The Legends Up Against The Legends Lakeshore, 2004 amazon

Given the rate at which my music collection is expanding, there are a number of things that fall through the cracks. And months later i'm listening to my random iTunes playlist and hear something that just blows me away. Case in point: the Legends. I checked them out because of their membership in the burgeoning Swedish indie scene (band leader Johan Angerård is also part of the fantastic indie pop outfits Club 8 and the Acid House Kings), picking up their 2004 debut Up Against The Legends. But the harsh realities of playing songs randomly from a huge library meant that it was months before "Call It Ours" came across my headphones. The song jumps out with a bright sustained guitar riff that reminds me of the C-86 fun of the Shop Assistants' "I Don't Want To Be Friends With You". One measure in, Angerård's reverbed vocals (a hallmark of the album) begin with a looping harmony that perfectly offsets the melody. As the chorus evolves ("We could have whatever we need, we could call it ours, so you take the blame and save it up inside your mind"), you hear washes of feedback and distorted guitar at the bottom of the mix that recall the best moments of the Jesus and Mary Chain. Each song on the album is a finely-crafted piece of pop joy, reminding me of the effortlessness with which the Primitives generated two and a half minute gems. It's amazing how well the noise pop aesthetic works when integrated with indie pop/Swedish pop sensibilities. My favorite is "Your Song", which begins with a JAMC-esque wave of guitar and a slow drum beat, shifting into a melodic chorus and more feedback ("And it seems easy from where i'm now, but at other times i was so fucked up, and it was truly strange to see you go, if that was so you wouldn't let it show"). It's "Just Like Honey" for 2004. Towards the close of the album, "The Kids Just Wanna Have Fun" echoes Comet Gain's "The Kids at the Club" from 2002, a bouncy ode to youth culture set amidst wailing guitars and a tambourine-laden rhythm. I'm now keeping my eyes peeled for more domestic Legends exposure, which will hopefully signal a U.S. tour.

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