HELSINKI/LJUSDAL/UTRECHT - TDR reviews another album, this time it’s Per’s new album “Son of a Plumber,” an album made with the same musicians as Per’s Swedish hit album “Mazarin,” but now in English and as a double-CD. Enjoy!

Visa: This time in our review team we have three Gessle fans: Thomas Evensson, TDR news editor from Ljusdal, Sweden; Colin van der Bel, TDR forum moderator from Utrecht, the Netherlands; and myself, Visa Kopu, TDR editor-in-chief from Helsinki, Finland. Unfortunately Judith Seuma wasn’t able to join us this time, since she’s visiting the home country of the plumber and his son.

Thomas: Wow, so finally it’s here. And a double too. I take credit for the vinyl. Ha ha! At least Per sounded genuinely intrigued when I mentioned it to him. But who knows, he may have had the plan already.

Visa: Funny about this double-CD thing… Per says he wanted this album to feel like an old-time LP where you had to switch the side in the middle. With the CDs, it’s totally artificial since the whole album, all 24 songs and the bonus tracks, would’ve fit on one disc.

Colin: 2 CDs, well I guess it brings back the vinyl experience back a bit, though a double-sided disc would’ve been even more effective for that (though not that practical). Still, the vinyl version is a double set… should it have been four CDs then?

LP 1:



1. Drowning In Wonderful Thoughts About Her

Thomas: This is about as up-tempo the album gets. Great starter and a cool title.

Visa: The first song tells what this album is all about: a time travel to the ’60s and ’70s. Ever figured out what Christoffer says in the beginning of the song?

Colin: This song gets pretty close to the “up-tempo TWATG-like stuff”. Still, it’s got the ’60s sound which is everywhere in this album. Wonderful album starter!

2. Jo-Anna Says

Thomas: A wonderful first single, one of my three first choices. Very McCartney and the Beatles. A hit if I ever heard one. “I’m a Lennon man myself,” Per said, commenting on the song. Jo-Anna is in more than a few of the songs on the album.

Visa: I agree, this is a great song, at least when you’re a cultivated Gessle fan. However, I can imagine that for “normal” people this may be a little too much of a ever-so-catchy pop tune. But I love it anyway!

Colin: The first time I heard this song I couldn’t believe it. It’s Per, yet in a whole new way… Even better than before! Excellent choice for a single, let’s hope it’ll be released internationally - they don’t come any more catchy than this one!

3. I Have A Party In My Head (I Hope It Never Ends)

Visa: This song reminds me of 1994 when “Crash! Boom! Bang!” came out. Nobody thought a song with a title like that would be a ballad. This title sounds like a dance chart hit. But the song certainly isn’t one. By the way, Per has said this is his favorite on this album and that it turned out just like he wanted it. This is one of my favorites as well.

Thomas: When I first heard this one I thought “oh no, not pan flutes…” (actually a recorder) but that was just my initial reaction, now this song is one of my many favorites on this album. Like Visa I expected a song similar to the ones of “The World According to Gessle,” but, like Visa, I was pleasantly surprised.

Colin: With this title I too genuinly expected something more like “Let’s Party,” but it was more like an old hippie playing a flute. It reminds me a little bit of neo-folk music.

Visa: Neo-folk? Is that a musical genre?

4. C’mon

Thomas: Not one of my favorites, although it has grown considerably on me. The melody is excellent, but I have a slightly hard time getting over the falsetto. Still a good single choice.

Visa: There are many other songs on this album that would’ve made better singles. But I guess falsetto singing is hip now, just listen to Robbie Williams and his recent single “Tripping.”

Colin: I think like everyone I had to play it a few times to get used to the falsetto voice. But once you’re used to it, it’s a great song. I would’ve made “Jo-Anna Says” a regular single though, and not a double.

5. Week With Four Thursdays

Thomas: Ah yes, the first instrumental, this one actually has a sister - “Week With Four Tuesdays” - they totally have captured the feeling from the Swedish hotels during the late ’60s and early ’70s. This comes from one who barely was born at the time though! Ha ha! Beautiful little piece with nice keyboards.

Visa: What do you mean with a sister? That Per has recorded that song as well?

Thomas: Yes, I’ve seen some titles that were left off the album.

Visa: I wasn’t even born yet in the ’70s, let alone visited Swedish hotels so I can’t tell how well the feeling was captured, but I could imagine this song played in a movie during the opening credits…

Colin: This is really nice ambiance music. And yes, I think it would perfectly fit into the soundtrack of the movie “The Virgin Suicides.”

