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Moonbabies, At the Ballroom

reviewed by dave heaton

The Swedish duo Moonbabies has long displayed a knack for melody and keen production sense, an interest in Phil Spector-style wall of sound and future-looking electronic touches. But all of that has never coalesced quite as seamlessly as on their new album At the Ballroom. This is ready-for-prime-time Moonbabies, with the production and instrumentation always in service of the songs: not standing out at first, bit definitely so the closer you listen.

Their interest in new sounds and knowledge of pop/rock history are on full display, but bowing in deference to the songs themselves, which are friendly and breezy yet also have the state presence suggested by the title. "War on Sound" is a winning single: an extremely likable ode to Sunday morning recovery, with a nice big hook. But there's other melodies just as fetching, and sounds too; I love the vocal trade-off in "Take Me to the Ballroom"; the synth groove of "Don't You Know?"; the cinematic ballroom-twirl of "Cocobell" (its chorus "we have all the time in the world" seeming so appropo for such a swooning, detailed-filled soundscape); the way "Walking on My Feet" reaches that same stuck-in-time feeling, but in a folksinger milieu; how "Shout It Out" starts with a classic pop into ("And Then He Kissed Me," essentially) before sliding into newer harmonic folk-pop territory.

That leaves just a few more songs, and they're just as good, bringing the album to a dynamic close with sounds both dreamy and explosive. "This is the sound of happiness," the last song begins with, though the tone at first is blue. On this album, whatever feeling Moonbabies strive for, they hit just right.

{www.parasol.com


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