Home Read Classic Album Review: The Soundtrack of Our Lives | Behind the Music

Classic Album Review: The Soundtrack of Our Lives | Behind the Music

The Swedish psychedelic rockers reconfigure classic influences into timless tunes.

This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):

 


We might as well make it official: Sweden now has more bands — and more great bands — than any other country.

At least, that’s how it seems lately. And The Soundtrack of Our Lives, the latest export to hit these shores, isn’t going to change anybody’s mind. Though this psychedelic-rock combo could very well blow your mind, if you give their impressive third album Behind The Music a chance.

Like indie-pop synthesists Olivia Tremor Control, this sextet are well versed in the sounds of countless ’60s rockers — they’ve clearly spent quality time with the Jumpin’ Jack Flash guitar-rock of The Rolling Stones, the arch songcraft of The Kinks and the lysergic swirl of Pink Floyd, to name just a handful — and they’re able to effortlessly reconfigure them into catchy, memorable indie-pop gems that honour their forebears without seeming derivative or dated. They may not become the soundtrack to your life, but they’ll do nicely as the backdrop for a summer day.