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This debut from the Swedish duo of Agnes 'Sexy Specs' Bylander & Martin Permer is an unthreatening, easy-going synthpop blend with just a touch of melancholy to keep you on your toes. While the easy-on-the-ear style means it was never going to be a 'grabber' Agnes' accented vocals do add a touch more character whilst possessing a rather endearing quality while the lyrics don't shy away from facing up to the less pleasant side of people & life in general with prime examples being the opening "We Are Wimps" & "Dissatisfaction Guaranteed" although "Nuclear Waste" isn't the protest song one might have expected given the title, it's far more personal with a link that is tenuous at best. Still, that it keeps you guessing is no bad thing, really.
Further listens reveal a generally likeable album that's not without some emotional content or some more grandiose moments with both "Drifting Apart" & "Problem" working well on both counts while "Relent Agrees" also bids fair to grab your attention, thanks to Martin's fine synth work (although it took me a while to work out that Agnes wasn't singing 'Because we'll enter Greece!' on the chorus). "Nothing Grandiose At All" & the especially enjoyable "They Are Still The Kings" are among the more up-tempo numbers, both benefitting from a more infectious, if still relatively undemanding, mood & that, in a nutshell, is pretty much what this album is about; a pleasant debut that, even if it is well on the short side at 36 minutes, synthpoppers should find very much to their liking.
RATING: 6
Artist Link: http://www.adifferentdrum.com
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