The Tor Guides “Backwards In Reverse”
Swedish musician Torbjorn Pettersson has once again delivered a collection of compelling songs with a melodic sensibility rooted in the McCartney and Brian Wilson school of pop. Torbjorn has eased up on the obvious homage to his heroes, and the production techniques are much more subtle than his past work. In fact, you could label this as “mellow pop.”
“To Be” opens up the set with an uplifting AOR melody that gently flows from its minor chords and Torbjorn’s understated vocal. “In A Good Place” is a slow shimmering ballad that evokes The Beach Boys, with its layered guitars and piano rhythm. Fans of the recent Pearlfishers will find that this Tor Guides album has a similar vibe.
The tempo and energy jump with a cover of Pilot’s “Just A Smile” and on “My Hippie Mess,” the song speaks to all fans of late ‘60s pop. Overall a very pleasant melodic oasis in today’s chaotic world. It’s a great place to stay for a while, so check it out.
The Zags “The Cliff”
The Zags lead singer David Ricardo’s songwriting approach is straight power pop with some ‘80s and ‘90s stylistic techniques. “No Go” is a good start with its catchy rhythm and bouncy verses. From there we go to “A World Away,” a previously released tune that remains a most impressive and memorable single.
“Neither/Nor” adds woodwinds to the hook and “Put A Record On” speaks to the current state of music where he pretends he’s Billy Shears, but “no one’s listening anymore.” Another stand out here is “(We Will Be) Awesome.” The song perfectly expresses the frustration and hope of a new band where we “keep at this thing until we graduate.” The theatrical “Catalina Serafina” is another gem, with a some nice “ba ba ba” harmonies. As a whole, the album is a little inconsistent, but there are enough good tracks here to make it music that deserves to be heard.