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Words by: Lindsay Colip | Images by: Steven Walter
The Soundtrack of Our Lives :: 02.27.10 :: The Independent :: San Francisco, CA
They call themselves the "greatest living, six-piece, space rock 'n' roll band in the history of the eardrum," and they might be right. The Soundtrack of Our Lives put on one of the best shows I saw during San Francisco's Noise Pop Festival (read more about Noise Pop here). The Swedish rock band kicked, jumped, and played their hearts out at The Independent, a brilliant venue that allowed both the intimacy to connect with the audience and the much needed space to accommodate all six rockers. There was so much happening onstage, so much pulsating energy, so many people to watch; I felt like I had been thrown into a wash/spin cycle. It was clear from the first note of "Babel On" that I was going to be under their spell for the entire set and I was more than happy to oblige.
Soundtrack is comprised of Ebbot Lundberg (vox), Ian Person (guitar, vox), Mattias Bärjed (guitar, vox), Martin Hederos (keys), Fredrik Sandsten (drums) and Kalle Gustafsson Jerneholm (bass, vox). They've been playing together as a family for 15 years and have put out six albums, with the most recent being Communion in 2008. Their core sound is rock, with some psychedelic, alternative, folk and gospel hints. Frontman Lundberg has serious stage presence. Often seen wearing a long robe and scarf of sorts, he is reminiscent of a religious/spiritual leader waiving his hands in the air, almost like he's summoning the music gods. His raspy, gritty voice makes you believe he's been through a lot, lived a lot and seen a lot. And no doubt he has. They all have.
When I spoke to the band they talked about the wildest places they'd played in the past 15 years. Mongolia was at the top of their list, mainly concerning the food they had to eat. They were forced to eat tripe and apparently tripe is furry. Furry? "Yes. It IS furry," they insisted. They've rocked in every corner of the world, including near the Pyramids in Egypt, where Bärjed was chased by 200 screaming fans because they thought he was Michael Jackson. The only place the guys haven't been to yet is South America, and it's next on the list.
 The Soundtrack of Our Lives :: 02.27 :: S.F. |
With several world tours under their belt, six albums and 15 years together, TSOOL are as comfortable and perfectly worn as your favorite pair of jeans. They play with character, love of their craft and full throttle energy. They sweat. They do jump kicks. They belt out lyrics. They're like a messier Rolling Stones, a folksier Oasis, and even a nice nod to the Grateful Dead. They write the music first and the lyrics come, as Lundberg says, "by coincidence." They're not polished or predictable, but wild and rough.
Speaking of wild, Bärjed wears a pretty fantastic fire engine red pant/jumpsuit whilst slaying his guitar. Billy Crudup's character (Russell Hammond, lead guitarist of Stillwater) in Almost Famous could've easily been based on Bärjed. I was half expecting him to yell, "I AM A GOLDEN GOD!!!" Hederos was a treat to watch on keys, extremely enthusiastic, singing his heart out and pounding away, hardly touching his seat. All the guys were rock stars, but there wasn't a scene-stealer in the group, and I think that's due in part to their longevity playing together and their love for each other. Watching them perform and talking with them you can tell that they feel a strong collective bond, a brotherhood of sorts. The biggest bonus is that they genuinely have a good time playing together. They are having a riot onstage, which in turn makes us have a riot.
During the set, they played both oldies as well as newer songs from Communion, but my favorites were "Flipside" and "Lost Prophets In Vain," where everyone was singing along.
If you're new to these guys, download "The Passover," "Babel On" or "The New Messiah" to get a feel for their flavor. San Francisco was one of their last stops before heading back to Sweden and they certainly gave us something to look forward to - their return.
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