LUCYFIRE THIS DOLLAR SAVED MY LIFE AT WHITEHORSE ALBUM OBLIVION/SPV RELEASE: APRIL 23, 2001 REVIEW: MARCH 22, 2001

I had this dream the other night. I am at the release party of this very album. Lucyfire are playing all the songs from the new CD live. The first song is “Baby Come on”. The audience is lame and claps dutiful in the end. “Baby Come on” sounds much like average pain-in-the-ass rock'n'roll, without charm or heart. It is a pretty boring song. Only the band and the very drunk are having a good time.
In the dream, the second song “Thousand Million Dollars in the Fire” is being played. The crowd now goes wild and I remember thinking that this may be one of the best songs composed in a very long time. I feel a bit confused. Are these two songs really on the same album, in the same show? The second song is followed by two more of the same temper, “Mistress of the Night” and “And over and out”. Good, but not as fine as “Thousand Million…”. The audience is cheering.
“As Pure as a Sin” is up next. A first-class beautifully depressive ballad, just killing me. The sound fades and the performance continues with “Automatic”. It appears to be a mix of sounds from bands in the genres of Sisters of Mercy and Paradise Lost. We love it.
Then all of a sudden, strange things start to happen. Like a blob, Lucyfire's Mr Edlund changes into the very unpleasant persona of Meatloaf. My dream is now a nightmare!
“The Perfect Crime” is not perfect on this album, but it’s a crime all right. The song is something you will find on a typical Meatloaf or Bonnie Tyler album. I picture myself grabbing a rock and throwing it with considerable force, hitting Meatloaf's forehead. Meatloaf stumbles and takes a fall from the stage. I’m feeling happy and assuming that this was just a small one-time mistake. I feel even more encouraged as the next song “You Can Have All My Love Tonight” begins. We are back on the right track again.
Unfortunately, I had underestimated Mr Edlund's strange perversions. As the ninth tune commences, I start throwing up. The crowd is devastated. Why, oh why, does anyone decide to play a cover version of ZZ Top's “Sharp Dressed Man”? This time the whole audience is throwing rocks. The band doesn’t stop playing. Is this some kind of practical joke, I ask myself?
Then it’s back to normal again. “Annabel Lee” is bringing me back in the right mood. I dream on. The evening ends with a tremendous “The Pain Song”, a stunning end of a bewildering evening.
Lucyfire is a side project and sometimes a mysterious and powerful shadow of Johan Edlund's key band, the Swedish goth act Tiamat. And the album is strange. Most bands usually place one of the best songs first. I don’t know why Lucyfire hasn’t done that. Actually, I really don’t get at grip of “This dollar…” at all. I could very well manage my everyday without Meatloaf and covers of bearded Taliban look-alikes. But don’t be afraid. There are 666 other reasons to buy this record.

ANDERS WIIK