We have a Swedish album review almost ready for posting, but in the meantime we'll head to Norway for something completely different, an unusual release by a fairly new Norwegian band called 'Teddy and The Love Gang' - I'm still undecided on whether I think it's a brilliant or terrible name, but at least it's memorable, and easily passes our 'google' test. Anyway today they've released an EP entitled 'Kid Forest - Twisted Homes', which follows the successful release of their debut EP 'The Explorer'.
'Kid Forest - Twisted Homes' is the first in a trilogy of connected EP's due to be released this year, which tells the tale of their invented character 'Kid Forest' and I admire their ambitions in trying to do something different - which also works well given their music crosses so many different genres, from pop to jazz, to pretty much every musical style you could think of.
The EP opens with 'Go With The Dream', and the key to 'Teddy and The Love Gang's' music is the rhythms, the song opening with a swinging syncopation, before the vocal takes us melodically in a different direction to that which I was expecting - I like the dreamy middle section too, before it comes back together with the big musical hook. 'Nozomi' again has a big solid thumping bass that carries the track forward, and I'm struggling to describe the vast array of sounds that are then thrown at us by an assortment of instruments. But whilst the 1st 2 tracks are enjoyable enough, it all falls completely into place with the gorgeous 'Daddy Flew', with soulful vocals offering the most beautiful tune, and those driving offbeat rhythms taking us to corners of the music world we weren't expecting to find - it's such a clever track. The EP ends with the musically upbeat 'Mommy Sinking', with a huge anthemic chorus, and an even bigger climax - interspersed with some lovely subtle musical effects and maybe even a cliffhanger of a storyline to get us thinking about the next EP.
The great thing about Teddy and The Love Gang is that I've barely started getting to know this EP yet - there is so much inventive detail to get into, but at the same time there is a coherence in the music writing, with the rhythmic hooks that form the base of each track. 'Daddy Flew' and 'Mommy Sinking' are particularly strong songs, and with 2 EP's to come this year, we are very much look forward to the next instalment.
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