The first time I heard Sambassadeur I fell head over heels. I am still a little sore. In spring 2004, Ice and Snow was a wonderful song by an unknown band yet not signed to a record label. Acknowledgements in indie fanzines were followed up by gigs at pop clubs. Sambassadeur's first EP Between the Lines was released on Labrador Records one year later. The title track was lovely. The hallmarks of Sambassadeur were unsually great lyrics and beautiful melodies. Everyone can probably relate to a text line like it's my favorite song but I don't like the crowd. Sambassadeur soon released their second EP New Moon and the self-titled debut album.
Sambassadeur now returns with a new EP. The title Coastal Affairs, the beautiful cover and the girl name theme make me think of The Field Mice. Sambassadeur do, indeed, sound cute and sweet on this EP. To my disappointment, the song is divided as usual between Anna Persson and Daniel Permbo. I am in love with Anna's voice, but Daniel is a very mediocre singer who never manages to touch me at all. I wish that Anna would sing on every track.
Nevertheless, the first song Kate tells that something is different now. Where previously clear there would only be one voice per song, Anna and Daniel both sing on Kate. The intro of Think Nothing of It sounds very much like the intro of Song for the Songs by The Concretes, but overall Sambassadeur mainly sounds like themselves with a more developed sound. As far as I am concerned, they could have excluded the boring Think Nothing of It, but all is forgiven when third track Marie starts playing.
It is soon time to prepare for the last exams of this semester. It is good to have bands like Sambassadeur when the anxiety starts coming. I leave the lecture at the break, lie down on the grass in the park, put on the headphones and dream about Kate, Marie and Claudine. I feel relaxed and the burden is eased for a moment.
It is finally spring and Sambassadeur are here again. Welcome back into my life, I have missed you so.
(Originally published on May 3, 2006)
No comments:
Post a Comment