Stream Peter Bjorn & John's Living Thing

March 23, 2009

Stream Peter Bjorn & John's Living Thing • The Swede poppers made headlines for the wrong reasons at SXSW, but the new album remains a charming departure from Writer's Block. Try the Graceland-nodding title track, dig on the rest at MySpace.

Posted at 12:10 PM
Tags: Bjorn Yttling | Peter Bjorn And John | Peter Morén

« Previous Post: SXSW 2009: GZA Joins The Black Lips

Next Post: Tool, Killers Added As Lolla Headliners »

10 Comments

the album is horrible

Posted by: scott at 03/23/09 12:27 PM | Reply
Score = 3

I second that.

Posted by: quwitter at 03/23/09 12:36 PM | Reply
Score = 2

yeah. man. i LOVED writer's block, but what the hell is this? hip hop collaborations go to their heads? there isn't a song on this thing that could match ANY good song on writer's block.

Posted by: at 03/23/09 2:16 PM | Reply
Score = 2

I disagree. Rather than take the predictable road and making 'Writer's Block II' (which is what I was expecting, and wasn't that excited about it) PB&J took a chance and completely changed their sound, not to hide weaker songs as some bands do, but to have a less monotonous discography. I really like the new album, and as far as melody and quality its just as good as Writers Block, maybe better considering Writers Block gets pretty boring towards the end.

Posted by: Brad Stengel

at 03/23/09 2:40 PM | Reply
Score = -2

More like Peter Bjorn and Yawn.

No but seriously, it's an ok album but certainly not deserving of any high praise (Then again, this style of music isn't my cup of tea.) I like "Living Thing" the best, although I feel it's very Hot Chip-y. The first couple of tracks I can see winning over the Depeche Mode crowd when they open for them later this summer.

Posted by: Michael_

at 03/23/09 3:02 PM | Reply
Score = 1

Just because an artist/group changes up style/format/tempo doesn't mean it should hold the album to a lower-standard based on the positives aspects of unpredictability. I think these guys made a conscious decision to be aesthetically unappealing, and I'm sure they'll soon reap the rewards of high-concept praise and extremely low sales.

Posted by: Quwitter at 03/23/09 5:23 PM | Reply
Score = 5

Yes, exactly. I'm tired of people defending mediocre music by saying that the band took a chance and tried something different. I have no problem with bands trying something different, but if it sucks, they shouldn't get a pass. Otherwise it's not really taking a chance.

Posted by: OLVE in reply to Quwitter's comment at 03/24/09 2:46 AM | Reply
Score = 2

who gives a shit about high-concept praise. the thing is, writers block was full of great melodies. living thing has at best mediocre melodies and at worst is a lame pandering to the trendy aesthetics of hipsterdom.

Posted by: scott at 03/23/09 7:24 PM | Reply
Score = 3

Apparently they really don't care about the young folks.

Posted by: Andrew at 03/24/09 12:55 AM | Reply
Score = 1

@Brad I completely disagree that they "took a chance and completely changed their sound." I think they're absorbing more, different trends, different eras, different influences, but it's all still packaged as PB&J, in my view. I hear some Paul Simon, some Lykke Li (since Bjorn is her producer), and unfortunately, some Justice.

http://is.gd/oSL7

Posted by: Liz at 03/25/09 9:23 AM | Reply
Score = 1