MANDO DIAO

The good news is: I've been enjoying the hell out of Swedish band MANDO DIAO's album ODE TO OCHRASY -- to the point where I'd begun to pencil it in as a finalist for my Top 10 Albums of 2007. The bad news is: It turns out that the LP was released in Sweden in 2006, thereby making it ineligible for this year's list. Dagnabbit.

The good news is: The enterprising men of Mando Diao have gone ahead and recorded & released a new record -- NEVER SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY -- for 2007 Top 10 consideration. The bad news is: The 2007 record isn't nearly as good as the 2006 record. Goshdangit.

MANDO DIAO on MySPACE.

[MP3] "Misty Mountains"

[MP3] "Never Seen the Light of Day"

MANDO DIAO

In their decade or so of existence, Sweden's MANDO DIAO have often been characterized as gifted mimics. At the very least, they have proven themselves to be unafraid and unashamed when it comes to mooching a melody or nicking a riff.

On their third full-length effort, ODE TO OCHRASY, their debt to '60s garage-rock and R&B and '90s/'00s Britpop remains defiantly on display. THE LIBERTINES, THE HIVES, and OASIS are still the relevant touchstones, though "You Don't Understand Me" evokes THE STROKES, and "The New Boy" ventures into BIG STAR, pretty-ballad territory.

Personally, I've never been one to run a band down for not being the most original thing going. Just give me some good, satisfying songs and I'll be fine, thank you very much. And it's not like there's anything new under the sun anyway. It's all been said, done, composed, and sung before....

MANDO DIAO on MySPACE.

MANDO DIAO in foreign-sounding places (unless you happen to live in those places) >>>

Aug 8 2007 8:00P/Sziget Festival/Budapest
Aug 10 2007 8:00P/Heitere Open Air/Zofingen
Aug 11 2007 8:00P/Taubertal Festival/Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Aug 12 2007 8:00P/Open Flair/Eschwege
Aug 13 2007 8:00P/Parades de Coura/North of Porto
Aug 23 2007 8:00P/Malmöfestivalen/Malmö
Aug 26 2007 8:00P/Area4/Ludinghausen
Sep 21 2007 8:00P/SWR 3 New Pop Festival/Rastatt

From the LP ODE TO OCHRASY, 2007 >>>
[MP3] "You Don't Understand Me"
[MP3] "The New Boy"

From the LP HURRICANE BAR, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "All My Senses"
[MP3] "You Can't Steal My Love"

From the LP BRING 'EM IN, 2003 >>>
[MP3] "Paralyzed"
[MP3] "Mr. Moon"

BONUS TRACKS >>>

[MP3] "She's So"

[MP3] "Popovic"