Bob Hund Omslag: Martin Kann CD

First, an explanation of the strange title: Like all of Bob Hund's albums, this 1996 release is actually untitled. The phrase Omslag: Martin Kann is simply a photo credit (for the group's longtime art designer and photographer) scribbled in the lower right-hand cover of the front cover, which is used to differentiate this untitled album from all the others. Their second full-length album, Omslag: Martin Kann is a little noisier and more abstract than the Swedish sextet's earlier records. Thomas Oberg's vocals have a strained quality on songs like "Sommaren Rasar" ("Summer's Raging") -- as always, the titles and lyrics are entirely in Swedish -- which also introduces a horn section into the band's manic guitar pop sound. Other new touches, like strings and vibes, color the songs, giving the album a more sophisticated sheen than before. The combination of noise and prettiness gives the album an increased tension in songs like "Fortrangda Problem" and the moody ballad "Upp, Upp, Upp, Ner," making this a more varied and dynamic album than 1994's rather one-dimensional Bob Hund. ~ Stewart Mason