MOBILE HOMES EP EP BMG RELEASE: NOVEMBER 15, 2003 REVIEW: NOVEMBER 5, 2003

The palpable ambivalence of the Mobile Homes is starting to reach ridiculous levels. Here they are, backed by BMG, co-produced by Kent's Sami Sirviö and ready to finally reach a larger audience. I suspect the title of their last album "The World Will Listen" proved to be more ironic than the band intended it to be, as it was sold out at record stores only months after its release. While light years better than "Mobile Homes", their guitar pop based cooperation with Karl Bartos, it was too scattered in the song writing department to make a stir. They did manage to find a healthy balance between synths and guitars though, for which they deserve honourable mention. This new "EP" is a step back to rock and roll, this time with more emphasis on classic brit pop in the vein of Blur, mixed with wild Cure-ish mood swings (pun intended!).
"Open My Eyes", the first track, is by far the strongest, albeit drowned in a sound used by millions of other bands. Still, this is where the band manages to preserve their song writing soul. The other three tracks are surprisingly weak, functioning, at best, as audio wall papers while washing the dishes or playing a video game with unbearable sound effects. Mobile Homes 2003 is gritty alternative rock sound with cute pop melodies. At least that is what I would expect them to say if I asked them to describe their "new" sound. If I were to have a crack at it, I'd say "EP" is nothing more than tedious muzak, with barely visible traces of past stardom.

NIKLAS FORSBERG