The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Origin I
WEA

I can see in my local papers that this album - TSOOL's fourth - is hailed as a true classic without exception. Hmmm. The record sounds tight enough, uses the right ingredients and has the attitude but I expected them to be more playful than they sound to these ears. I mean, with a singer dressed in a long kirtle/tunic, you'd expect a bit more of that. And wasn't previous albums more fun to listen to?

The Soundtrack of Our Lives (TSOOL) has never been a groundbreaking band and their aim seems to be: Let's use ingredients from 40 years of rock history - especially 1967 to 1973 - and try to make brew that's NOT our own. It's a bit like listening to the last couple of Motorpsycho albums; guessing which band they are ripping off on this and that song... I mean, in TSOOLs case: "Transcendental Suicide" is "Pinball Wizard" meets the entire Who's Next album, "Bigtime" is a Hawkwind ripoff from here to eternity and "Royal Explosion" is that long lost Screaming Trees song that did not end up on Uncle Anesthesia. Clever.

Fellow Swedes Atomic Swing brought in Ronnie Spector to help out with their Bossanova Swap Meet back in -94, and now TSOOL has brought another legendary female singer to the mike for "Midnight Children", Jane Birkin (Ebbot is doing his best Serge Gainsbourg impersonation but it's nothing much than a nice try I'm afraid). I also easily get tired of his voice as well, he sounds grumpy and constrained throughout the album but that may be part of the package.

They are supposed to be a damn good live band, so hopefully I get a chance in a week or so to be proven wrong about my opinion on this album. And if not, I will be there to take a good look at their ancient instruments and gear.

Copyright © 2004 Pingo