I'm From Barcelona - Let Me Introduce My Friends

It's not easy to fit twenty-nine people in a sound booth, let alone keep them in your band. MC Hammer can attest to how fast things can get out of control once you start becoming a little too inclusive. But for the Swedish act I'm From Barcelona, there is strength in numbers. So it is completely appropriate that the band's newest offering is titled Let Me Introduce My Friends -- there are nearly three dozen of them to meet! And for such a mad dash of instrumentation, it's surprisingly coherent. The songs are tightly constructed, not to mention quite catchy. Band leader Emanuel Lundgren blends American acoustic pop with a full line-up of global influences -- even though the ABBA / Ace of Bass vibe is conspicuously absent. The stronger takes on the record include the opener "Oversleeping" and "This Boy," which features a guest spot by Lonely Dear. But the whole record is worth a listen. It's like gazing into a really freaky Swedish kaleidoscope --with twenty-nine new pals! [www.imfrombarcelona.com]