Rock n’ roll was a force for genuine global change for a long time. But not anymore. Blame it on “We Are the World,” “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” or that Ronnie James Dio charity song. All were well intended, perhaps. But, also, all of the musicians involved took themselves so seriously for so long that we just couldn’t be bothered doing it any longer. Christ, Phil Collins played Live Aid on two sides of the Atlantic just to show how much he cared.
What the world needs now are rockstars who might change the world, but who’ll do that by accident? The world needs rockstars with a sense of humour and a willingness to give their best to entertain an audience. What the world needs to do is stop worrying about having to treat rock stars like royalty.
You won’t need to do any of that with this EP release. In fact, the title of Flawless Indeed’s “Fake it till (your brain thinks) you make it” ought to give you a good idea of just how serious Erik Jonasson and Helen Svensson are taking themselves ahead of the release of these songs. Indeed, the focus here is on the music, not on the people making it.
The authors have enough pleasant hooks and clever arrangements to simply rely on those. The EP’s opener, “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” not a cover of The Police, is a strong indicator of that. The works with strong vocal melodies and a sweet pop-rock arrangement.
Next, “Sky Train,” introduces bluesy acoustic guitars and moody sax before finding truly its way through a melodic, almost 80s Bon Jovi-type chorus. Flawless Indeed sure do love their singable melodies and “Don’t Let the Audience Down” is no exception, even when the lyrics are as earnest as can be.
But, the duo doesn’t want to keep things too serious for too long. “Fake It (Think You Make It)” is the most playful, most effortlessly performed song here. The cynical humour and the song’s dynamics bring to mind 90s alt-rock bands.
Finally, the EP’s wrapped up by “Heroes of All Time,” the most gentle song of this entire collection. Gorgeous backing vocals envelop this ode to old-time, nearly-forgotten heroes.
Flawless Indeed have musical ideas meant to help them be taken seriously. But they’re not forcing anyone or trying to dampen their vibe. They know that pop-rock music is, first and foremost, supposed to be fun. This is the focus of their EP, “Fake it till (your brain thinks) you make it.”
Social media links
