377) The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Behind the Music

I am sat on the couch, and the better half is across from me, headphones are on and she is talking to me. She gets annoyed but she gets much more annoyed when she comes in the house and I have my music coming through the speakers as she said recently, “where did you get your terrible taste in music from?”

Anyway, headphones are off and she asks me who is it this time and I tell her it’s my first time reviewing a Swedish band,  “is it ABBA, as it’s about time you did something decent.”

I explain that no it’s The Soundtrack of Our Lives and am met with “never bloody heard of them,”  I don’t tell her that neither have I.

The six-piece band released six albums over sixteen years before disbanding in 2012 although they have been reunited since 2023 but with no recent music. Behind The Music was their third album which broke them internationally with Noel Gallagher claiming it was the best album he had heard in years (I will not hold that against them).

First listen I am going with the Stones Beggars Banquet era especially on Sister Surround (the way the guitars build on the drums and then the low key entrance of lead singer Ebbot Lundberg before he lets rip half way through) but the record opens with the in your face Infra Riot, aye aye I may like this.

This is a band who clearly love The Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd but they are all clearly talented musicians and can make the songs their own whilst you nod along to their influence, the instrumental break in Mind the Gap is magical and why not call your song 21^st Century Rip Off when you want to show your influences.

Ballads Someone Elses Mind, Broken Imaginary Time and Tonight are actually best through the headphones let them soak in, beautifully sung and paced, exactly right.

Nevermore is one of those songs that lodges in your head but not in an annoying way and Independent Luxury is just clever.

Still Aging listen to what’s going on in the background and the drums propel The Flood and we end with Into the Next on a truly excellent album.

I went on line to buy this record I enjoyed it so much but it’s now on the list as is a tad expensive, anyone know one of those people who sort reissues? Please have a listen.

8,75/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Sister Surround