The Concretes "In Colour" (Astralwerks)
By Peter A. Holden
Wednesday. May 24, 1:50 PM
Confident and proud, even if seemingly fragile in tonal character.

I think the American music media makes a big deal out of Scandinavian bands coming to the forefront, playing off the arrival of bands from Norway, Denmark, Sweden, or Iceland as an anomaly to be marveled at. Maybe it has something to do with English not being a first language, or just that most Americans tend to think of snow and reindeer when they imagine anything Scandinavian. I think this country really suffers from a backward xenophobia that both marvels at and recoils from foreigners who do anything in the English language. Wake up call, America: Scandinavian countries helped form the basis of the culture and language that the founding fathers employed (look up “Dark Age England and the Viking invasions” for further reading). Besides, what difference does it make? Great music is great music, you don’t always need a gimmick to affix to something in order to like it.

Okay, all that was a roundabout way of saying that The Concretes’ newest disc is inherently lovable, enjoyable, and smoothly quirky. It doesn’t require an extra association or any other attachments. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, you’d never be able to tell if it was from Europe or the Lower East Side.

In Colour is a happy pop ride through pleasantry. It’s really that simple. It follows in much the same vein as previous releases Layyourbattleaxedown and the self-titled record, but manages to continue to grow and change and show depth of style. It is easy to listen to and chill to. Not very eloquent of me, I know, but picture sitting out on a sunny summer day with a couple friends, a few beers, and a field of people. Way off in the distance there’s a couple dudes tossing a Frisbee, and nearby an old man walks his terrier. It’s a quiet summer day album and will stir mellow happy emotions.

Musically, The Concretes have again managed to add light delicacy and patience to a world often too eager to scintillate and titillate. There’s a gentle, groovy sexiness to “Your Call” and “Fiction;” a honkey-tonk, down home goodness on “Change in the Weather” and “Ooh La La;” a lullaby air to the “Tomorrow.” There’s a breadth to this disc that’s somehow consistent yet more refined that anything we’ve heard from The Concretes as of yet. It’s an explosion of appropriately placed instrumentation and ornamentation colored by patience and development. Explosion, because it’s confident and proud, even if seemingly fragile in tonal character.

The Concretes are more Emmy Lou Harris than Abba. Way more Belle & Sebastian than A-Ha. So put an end to your stereotypes and fixations, America, and grab hold of something you haven’t heard before.
www.theconcretes.com
www.astralwerks.com

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Peter A. Holden

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