REVIEW: The Merrymakers, Bubblegun (Big Deal)
- Bill Holmes
Believe the hype -- The Merrymakers are that good. Fans of melodic bands like Badfinger, Jellyfish and the like, now have another group to add to their list of favorites: The Merrymakers. The Swedish duo of Anders Hellgren and David Myhr are a veritable pop factory, churning out treasures that are immediately accessible. And speaking of Jellyfish, if you've missed the superlative talents of Andy Sturmer, he's all over this record as drummer, producer and co-writer.
It's amazing how a band from halfway across the planet can sound so naturally in tune with the American pop sound, but five seconds into the opening of "Saltwater Drinks" cements that fact. It rocks, much like "Superstar" (think The Mosquitos doing The Monkees' "That Was Then, This Is Now"). "April's Fool," one of Sturmer's co-writes, sounds like a collaboration between ELO and Harry Nilsson, with a little George Harrison guitar sound tossed in as icing on the cake. Vocal arrangements are outstanding throughout, perhaps no more so than on the explosive "I'm in...love!", a great song that uses a key change and emotionally charged vocal to perfectly capture that incandescent moment when your heart overrules your mind. Like all great pop records, songs are about falling in or out of love, with lyrics to match. The delicate ballad "Outside Looking In" is a prime example ("when troubles occur/ we don't let them stay/ we look at the clouds/ and just blow them away...")
The original (import) version of Bubblegun is available as a reissue in the U.S. except for one track, and the initial release includes a bonus disk with five tracks from 1995's No Sleep Til Famous. Those of you who have resisted buying the more expensive import records will be pleased to finally enter the world of the Merrymakers. Now if Big Deal would only release that new Wondermints record domestically...
