The Supahip
Seize the World
Big Radio Records

The Supahip will maybe not end up to be the most superhip band putting out the most superhip record of 2005, but their 12-pack of retro style pop somehow tickles my summerly ears quite pleasantly.

Being a side poject of songwiters Michael Carpenter and Mark Moldre (of Hitchcock's Regret) they present a line of songs paying tribute to the Beatles. And Nik Kershaw! Yes, along with their own compositions they've included a cool - if not very original (my beloved girlfriend wonders why they've done it so close to the original) - take on Kershaw's 80s hit "Wouldn't It Be Good", which actually is a smashing pop song. From the gorgeous tuna-melt-taste of the opening track "Like Love", via the "Taxman"-sung-by-Beck-styled "Tulsa", to the very tender and laidback ballad "No Tomorrow" there's a thoroughly and pure quality of the music and the performance it. And, if not the Beatlesque retro style within the soul of the music wasn't enough: after the 12 songs have left the stereo 10 of the tracks are repeated but now set in nothing but glorious mono. The band wanted of course to include a mono version of all the tracks but couldn't squeeze in the last ones (CD shit...).

The Beatles references aside "Something's Gotta Give" is one of my other favorite tracks. It's more of a song off the regular pop track. So is "Falling Backwards", with its dazed, stompy rhythm. I've already mentioned Beck. The Supahip are leaning towards some of the same slack/relaxed attitude, and the vocals sometimes bear a faint resemblance as well. To mention a couple other of the albums charmers I'd say the perfectly lazy "Hanging by a Thread", and the following "Ultra Black Light", which is a bit Wilco-ish. Seize the World is really a fresh bucketful of pop. Quite a pleasant surprise. Seize this album.

Copyright © 2005 Håvard Oppøyen