Published on Apr 13, 1999
The Merrymakers are a Swedish power pop duo, Anders Hellgren and
David Myhr, that seem to love the genre so much that they have come
up with an eclectic CD that almost sounds like a collection of the
history of power pop. Their third CD is called
Bubblegun, and that is an appropriate title since the music
is very sweet and melodic, but hints that all is not sweetness and
light in their universe.
The first song of the set is called “Saltwater Drinks” and it is
an ultra catchy, but slightly dippy pop confection, The next song
and first single “Troubled Times” is more serious and has more of a
nineties feel without losing its poppiness. “Under The Light Of The
Moon” sounds like a lost track from either Squeeze or Crowded
House. “Monkey In The Middle” is a bittersweet Paul McCartneyesque
midtempo ballad about alienation. Then “Superstar” comes in as a
sarcastic Goo Goo Dolls type of rocker.
So, in just the first five songs, you can see how the sound and
mood changes. I could go on about the combinations of different
influences they put on this CD, but I’ll let you buy it and have
fun playing name that tune. For the most part, they seem to favor
seventies and eighties groups like ELO, Queen, Squeeze, and
Jellyfish, but there is also a nod to older bands, as well as bands
from the present.
The Jellyfish influence makes sense since Andy Sturmer from that
band plays drums, co-wrote two songs, and produced several cuts for
Bubblegun. In fact, one of the songs he co-wrote called
“Sad” sounds so much like Jellyfish that it should be considered
for inclusion on a Jellyfish greatest hits collection.
There is no doubt that the Merrymakers love pop, but they are
also not above making fun of it to some extent. “I’m In…Love!”
pokes fun of the “All You Need Is Love” mentality in pop music, as
it is about a guy who doesn’t care that he is starving and wanted
by the police because he has found love. There are also some
stylistic parodies such as lifting a piano part straight from the
ABBA song, “Money, Money, Money”, a nod to Sweden’s most popular
musical export.
The American release of
Bubblegun includes a second CD with five songs from their
debut
No Sleep ‘Til Famous, which made them stars in Japan but was
never released in the states. The production is a little more
intricate here, and the ELO and Queen influences are particularly
strong, especially on the ballads “Smiling In The Sky” and “Shine
Your Light On Me”. The opening song “Monument Of Me” shows off
their sarcastic side, and “Don’t Tell Me” is a dead ringer for an
early to mid-period Beatles song.
One thing is for sure,
Bubblegun is a must-have CD for power pop fans, whether you
are a fan of modern or retro pop. The Merrymakers are yet another
Swedish band that makes classic pop. The music is well crafted, and
what it lacks in originality, it makes up for it with killer hooks
and a wry sensibility. This is definitely bubblegum music that is
so strong, it won’t lose its flavor.