Swedish pop act the Concretes have been through much tribulation before the release of their third full-length album, “Hey Trouble.”
Victoria Bergman, co-founder and lead vocalist of the band dropped out of the group after a cancelled USA tour due to personal issues and problems with the other members.
It has been a bumpy road but now the band is back, and the difficult times have definitely colored the album. Lisa Milberg has taken the step up from the drums to become the new lead vocalist of the band.
The aptly named “Hey Trouble” is darker and denser, and the overall sound is much more mechanical. The catchy melodies are still there, but they are buried and hidden beneath tapestries of distorted keyboards and delirious reverb.
“Hey Trouble” is a more melancholy album, yet that doesn’t distract from its beauty. “A Whales Heart” is the gem of the record, a perfect balance of careful arrangements, a lulling baseline, and just the right amount of grit and dirt in the sound.
“Getting drunk is as good as it gets, and once you’re in the ocean, you are already wet,” Milberg sings with a dreamy voice – and something magical happens.
The following track “Kids” is a rough-and-tumble nostalgic piece about the music you love, a reoccurring theme that the Concretes write about.
“Oh Boy” is the only real up-tempo pop song on the album, and even though it might be lonely, it does it so very well. It has a vibrant, danceable beat and the alarming guitars are wonderful.
It is unfortunate that the record comes off as slightly hesitant and a little bit worried. Some of the slower tracks come off like fillers, and even though individual songs (such as “A Whales Heart”) are great, the over arching performance is a little bit lacking.
Nothing is distinctly wrong, but at the same time, there is a lack of hooks that otherwise have become so synonymous with the Concretes.
“Hey Trouble” will be released on June 4 in the UK on the band’s own label, Licking Fingers.