Peter Bjorn and John

Living Thing

[4.5/5]

PB&J isn’t just the name of a delicious sandwich; it’s also the initials of a band with one of the best whistle intros ever, thanks to their 2007 hit, "Young Folks." While poppy Swedes Peter Bjorn And John aren’t just breezing through the follow-up to 2007’s Writer’s Block, they’re still having fun. The drums in "Nothing To Worry About" are so hot, it drove Kanye West to blog praise. Handclaps and a sound best described as a your-car-door-is-open warning bell get "The Feeling" grooving. Then they turn the lyrics, "Hey, shut the fuck up, boy," into a sing-along chorus in "Lay It Down." There’s so much more, all well executed: Dark beats drive "I’m Losing My Mind," and a hint of Paul Simon (or is it Vampire Weekend?) world music punctuates the title track. Sure, followers will dig "It Don’t Move Me" because it’s similar to the trio’s last hit, but this is an album of spontaneous originality and should be appreciated as such. (ALMOST GOLD/STARTIME INTERNATIONAL) JR Griffin



ROCKS LIKE:

Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Paviliion

Depeche Mode’s Exciter

French Kicks’ Swimming