The Teddybears--Soft Machine

The Teddybears are one of those bands you’d give your left leg to see behind-the-scenes. Every song is like an alley in some exotic carnival, and you’re seven years old with big bulging eyes, waiting to see what unexpected marvels wait around the next corner. The Swedish group switches with ease between club-beat electronic mixes, soft indie-ballads, and rastafarian - borderline hip-hop - grooves. Soft Machine, the group’s debut, also features a number of guest musicians such as Mad Cobra, Ebbot Lundbberg, Neneh Cherry, and Iggy Pop. And just as the guest musicians’ talents vary, so do the songs. Lundberg’s "Riot Going On" and Cherry’s "Yours To Keep" are softly haunting pieces in an indie light, where Pop’s "Punkrocker" is a odd, comical groove. Mad Cobra takes the cake with the Kid Rock-meets-reggae mess that is "Cobrastyle." Left to their own devices however, The Teddybears create an interesting mix of electric house beats and experimental melodies that are vibrant, unique, and a breath of fresh air. Come and walk through The Teddybears’ carnival, its guaranteed to get you dancing.

(Published at Sonic Reverie)