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by Tony Pascarella Published: September 7, 2005
Seven years is an eternity for a band to be around in the tumultuous rock scene today unless you make a name for yourselves early on. That said, Swedish imports The (International) Noise Conspiracy have released a number of full-lengths and EPs in their career, but nothing may be quite as ambitious as their latest attempt. Staging the majority of their past music in a style bordering political satire, TINC hasn't quite grabbed that foothold in the United States' punk/garage genre yet. But if their newest work gets the exposure it deserves, the band will undoubtedly become a household name in no time. The (International) Noise Conspiracy Is: Dennis Lyxzen (Vocals) Lars Stromberg (Guitar, Vocals) Benmont Tench/Billy Preston/Jonas Kullhammar (Organ) Inge Johansen (Bass) Ludwig Dahlberg (Drums) In the 10-track minefield that is Armed Love, the band explores a number of genres including retro-punk, garage rock, and even soul. If you've got a dancing bone in your body, you should be able to find something you like on this album. One of my personal favorites is "The Way I Feel About You." Coming in at just under five minutes, it's a blissfully catchy romance with attitude. Stromberg impresses mightily on guitar as he backs Dennis Lyxzen's raw yet impassioned vocals. Not to be upstaged by the conventional instruments, the organist adds some creative playing that creates the bouncy vibe of the song. Rapid-fire guitar licks further extol just how much you've been missing by not listening to The (International) Noise Conspiracy. They've got a knack for tongue-in-cheek lyrics, especially on "Let's Make History" and "Communist Moon." Those two tracks are remarkably catchy, but the best parts lie in exactly what they say, rather than the instrumental accents. "Black Mask," the lead single off Armed Love is the polar opposite. Enjoyable for its Datsuns-meet-Ash vibe which relies heavily on the guitar riffs, the single probably won't have the greatest mass appeal here in the States. "The Dream Is Over" seems to be a bit of a rough patch musically. Lyrically it's unremarkable, and there's nothing instrumentally that sets it apart. We get more great organ playing from one of the organ trio, but there are much better tracks on the CD. "All In All" threatens to follow in its predecessor's footsteps, because the song is probably the least upbeat on the album. While not snooze-worthy, and certainly filled with good drumming and immense talent on the piano, "All In All" just isn't as awesome as it has the potential to be. Armed Love manages to end with three fairly strong tracks, something that many albums have a problem with. While the newest effort from The (International) Noise Conspiracy is definitely frontloaded, the back end has some highlights of its own. "This Side of Heaven" sports some impressive songwriting skills from Lyxzen. The garage-rock intro of "Like A Landslide" sounds familiar, just with the organ toned down some. It's catchy, but Lyxzen's strained shouts as he attempts to hit the high notes get to you after a while. The title track closes Armed Love with a raw power that just exudes cool. Each band member seems to be doing everything possible to make the song great, and it shows. Fuzzy riffs mesh with the emphatic drumming and the seductiveness of Dennis Lyxzen's voice to create a superb ending to the album. For some of you, The (International) Noise Conspiracy may be a tough pill to swallow. If you're expecting Refused, it's nothing like them. Instead, listen to Armed Love with an open mind and your dancing shoes on. The band plays catchy music that seem to waver somewhere between rock 'n roll, soul, and punk, all while retaining an identity all their own. Both guitarists and the bassist seem to combine to create a wall of ambient noise at times, which comes fully into view when you add the organist triumvirate and the potent drumming from Ludwig Dahlberg. I recommend this album, which released overseas in July and will receive a stateside release in early October on American Recordings.
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