Honest and easy-reading reviews of music, movies and books.

I Felt The Blues Just By The Things She Said

In Hurricane Bar, Mando Diao takes us back to Borlänge, their home town in Sweden.

According to the Mandos their 2004 album is not about putting down the place where they grew up, it's more like “you can leave the town, but it will always stay inside you.”

This one is not just more of Bring 'Em In, which I loved and think contained much of the initial uncontrolled fury of the band. Hurricane Bar is a more profound work. Melodies and lyrics show progress and there's a solid message here. The boys know they have the attention of more people now and they have refined the way they express their ideas.

Listening about lost chances, broken relationships, memoirs from school days, stupid politicians and a useless church makes me think that Borlänge inside is not a very happy one.

Once again, as in their previous full length release, Gustaf and Björn share the leading voice in the songs. God Knows finds them singing by parts.

So you live in a prison. So you’re wasting your life on a system you never will understand

You Can't Steal My Love makes me remember the old days with a funny but nostalgic reference to an eighties film. I wonder if this song talks about love stolen by the town, the people or both. With the danger of sounding like the emperor in Return of the Jedi I'd say I can feel the anger in this song.

The bass lines and guitars punching through most of the track and a lonely piano by the end complete the mood. Beautiful song.

Cut the Rope seems to be all about Mando Diao's success, with some touches about the people they left behind.

Added Family talks once again about a “town I know, where all who enters mutter and the head has bought a crown that doesn’t fit.”

And the brothers that couldn’t get away. Well they got beaten up and thrown in jail

All My Senses is one of my favorite tracks. It has an acoustic guitar that reminds me of The Beatles' Things We Said Today and Björn's voice telling us about failed love. Organ and backing chorus add to the experience. I enjoy its beatleish sound and never get enough of it.

Clean Town contains extremely contagious guitar riffs and Jeanette is a story of betrayal and jealousy. Modern days gospel, choruses included.

The melodies and overall concept in this album show more passion, more thought and direction than the band's debut did, although you need that one in your collection too; it's fascinating noticing how some years to think, good music and success affect a young band.

Do I like Hurricane Bar? You bet I do! I've been listening to it during the last couple of years and I'm eager to know what's next in Mando Diao career.

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