so this was one of the acts I've heard of before getting the CD, though I didn't know much. Despite the name ("the dog of the sea"), El Perro Del Mar is a solo Swedish woman named Sarah Assbring. Pretty funny name.Anyway, on her album "From the Valley to the Stars," she sings breezy, summery, sometimes silly songs. To keep up the sibiliance, they're sometimes sixties and sometimes slight as well. "You Can't Steal a Gift" sounds a bit like a 50's R&B number and has smiley little keyboard "bwow bwows", while "How Did We Forget" features soft 60's style horns, and "Glory to the World" (check out the mp3) is a nice and slow little ditty.
The songs are quick, most under three minutes, and they're gentle but not quite twee, like "To Give Love." There's a little bit of keyboard, some soft drums, and generally that's about it, plus some atmospherics. I wish there were more songs like "Somebody's Baby," which is almost Sloan-like, quicker and punchier, with insistent but soft drums and nice multilayered vocals. Assbring has a great voice, and they seem better utilized on songs like "Somebody's Baby."
In all, the album is a fun little summer cupcake. I think it'd make a nice soundtrack for lounging in bed on a Sunday morning, or maybe floating in the pool on a nice day. El Perro Del Mar is currently on tour with Lykke Li, another Swede, who I also plan to review.
Here's her Myspace and her Wikipedia.
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