6. Hey Mr DJ (Won’t You Play Another Love Song)

Visa: Another song with the “Crash! Boom! Bang!” effect. The title “Hey Mr DJ” sounds like a dance song, but this is more of a ballad.

Thomas: According to Per this is a country pastiche. Sorry Per, but I don’t hear it. To me this is 99% Burt Bacharach, and it’s gorgeous. A duet with Helena at that, their voices complete each other wonderfully. It smells early ’70s, it smells TV-shows, it’s absolutely brilliant. We’ll see if it ends up as a single like the record sleeve claims…

Colin: This is one of my favorites. Actually, one of the best duets Per has written ever! The title reminded me of a Madonna song: “Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on, I wanna dance with my baby…” I love Helena’s voice, hers and Per’s go together so perfectly!

Visa: One of my favorites as well. It would be nice to see it released as a single. I love the beginning of the song with only Helena singing. Did you know that Backstreet Boys has a song called “Hey Mr. DJ (Keep Playin’ This Song)”. You didn’t? I wish I didn’t either.

7. Late, Later On

Thomas: The first real ballad on the first CD (or “LP” as these aren’t CDs according to Philips). A beautiful song that even I like the lyrics of. You who read my works know that I’m not a lyrics man. Lots of Helena in this one. Lots of acoustic instruments too.

Visa: Wonderful song with wonderful lyrics. You can hear the influence of Christoffer Lundquist in the choice of instruments. He’s all about acoustic instruments anyway.

Colin: A song which to me seems a bit more Roxette than the rest - and yes, beautiful lyrics.

8. Ronnie Lane

Visa: The second instrumental on the album. Helena is actually singing, but I guess it can be said that her voice is used as one of the instruments since there are no real lyrics. A very short, one-minute track which paves the way for the up-tempo Junior Suite.

Thomas: I have to say this song is absolutely horrible. I assume that Helena is just singing what she feels, all according to instructions, but I’m sad to say it only hurts my ears.

Colin: Like the other instrumental ones, I really like this song. Movie music!

The Junior Suite:

9. Are You An Old Hippie, Sir?

Thomas: Ha ha, I really like this, Per is probably the old hippie he sings about. And this song incorporates the nice ba-da-ba-ba-ba theme that runs through the entire album.

Visa: Now this is a happy Gessle-song with stupid lyrics. But that’s what we all love, don’t we?

Colin: Most songs on this album have more complicated lyrics than what we are used from Per. But like Visa said, this is back to the simple power rock stuff! Too bad it’s only so short!

10. Double-headed Elvis

Thomas: More falsetto. This is the fabled falsetto blues Per mentioned in the TDR-interviews earlier this year. Not bad but also not a favorite.

Visa: A strange song. There are many little sounds played in the background I don’t like for some reason. I wouldn’t have minded if this song had been left out.

Colin: Strange music and lyrics… Somebody please explain?

11. Something In The System

Thomas: This is probably written for Roxette or another project, but ended up here. Nice up-tempo number, well all of the songs in the Junior Suite are fast, but still. Cool keyboard and the lyrics fit the melody very well.

Visa: Yes, this sounds like Roxette. But unfortunately not Roxette at their best. Maybe the fans of “7Twenty7” will like this song as well, but I don’t.

12. Speed Boat To Cuba

Thomas: Another rocker. Jo-Anna is in this one as well. She tells him that he’s still not the one. And never will be. I like it, but like “Elvis,” it’s not on my top 10.

Visa: Per has been cleaning his drawers, I guess. A well-made Gessle song, but not hit quality.

Thomas: Did you notice, the main theme is back at the end? That’s a very nice touch.

13. Come Back Tomorrow (And We Do It Again)

Thomas: Hey, this I’ve heard before? Of course, it’s a remake of Gyllene Tider’s old bonus track from “Puls” - “Bara vara nära.” So I’m guessing this wasn’t written for this album. Nice version, sounds quite a lot like GT’s but this is of course fresher. It outdates the old version with say… 23 years!

Visa: Hey, you’re right! It actually is “Bara vara nära.” Had to listen to the old song from the vaults of iTunes. Nice and modern arrangement, although Gyllene Tider was so good with their arrangements that the old song sounds almost as modern.

Thomas: And that closes the first record.

Colin: And what a perfect song for closing the first half of an album!

Visa: Can it get any better on the other disc?

