Mando Diao - Bring 'Em In

It would be difficult to discuss Sweden's Mando Diao without making comparisons to a certain New York, blazer/converse clad group and a certain Swedish, identical-suit wearing "the" band. So, I am not going try, because Mando Diao hold their own among both. They have the songwriting skills and lo-fi, garage-sound of The Strokes, minus the pretentiousness. As well, they portray the fun-spirited nature of The Hives, without the silliness and pompous strutting. They also have a sound that is uniquely their own. The variety is enough to keep me interested, but not too wide that it is all over the place. Also, there are two vocalists which trade off leads on the tracks, which is a personal favorite of mine - variety is a good thing. Each track on this album brings a new and exciting treat: "Motown Blood" gives off a bluesy, Motown feel (duh), "The Band", my personal favorite, is a mixture of a 60s rock sound with a charming amount of "oooooo's" and "lalalalala's"; "P.U.S.A." the obvious crowd pleaser, is a Beatles-esque ode to their dreams of hitting the big time in the "post-USA". I am not sure if Mando Diao has been released and promoted intentionally in a time when "garage-rock" is in demand, but hopefully listeners can recognize the talented songwriting and uniqueness that make Bring 'Em On one of the better rock albums released this year. [www.mando-diao.com]