More on: Peter Moren

Label: Wichita
Release Date: 05/05/08
Rating:

With their only hit, the marmite-like single 'Young Folks', it seems a strange time for Peter Morén of Peter, Bjorn and John to wander a short distance from the band so he can create something by himself. And 'by himself' is exactly how it is: Morén has written, sung and produced all the songs on his debut solo record 'The Last Tycoon'. Tackling head-on the kind of tall order that could potentially deflate any musician’s career, he has done remarkably well.

There's no argument that a sole acoustic guitar lies at the core of every song, but not content on a linear sound, Morén expands every song with a plethora of instruments that create deep, horizontally relaxed soundscapes throughout. First track 'Reel Too Real' is a perfect example of this; what starts out as a basic guitar-led song soon has drums and a teasing synth amongst other things. The attention to detail in his tales produces some ambiguous, and amusing, moments - "the guy who slept over me couldn't keep his hands away from his tiny friend" sings Morén as he describes a long bus journey. 'Missing Link' comes off like a song from a musical with its quiet sections plumped up often with a dramatic use of strings that gracefully let it soar. 'Le Petit Coeur' marks a brief change in the vocal style, stepping back momentarily from the middle range voice of preference to delve into a much deeper tone on the verses. It's a succinct delivery, and one that adds a variety to his vocal arsenal, which never quite matches the broad range that is found in the instrumentation.

With the exception of 'Le Petit Coeur', Morén's best moments pop up in the second half of the disc. 'My Match' sounds like an electric guitar reflecting in a barren night-time desert. With the most personal lyrics on the record ("I can't say that I plead guilty of theft/but I agree I've done you wrong"), its layered resonance is simply gorgeous. 'This Is What I Came For' is a Dylan-esque journey that somehow dodges any form of monotonous decay during its six minute runtime, and 'Social Competence' pushes an upbeat arrangement slightly off-centre for bittersweet joy.

'The Last Tycoon' is as satisfying as it is diverse; each song bringing with it a fresh approach which Morén must be praised for. It is this lack of repetition that makes his first solo effort recommendable not just to fans of acoustic, but to anyone who can appreciate thoroughly good song writing in general.

Graham Drummond

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