There's a real argument that Sweden is the home of Great Pop Rock. There rarely seems to be a bad Guitar album from there and the Pop? Well Wow! Yet when us English speakers bang out the end of year thoughts, the country and associated artists get few column inches. I mean the artists provide gems in your own language, so how about a bit more recognition.
Sweden excels particularly in two areas of Pop. Noisy Guitar or chipper chirpy hook laden affairs. Last Days Of April certainly don't do the former and only occasionally the latter. They specialise in atmospheric, beautiful sounding songs that grab you in and lock the doors in your head.
Karl Larsson is a fantastic songwriter and the band as a collective do a fantastic job in making these into wonderful songs and pure soundscapes. This is the band's tenth album and it has been a long six years since the last, Sea Of Clouds.
Even The Good Days Are Bad is a cracking listen. The front half is all laid back and hook laden with those killer arrangements. The title track is Pastoral Pop at its finest, Run Run Run is all Lloyd Cole and Had Enough has a weeping hook on a song that borders McCartney territory.
Turbulence reminds me a lot of another of our favourites, Out Of My Hair. It may be the best song on the album although the competition is stiff. The second half of the album picks up the pace. Alone is an Indy joy, rockier, but you are only ever gonna be rocked gently thankfully.
Hopeless is top notch with Psych Pop bursting to get out, but the pop sensibilities holding it back. Anything Shows the band's Power Pop chops to great effect. All in all, Even The Good Days Are Bad is a perfect Spring album and one of the best that you will hear this year.
The album is released on 7 May. You can pre order the download and get two tracks now here. You can pre order the CD now here and from all good Record shops.
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