LP 2:

1. Kurt - The Fastest Plumber In The West

Thomas: LP 2 starts out perfectly. You got to love this! Sergio Leone mixed with a fat V8! Country and western all for Per’s father Kurt. It also reminds me of “Indiansommar” from “Per Gessle.” My step-daughter, Alva, loves this one.

Colin: Wow, Sergio Leone combined with heavy traffic. Could it be that Mr. G has read the Dark Tower novels? Awesome soundtrack for a plumber!

Visa: The track also sounds a lot like the instrumental “Mazarin” in the end of the album with the same name. Nice that Per has written a song for his late father.

2. I Never Quite Got Over The Fact That The Beatles Broke Up

Thomas: Time for a duet again, maybe not in the common sense, but Per and Helena sing in circles around each other. No real chorus in this one, but it’s got a beautiful airy sound to it. Sloooow and moving.

Colin: One of my favorites again. Though the title doesn’t make much sense at the beginning, this song is absolutely beautiful! It sounds like some sort of collision between “Mazarin” and the band Air. Wonderful!

Visa: Could this be the first time Per writes a song - not counting the instrumentals, obviously - where the title is not included in the lyrics? Air is a superb band and this song has indeed a little bit of their sound.

3. Substitute (For The Real Deal)

Thomas: Awright, this is one of the first songs I heard off the album! And it is my second single choice, let’s hope EMI listens this time… This is classical three-chord pop-Gessle, with a glockenspiel even. Maybe the lyrics are a bit dopey, but that doesn’t mean anything to me. And by the way, pop lyrics should be dopey. On my top 3!

Colin: I totally agree! This should be the second international single!

Visa: Actually, have we had even the first one yet? “C’mon/Jo-Anna Says” was only released in selected countries. Anyway, the music in this song is great and I love the harp in the chorus, but I don’t like the lyrics.

4. Waltz For Woody

Thomas: Is what it says, a waltz for Woody #150; meaning Åsa, his wife. Also one of the few pieces Per plays the keyboards. It’s a cute little instrumental thing one minute long.

Visa: Did I ever tell you that we have a dog named Woody? And don’t get it wrong, it’s an homage.

5. Carousel

Thomas: Maybe my least favorite song on the album, it starts with Helena repeating most everything Per sings, and it annoys me. After a while it takes off… and when it does, it gets better. Nice orchestra though.

Colin: This song has some very classical Gessle-arrangements. I like it, but it’s not in my top 5 of the album.

Visa: You can hear the touch of Christoffer Lundquist on this one as well. I could swear the sound of the seagulls on the background is the same sample as in “High” by Brainpool. This is not the strongest song, but it has its moments.

6. I Like It Like That

Thomas: This is the Roxette song of the album, also a forthcoming single according to the sleeve. “I Like it Like That” is very Per, like I said “Substitute” was, but another Per. If “Substitute” was GT-and-Tom Petty-Per, this is Roxette-Per, mid-tempo-ballad-Per. A great song it is, as Yoda would’ve said.

Colin: Now this is what we were expecting! Gessle power pop again! The lyrics are really nice, it’s a happy lovesong. My favorite song on the album at the moment. It just makes you happy!

Visa: I hope this one becomes a single. I love the lyrics. Per has become old and sentimental and he has begun to write songs like “I Like It Like That” and “Tycker om när du tar på mej.” Immediately made this my phone’s ringing tone, although it never gets past the intro because I don’t want to keep people waiting on the line.

7. Something Happened Today

Thomas: This album was never really fast or power-pop, but here at the end it slows down to be very personal and almost entirely acoustic. This is a true favorite, and I think he has borrowed a few chords from himself, from “Things Will Never Be the Same.” This also has great lyrics. Listen to the organ in the background… And also it ends with the album theme. Wow.

Colin: Two words: Goose bumps… His most emotional, pure and straight-to-the-heart song so far. The power this song carries is incredible.

Visa: “Small” is a word that describes this song well. I can imagine Per and Helena sitting by the fire, Per playing his guitar and Helena singing like an angel, far away from any worries.

8. Brilliant Career

Thomas: I know, I start to sound silly, but I just can’t help it. This is also on my top 3 of the album. Very simple lyrics that keep repeating over and over, but the melody is so airy and beautiful! “More tea anyone?”

Visa: I think this will be that underrated song that I come back to again and again. Sort of like “Church Of Your Heart” and “Perfect Day” on the “Joyride” album. Unless they release this as a single and this will become an international megahit. Which would be really nice. By the way, how many songs do you have in your top 3?

