Acid House Kings

Delicate Swedish chamber pop band.

Information: Sing Along With Acid House Kings
Suggested First Purchase: Mondays Are Like Tuesdays and Tuesdays Are Like Wednesdays

Mondays Are Like Tuesdays and Tuesdays Are Like Wednesdays (2002) -- They sort of follow the same formulas as Belle & Sebastian or Camera Obscura, but these guys (at least on this album) are more about being soft and delicate. They don't have some of the rougher/harder (such as they are) -- and actually more interesting -- sides of B&S. So if you're in the mood for really soft 60s-based pop songs, this is the way to go, though often it's way too mild for me. The standout on this album is "Say Yes If You Love Me," an up-tempo number. Another pretty highlight is "She Keeps Hoping." B

Advantage Acid House Kings (2002) -- An example of what happens when songwriting comes too easy and "this works every time" pop formulas are followed: the music is technically good, but suffers from being too much of the same thing. The result is that the music is okay to listen to, but you're not exactly humming it later or wanting to put it in. The songs on this CD are more upbeat than the previous album, which helps a bit. B