Description

Black vinyl with gatefold cover

The common theory that people soften as they age has no better rock and roll case in point than the career of Swedish musician Nicke Andersson. Both of his first major bands, death metal legends Entombed and cult-favoured hard rockers the Hellacopters, gradually scaled back in sonic extremity with each album they released, and that pattern has repeated itself once again with the mainstream rock persuasions of Andersson’s third band, Empire State Electric. Imperial State Electrics second instalment Pop War firmly establishes the band as a sonic tour de force to be reckoned with. The bands current members are Nicke Andersson: vocals, guitar, Dolf de Borst: backing vocals, bass, Tobias Egge: backing vocals, guitar Thomas Eriksson: drums, percussion. This line up delivers a slab of slick 70s styled smokers which hit on all proverbial cylinders. Album opener Uh Huh handclaps its way straight to glam rock heaven (think T. Rex, Mott the Hoople, etc.), Back on Main meticulously duplicates every last detail of vintage period Kiss minus the makeup, the tinkling ivories and decadent stumble of Waltz for Vincent clearly reveres Alice Coopers gothic glam nightmare, and the distinctly bipolar Enough to Break Your Heart goes from smuggling a Molly Hatchet lick out of the south to evolving into the string-laden power pop of Cheap Tricks Dream Police. So as you hear its 70s hard rock that is served with plenty of great guitar work, harmonizing vocals, sing along choruses and a true album vibe that’s hard to capture. I want to point out that while I believe this is a another cracking release by a Nicke Andersson led band, some Hellacopter fans and even early Imperial State Electric fans may find some of the pop writing and sound in some of the songs a bit too much for their liking. There is plenty to hear on this album from the guitar, bass and drum work, to some real different song writing. Keep in mind Nicke Andersson has always changed a bit from release to release and Pop War is no exception. This may divide some fans but there are some truly great songs on this disc.

Track listing:
1. Uh Huh
2. The Narrow Line
3. Cant Seem To sHake It Off My Mind
4. Back On Main
5. Waltz For Vincent
6. Sheltered In The Sand
7. Empty Hands
8. Monarchy Madness
9. Deride And Conquer
10. Enough To Break Your Heart