THÅSTRÖM
DET ÄR NI SOM E DOM KONSTIGA DET ÄR JAG SOM E NORMAL
ALBUM MNW RELEASE: OCTOBER 20, 1999 REVIEW: OCTOBER 26, 1999


The personage of Joakim Thåström is shrouded in rock'n'roll myth. In the minds of the Swedish, he is the solitary wanderer, the mysterious stranger of musical non-conformism. Thåström is the one and only rock star of the far north.
From the late seventies he has been channeling his rage to the public in the forms of punk, rock and fierce industrial beats. Moving between group outfits and solo efforts, his voice has always been unique and his restless nature has kept driving him on to new projects.
Strangely then, he is also immensely popular. The commercial success of his earliest bands Ebba Grön and Imperiet can hardly be exaggerated. Tired of the consequences of his popularity, Thåström moved to Amsterdam in the early nineties and started making techno thrash records, singing in English under the name Peace Love and Pitbulls. Gaining a new audience among hardcore industrial fans, he lost most of the huge Swedish rock crowd. But they were only waiting for him to come back to them.
With this release, it seems Thåström might finally win both audiences. The lyrics are again in Swedish and guitars have replaced the machines, but the intensity is possibly greater than ever. Fans of Imperiet will no doubt be overjoyed, but there are qualities here for others to cherish. It is definitely Thåström's most decadent, gothic record to date. Moving through beautiful, dead European cities as a lost bleeding Jesus figure in his poetic lyrics, Thåström finds relief in Einstürzende Neubauten- and Young Gods-type ballads ("Precis som ni"), cathartic rock explosions ("Två + två") and wonderful dark wave gems ("Städer när jag blöder"). The guitars are absolutely wonderful, kind of sawing through your head in a warm and gentle, but merciless way.
Thåström has returned to Sweden and picked up where he left his old career. No doubt there will be a lot of money involved here. Perhaps you might feel angry with an artist for conforming to his audience's wishings and commercial interests instead of finding his own way. But I doubt that is what has happened here. We've already seen the numerous pieces of the puzzle that is Joakim Thåström. Now is simply when we finally get to see it completed and all the parts put together.

MATTIAS HUSS