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Saturday, December 25, 2021

Neutral - (2017) När LP

 

Omlott – MLR 020

A troubled 8-track mini album that stayed on the other side of the Atlantic for a bit before returning firmly to the Omlott headquarters. Meanwhile, the band kept busy doing one-off shows in the US and micro-tours with Lydia Lunch in between the occasional shows in Belgium and Sweden. If you seen Neutral live during the last few years, chances are good that you already heard tracks like 'Du' and 'Köldgatan', both already prominent parts of their live set. The opener 'Du' is a wonderful take on Chris Knox's everlasting 'Not Given Lightly', arguably the strongest love song ever written, though respectfully mangled through the Neutral filter. Recorded hot on the heels of the second album, the duo almost completely abandons the guitars on När in favour of synths and electronics. The pace is traditionally slow and moody and the mumbled kitchen sink realism is forever, yet När could very well be the most melodic and direct recording we've heard from the band.

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