[sorry for the late post guys, but I'm making up for it in subject matter.]
Mando Diao is the best band I’ve never heard anything about.
What is wrong with the society that I live in that it forces me to go so long without hearing a thing about this amazing band? Thankfully, wikipedia can fill in the gaps of my ignorance.
I was exposed to them via last.fm and subsequently youtube, but I didn’t want to buy any of their albums online because I know that I always lose control when I buy music online. I went to three or four different record stores, none had any of their albums.
I went to Amoeba Berkeley yesterday and snagged their first three albums, their debut was on clearance for 1.99. I’m glad I waited. My Sunday is now filled with goodness.
Kicking off with a debut album in 2002, the Swedish band continues to release delectable garage rock till this day. Their fifth album was released this February, and even though I haven’t heard it yet I’m sure it’s just as good as what I’ve heard so far.
You know how The Hives are always hailed as the Swedish Strokes? I never thought that; if anything, The Hives remind me of The Vines. This band, however, sounds like The Swedish Libertines, especially because they have two front men.
Mando Diao has two lead singers, Björn Dixgård and Gustaf Norén. Gustaf sounds like Britt Daniel of Spoon, especially on “Paralyzed”. Bjorn sings in a more urgent manner, and sounds more like Pelle Almquvist of The Hives. Both singers reek of excellence.
On the band’s second and third albums, they really do start to sound like The Libertines, especially on Ode to Ochrasy. This is not to say that they copied the Libs, just that they write songs in the same vein, which of course, is good for us!
I really love bands who write songs in English even though it isn’t their native language, because they always manage to sing about overlooked concepts. Mando Diao even sing about the unibomber. Now that’s what I call innovative.
Get listening!
Mando Diao – Sheepdog [mp3]
from their debut, Bring ‘Em In (2002)
Mando Diao – G-d Knows [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
from their second full length, Hurricane Bar (2004)
this is probably my favourite album of theirs so far. it's so LISTENABLE.
Mando Diao – Long Before Rock n Roll [mp3]
from Ode to Ochrasy, the band’s third LP (2006)
"so play me a song from 1954"...I think this is a homage to The Beatles, the band that inspired Mando Diao to make music
[I’ll move on to their fourth and fifth albums soon!]
visit the band on MYSPACE, they're currently on tour in Europe
2 comments:
I absolutely love them! They really don't get the credit they deserve, but they are great. I don't remember how I heard of them, but I remember loving them as soon as I heard them =-)
damn it Jackie why don't we just live together? we have essentially the same taste and our music collections overlap 70 percent of the time.
you would need to leave LA though because I wouldn't ever live in Southern California. how 'bout we meet halfway and live in NY? ; )
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