Having received some favourable press (including from this here website) for last July’s ‘Let the Rumours Flow’, Oslo’s Pipedream is currently holed-up putting together a full length album. This four track digital EP then is merely a stopper to keep ears pricked.
As far as what the Norwegian sextet gets up to, this is some serious chart bothering stuff; epically big rock licks built around a moody ambience and then coated with an essence of chart pop. Whilst āDisappearā has a touch of 30 Seconds To Mars about it, āFranā sits very much alongside the likes of Keane. āBurning Rubberā comes across like a less heavy HIM, and āIt’s All Insideā parades a Killers influence. From those comparisons you should be able to get the picture: semi-heavy chart rock.
For what it is, this EP is solid enough. It sounds good (some seriously crisp production going on here) and is chock full of decent musicianship. Kjell Ove’s vocals sound like they were specifically made for this sound, flitting between the subdued and the vigorous. It’s all exactly as it should be for what it is.
The problem, if in fact you can call it such, is that it’s all a little middle-of-the-road. There’s not an awful lot of invention going on and Pipedream pretty much reside within the comfortable realms of safety. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that, especially when said realms are as well constructed as these, but it would be interesting to see the band push the margins just a little. Perhaps that’s what the album will do. Still, this is a good record, no doubts about it, and should make a decent enough starting block for the band.
Alex