The Beautiful People
Sedated Times EP
Public Demand Records/Tuba!

The Beautiful People are the new up'n'coming band around Norway these. After showing their skills as a kicking live band last year, they won the Zoom 2003. Catch them live somewhere in Norway during March. Now they're presenting this 3 song debut EP. And it kicks!

The youngsters hail from Kristiansund (they formed in 2001 when attending the same high school, for musical studies) up on the western coast of Norway - a small city mainly recognised for its bacalao. The Beautiful People re-located to Oslo to take on the path leading towards a glittering life of pop/rock. And the bratish quartet could make it, because this EP is quite impressing. The boys in the band have come up with five names they claim to be of great inspiration to their music (an imaginary 5-part destillate sort of summing up what they're up to): The Velvet Underground, Kraftwerk, Stereolab, Joy Division and Broder Daniel (Sweden). Well, I mmight agree to the latter (and maybe some sexy Joy Division-ish bass lines), but these ears recognise more like mid 70s punky'n'punchy'n'poppy attitude a la New York Dolls and to recent years retro wave lead by the Strokes, with a slight touchdown in the 80s - touching, flirting with the half-gothic/tougher new-romantics new-wave style.

"Every Day" opens the troika of songs, being a punchy and catchy tune. Presenting a talented singer Ådne Meisfjord, who's got a voice not far from Julian Casablancas' (hence the Strokes reference). "Fucked Myself Up (on a Friday night)" shows a togher band, and it really rocks with its rough guitars blended perfectly with the keyboards and the rhythm section, and with a street-wise, screaming voice on top. Neat. The title track "Sedated Times" is more of an up-beat ballad, and again I come to think of the Strokes. Briefly. Mainly due to the sound of the vocals. With its extension leading it to 6 minutes 20 seconds, it's by far the longest track. And leaving us (at least me) keen on wanting more.

The EP is recorded by Emil Nikolaisen (of Serena Maneesh and Silver), and he's been doing quite a good job (in legendary Spendless Studio, Oslo). There's been a big fuss (wall-to-wall hype) about Silver these days. Well, I don't get it. The gold goes to The Beautiful Pepole.

Copyright © 2004 Håvard Oppøyen