pretty, impeccable, accessible, dependable, elevating, sincere, vibrant.
WHAT ARE THE BEST SONGS? Pick a track, any track. Wherever you land, you’ll find a tune that raises your spirits while getting instantly and indelibly stuck in your cranium.
WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS SAY? ‘It’s impossible to be in a bad mood after listening to these guys.’
HOW OFTEN WILL I LISTEN TO IT? Anytime you need a mood elevator — which could be multiple times a day the way thing have been going lately.
IF THIS ALBUM WERE AN ANNUAL EVENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Moving the clocks forward in spring to savour that extra sunlight.
SHOULD I BUY, STREAM OR STEAL IT? If you love expertly wrought pop, the album has enough endless appeal to ensure you’ll get your money’s worth.
