Customer Reviews

Nouvelle

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Club 8 was formed in 1995 by Karolina Komstedt (from the band Poprace) and Johan Angergård (Acid House Kings, Poprace). Its about boy / girl teen romance. Obviously many critics dismiss it out of hand. But to me, Mr. Whimsey, its great to hear the slight sweet voice of Karolina singing about young love. With sooo much pain in rock and life, who cant like something like a parfait of music.

Club 8 is a pop band from Sweden that started in the mid 90s when Poprace's Karolina Komstedt and Acid House Kings' Johan Angergård came together. The guy writes the songs and lyrics, and the girl graces most of the songs with her hushed wispy voice. Sometimes they do a duet together and a few songs the guy goes it alone.

This first offering from the duo is noticeably lacking in the lush reverb that arrives in later albums. Recorded in 1995, the sound is slightly dated, ranging from a Smiths-like "Those Charming Men" (albeit without Johnny Marr's chords but with similar, individually picked guitar notes) to early distorted Primitives "I guess I was wrong." Komstedt's singing sounds a bit stiff, but that too will soon change.

Along the way, prim and economical lines of trumpet, vibraphone, and organ are sprinkled throughout the album.

Lyrically, the magic of Club 8 is already surfacing. What is the magic? It is Karolina singing Johan Angergård's lyrics and *making* it her own.

"Stupid girl
Those Charming men won't look at me.
I'm not blond enough
But I still believe in love.

How could I be so wrong?
It wasn't my time."

(Those Charming Men)

I mean, what girl hasn't secretly thought these lines at one time or another?

Some of the sweetest moments occur when the two get together for alternating duets: "Look Out!" and the gently bickering "Girlfriend." (bonus track)

"Before I came"(bonus track) closes the set with bossa nova congas and a hint at the polished style Club 8 will soon develop.