Layourbattleaxedown
Before the Concretes' "Say Something New" became a jingle for those acid-dipped Target commercials, it served as a mission statement for the eight-piece Swedish collective. In their case, saying something new meant taking something old - the Velvet Underground's stark production, the Supremes' lush harmonies,Mazzy Star'shighly effective sleeping pills (plus whatever band first popularized the glockenspiel's glocking glockenspiels) - and inverting it with a fuzzy pop twist. Working backward,Layourbattleaxedowncompiles most of the early recordings, rarities and b-sides leading up to and around the release of the Concretes' self-titled 2004 album. The melodies may not be as distinct as they are on the proper release but the mood is perfect, all haunting drones, drifting ballads and singer Victoria Bergsman's ice-melting voice. A particular triumph is the mariachi tinged opener, "Forces," followed closely the bewitching "Lady December." Best of all, though, is the cover version of the Rolling Stones disco classic "Miss You," possibly even more subversive and serene thanCat Power'sminimalist take on "Satisfaction."--Aidin Vaziri