release date: Jan. 26, 2009
format: cd (TBL 125)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Adrian Aurelius & Mellemblond
label: Auditorium / A:larm - nationality: Denmark
Track highlights:
1."Lyd over land" -
2. "Alle veje" -
3. "Ishånd" -
4. "Minder om lys" -
6. "Jeg rør' dig ikke mer' " -
8. "Lille fugl" -
12. "Dråbeglans"
Studio album debut by the Danish band Mellemblond following one year after the 5-track ep debut Mellemblond was actually pretty well-received - at least in the Danish press. The audience and the radio stations have not read the reviews, I guess, 'cause you hardly ever heard the album on any stations, which is really sad but that's how it is, and that's how it's always been in tiny Denmark: The established names [have labels to pay to] get airplay - the rest are too strange, undefined, and lack similarities with international names, or whatever motifs reason this attitude. Anyhow, two of the tracks (#3 and #6) are also found on the debut ep.
My first impression of this album was rather bland but I rapidly changed mind to really like it. An initial verdict had me settled on 'interesting' and a mediocre 2,5 to 3 stars. Then after less than two months I was much more generous and rated the album 3,5 out of 5. They have a distinct style, and despite the simplistic and deliberate lo-fi production sound - which adds a garage rock feel to it - it really suits the songs in a way that makes me think of the legendary Danish band Steppeulvene and their 1967 debut Hip - also thanks to singer (and main composer) and guitarist Kristoffer Munck Mortensen's vocal - in a mix with early Dire Straits and great swamp rockers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, although, that's not suffice as the music is highly original despite the bonds to the past.
This was the first album I listened to by Mellemblond.
Not their best but more than fine.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]
