The world's favorite 30-member Swedish indie collective, I'm From Barcelona, follows up their joyous 2006 debut Let Me Introduce My Friends with Who Killed Harry Houdini? Rather than the upbeat, life-affirming tunes of innocence that epitomized the group's earlier work, the songs of Who Killed will leave listeners feeling much more subdued and calmed.
But once old fans get used to the new sound, the slower, more graceful Who Killed will lead to subtle contemplation. "Gunhild" features a flowing piano and haunting chorus of vocals that lull the listener into a dream-like state. However, the real gem of the album is "Music Killed Me," which swells from simple gloom to magnificently dark heights a la Arcade Fire.
The merry chorus of the album's first single, "Paper Planes," (unfortunately, not an M.I.A. cover) offers the simple, child-like advice to clear one's mind by making paper planes. Here, listeners find the playful, care-free philosophy that we have come to expect from lead singer Emanuel Lundgren.
This welcomed thread of energy continues into the second half of the album. The mildly more upbeat "Mingus" and the rocking distorted guitars of "Houdini" revert back to the band's older feel, but prove to be less impressive than Who Killed's more introspective tracks.
If Let Me Introduce My Friends is a sunny day in the field of childhood, Who Killed Harry Houdini? is the quiet, reflective night, slightly more confused and doubting. Fans will appreciate the creative risks taken by I'm From Barcelona, who could have easily stuck with their previously winning formula. At one point, Lundgren laments, "You have to take some chances as you grow." It's nice to see he practices what he preaches.
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