Mando Diao: Ode To Ochrasy

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Elly Roberts reviews

Mando Diao: Ode To Ochrasy
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NetwerkCover

  • April 2007
  • Rating: 2/10

By the time a band has reached its third album, it should know its musical direction.

Evidently, this Swedish quintet has no idea. They clearly need a good talking to.Being big in Austria and Switzerland is no big deal. At least they have managedthat, but as we all know, our continental friends have very, how I shall put it,odd tastes in music.

Boasting a huge tracklisting of 18 songs, Mando Diao’s Ode To Ochrasyis a, mostly, pulsating romp of hi-NRG indie pop tunes. Having already supportedBrit band Dirty Pretty Things, this their third release, builds on their huge appealin native Sweden and mainland Europe, hitting number 1 in Austria, 3 in Germany,and Top 5 in Sweden and Switzerland. Therefore, hope of cracking the UK in abig way might be beyond them altogether.

Like so many before, angst-ridden ‘youngsters’ fail to keep their longevity inperspective. Having said that, The Who managed it, but they caught the generation’sattention with great singles, which aren’t anywhere to be seen. Mando Diao’s agendawas to avoid the prevalent metal and stoner-rock routes, instead going for moremelody, and bit of soul. Good move, but they still come across as nothing morethan an average indie outfit.The outcome is a bit of a mess, as the songs are poor, unless you’re a pubescentteenager trying to be hip.

Formatting an album is also an art, and this isn’twell done either. Incredibly they cite broad influences such as Dolly Parton,Phil Spector, The Kinks, The Shirelles, which is supposed to be reflected intheir music. Mhh. Sorry boys, you’re way off target: they had talent.

The band’s singer, well, if you call him a singer, does a pretty good wild scream-hollerand nothing more, except on a couple of songs. Banging a thunderous beat, WelcomeHome has some promising moments in an Arctic Monkeys sort of way, with echoedguitar licks to keep you interested. A more frenetic Killer Kaczynski turnsup the heat, if you like that sort of messy pop-rock. Some semblance of a songappears on Long Before Rock’n’Roll with it’s long running La La La La’s.

A better constructed, and even tuneful The Wildfire is pleasant enough andone of the few, and I mean few, highlights. The next three are dire. A more adventurousTV & Me would make a decent single. Josephine sees the foot off the accelerator,thankfully. A melodic and simple ballad, segued by string drenched The New Boy. Is this the same band I thought?

Back to, well, you know, chaotic romps on Morning Paper Dirt. Rockabillyinfused Good Morning Herr Horst is a rollicking bit of fun so is thepopier (and tuneful) Song For Aberdeen. Again, what’s this? A little gem?Guitar and singer perfectly matched for wandering ballad,

Ochrasy with either Dixgard or Noren doing a fine job on lead vocals. They thengo and spoil things with trashy San Francisco Boy, though they manage topull it back, and only just, with the next song. Ending a very confusing album,acoustic guitar and singer roll out a nice little tune about jazz master ChetBaker.

Strip away the rubbish, and there’s lots of it; they might have a half decentalbum, just.

Mando Diao need to sort themselves out, and quickly.

Weblink:netwerk.com

The full list of tracks included are :

1. Welcome Home, Luc Robitaille
2. Killer Kaczynski
3. Long Before Rock’n’Roll
4. The Wildfire ( If It Was True)
5. You Don’t Understand Me
6. Tony Zoulias ( Lustful Life)
7. Amsterdam
8. TV & Me
9. Josephine
10. The New Boy
11. Morning Paper Dirt
12. Good Morning, Herr Horst
13. Song For Aberdeen
14. Ochrasy
15. San Francisco Boy (bonus track)
16. With Or Without Love (bonus track)
17. Moonshine Fever (bonus track)
18. Chet Baker (bonus track)

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