Most of this Norwegian outfit is made up of members of the band BRISKEBY, but the group’s international interest comes from its singer, POSIES co-leader KEN STRINGFELLOW. I don’t know what Briskeby was like, but I’m assuming it was a more stripped-down affair than the Posies; Smoking Kills is a like a garage rock version of Stringfellow’s main gig. The songs are unfailingly melodic, but not anywhere near lush; the band gives tunes like “Best Mistake” and “Cause or FX” a hard rocking rush at odds with Stringfellow’s usual milieu. The singer responds by scaling back his usual wordplay and giving many of the songs – “Oslo,” “Like So Many Times Before,” “Yours For the Taking” – a certain lyrical forthrightness. There’s not a bad track on Smoking Kills, but something’s missing for me, something I can’t put a finger on. I’m glad Stringfellow has a chance to kick out the jams a little (he sounds like he’s having a blast), but I can’t help but feel that I’d’ve preferred a new Posies album instead.
http://www.thedisciplines.com
http://secondmotionrecords.com
