No, listening to this band won’t help you learn Swedish. It might, however, inspire you to skip instead of walk, maybe clap your heels together as you jump in the air excitedly. Drawing on the shimmering indie pop of fellow Swedes the Cardigans and I’m From Barcelona (not to mention ABBA), Swedish for Beginners make music so sweet and earnest it should come with a warning: LISTENING TO THIS WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO HUG EVERYONE!
The brainchild of vocalist/songwriter Johan Signert, SFB was conceived as a solo project back in 2006, but quickly evolved into a full band. The current line-up comprises 7 members—including 5 vocalists, giving the band its trademark lush, cartoon-y vocals (think the Polyphonic Spree meets the Powerpuff Girls song.) Add bouncy bass lines, jangly guitars, and a fresh-faced innocence so rare in pop these days—and you have their debut album, the delightfully carefree Facts and Fabrications.
Listening to this album is like eating an ice cream sundae on your birthday, while streamers and confetti fall around you. “My pretty little head” is a gleeful pop gem that uses “shoo bops” and major chords to insist everything will be alright, while “The city is not for me” has already been tearing up Swedish charts with its giddy harmonies and exuberant xylophones. I’m not even going to comment on “Happy factory”—the name says it all.
Of course, that’s not to say these songs are all vapid pop constructions; underneath their joyous exteriors, many incorporate undertones of something darker. “Magical machines” might be full of whimsy—but it also contains a warning about the dangers of technological exploration. “Human leftovers” and “No match for a gun” cast similar messages—Signert, in general, seems somewhat skeptical of technology, especially when it facilitates violence.
Luckily, these harrowing themes don’t detract from the album’s pop sensibilities—but rather work to lend the spirited septet some depth. It won’t be long before they blow up big time—check them out now so you can brag you heard them first!
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