Bring 'em In

by

Mando Diao

Edit

When I heard the first single "Sheepdog", as most who buy this album will have, I thought I was buying another Hives album. That's cool, I like the Hives, one more Hives isn't a bad thing. What I found upon closer inspection, a.k.a listening to the album, is that I had bought something quite unlike the Hives. The Hives I think, and many I know agree, play a style of punk music with a 21st century Mod twist. Mando Diao do just the opposite. This album is not a purely punk exercise by any stretch of the imagination. It is a bit rough in places, rough being punkishly edgy, but in most places it is smooth, flowing Modish rock. Not Michael Bolton smooth rock, but a kind of happier, Strokes style rock with less droning, and better lyrics. It also manages to capture a early 60's bluesy feel in some spots, as well as a oddly European Motown flavor. Yeah, try and figure that one out.

All in all, I liked this album immediately. I didn't have to work at it, I didn't have to fight past the single. I listened to the whole album right out of the case. Every song is great, I expect great stuff from these guys. If you like music buy this.

On this first effort "Bring'em in" from this swedish band MANDO DIAO, these guys play noisy, raw and energetic music, you can notice they are excited for having their first recording. They could become the Artic Monkeys from Scandinavia except that they were very young at that time and didn't have the right direction. Compared to Libertines, Hives or White Stripes they didn't were a breaktrough in the American continent. Eventhough I didn't really liked this CD, I still admit they do good music and they improved through the years (listen to the bit different GIVE ME FIRE last release including track "Dance with somebody"), they evolved into a more dance oriented. I will go and buy the latest releases and just leave this first CD for fans. I will give it a 2.5 if I could.