Pelle Carlberg: In A Nutshell
Yet another act gets in on the ‘Sweetish’ invasion
Given the wry, winsome sound of Arctic Circle acts like Peter Bjorn & John, The Shout Out Louds and Jens Lekman, it’s funny to think Scandinavians were once better known for dour existentialism (think Bergman ?lms) than sunny indie-pop. But the Sweetish invasion continues on Pelle Carlberg’s sophomore disc. Full of swooning, bubbly tunes, the album’s 11 songs swish by in a blur of bright electric guitars, bouncy brass and tumbling melodies. But it’s not all sugar—“I Love You, You Imbecile” and “Why Do Today What You Can Put Off Until Tomorrow?” both showcase Carlberg’s Morrissey-esque lyrical sensibility. It all makes for a lovely listen but, unfortunately, it doesn’t make for much else. Nutshell does little to distinguish itself from the work of similarly pleasant fair-haired folk-poppers like Nicolai Dunger, Sondre Lerche, Kings of Convenience, Loney Dear—you get the idea.