Thomas: Not more than three I hope! He he!

Colin: A really really sweet song…it’s almost candy. Lots of sugar please!

9. Burned Out Heart

Thomas: This is not my cup of tea, but I do enjoy it nevertheless. Per uses his favorite color again: jet-black. It starts out slowly just bass and keyboards more or less, but explodes in some sort of ’70s crescendo á la I don’t know, to me it feels a bit like Pink Floyd, but I may be wrong. Then it goes back to the low keyed version again and some Helena-wailing.

Colin: I think this one sounds like a GT-song, translated into English. Would’ve fit in with Gyllene Tider’s “Finn 5 fel,” I think. It’s really nice, and has a country edge to it.

10. Drowning In Wonderful Thoughts About Her (Reprise)

Thomas: Here we are, back to the beginning! Just like The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper the album starts and ends with a reprise of the same song. This version is shorter, wilder and more of an end than a beginning. I think it even ends with the same chord as Sgt. Pepper…

11. Making Love Or Expecting Rain

Thomas: And finally, the Bob Dylan quote, Per en Francais… This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in years. The lyrics mean nothing to me, both in English and French, but when Per and Helena whisper in French I get goose bumps. “Je ne suis q’un enfant…”

Colin: Per in French, that’s a first! Never thought we’d hear that. An extremely wonderful and romantic duet. Light some candles, get some wine and dim the lights.

Visa: Oh, and one more thing. There’s a hidden bonus track on the album. It’s a special version of “Jo-Anna Says,” called “Jo-Anna Says Farewell,” obviously a pun of an old Gessle song “Jo-Anna farväl” which was released by Gyllene Tider under the name Pers Garage back in 1989.

Thomas: Ha ha yes, it even has that old 78 rpm noise in it. Gotta love the man’s sense of humor.

Visa: The track is very much like the hidden track “Kix-cha-cha” on TWATG. This one’s much better, though.

Colin: It scares you a bit after almost ten minutes of silence on the last track, though.

LP bonus track: Keep The Radio On (This Is The Perfect Song)

Thomas: I think we should review the bonus track as well, don’t you think so? Well, as most of you know “Keep the radio on” is taken from “The Lonely Boys”’ album from 1995, and it’s been re-recorded with slightly, insignificant, changes to the lyrics. This was supposed to be on the album, but was taken off. And I have to say I support that decision, as now when I’ve heard the album, it doesn’t fit the profile at all. The song is truly nice though, very Buddy Holly! Per told me this was a special genre, but unfortunately I forget what he said.

Visa: I like this version, but since the album is already full of great songs, I understand Per’s decision to leave a re-recorded song out. I thought the track sounds like The Beach Boys on “Pet Sounds.”

Colin: Malibu party? A stoned director? Funny lyrics! Surfs up!

Conclusion:


Thomas: I love this album, the sound, the look, the whole concept. However, I’m not sure that the die-hard Roxette fan will. And the question is really, does that matter? I was hardly born when the songs Per refer to were played, so I have no reference what-so-ever to it, nevertheless it’s awesome. The first “real” song I ever remember hearing was “Rose Garden” by Lynn Anderson and the first real pop-album I bought was “Moderna Tider” by Gyllene Tider…

  By the way, the sleeve is the best I’ve ever seen.

Visa: The album is clearly one of the best Per has made, but I’m not sure if it reaches the level of “Joyride” and “Mazarin.” Among the songs, there are real pearls like “Hey Mr DJ” and “I Like It Like That,” but the problem comes with the size of the album. Both “Joyride” and “Mazarin” are packed tight with wonderful songs, but this album may have too much of everything. Too many songs, too different styles and too many discs. When I was a kid, I didn’t turn LPs, I switched the side of cassettes and I don’t long for that at all. But don’t get me wrong, the album is something worth buying and worth listening to for years to come.

Colin: This album is incredible. Not at all what I expected, but it was a very pleasant surprise. I think Per has evolved even more as an artist, and has actually delivered an album which is even better than the others! He pulled it off again! I think this is the first concept album by Per, and I love it. It’s not just a collection of hit songs, it’s an album you listen from beginning to end, without paying that much attention to which track you are listening to. In my opinion this album has a great potential of becoming and international hit. Will Roxette fans like it? It’s not that much of a Roxette-album, but the fact remains that it is just plain wonderful music. And my compliments to Helena, she sings wonderfully on this album!