The Soundtrack Of Our Lives are perhaps the unsung heroes of space-rock. There’s an intelligence and purpose lurking behind their psychedelic rock: Ebbot Lundberg’s Gothenburg collective take us on a spiritual journey, attempting to open minds and enlighten their fellow man. Their previous opus, 2008’s timeless Communion, was an embroidered, 24-track epic that mingled catchy indie riffs with complex, thought-provoking arrangements.
Their latest release is a pop-fuelled groove-fest, combining Beatles-style hooks with blues-drenched rock. What greets the ears from the first note is an unusual concoction of Oasis acoustics and space-age synths.
As the album progresses it becomes clear that the band have steered their ship in a distinctly more indie rock direction. It’s still definitely them, but many of the songs here have lost the spacey edge that gave TSOOL their unique individuality. This is particularly apparently on You Are The Beginning, a chart-friendly, acoustic- driven ballad that has little or no impact on the album as a whole.
Throw It To The Universe is not a bad record at all, but Communion is still the one that sees the Swedes at their cosmic best.
