The creation of Reykjavík-based songwriter/producer Barði Jóhannsson, unfortunately named Icelandic electro/pop band Bang Gang made waves a few years back with their excellent album Something Wrong (2003), which featured magnificent vocals of Esther Talia Casey and Keren Ann in a number of hit songs, such as Inside and There Was a Whisper. After a five-year silence, 2008 saw the release of their new album, Ghosts from the Past.
Much like its opening track – The World Is Gray – suggests, the rest of the album is rather bleak and characterized by a certain emptiness with repetitive undertones. Somewhat reminiscent of both Iron & Wine and Coldplay, Ghosts from the Past sounds sadly derivative, lacking the distinctly Icelandic mysticism of Bang Gang’s earlier works. Far from Inside’s emotive talk of lost dreams or the joyful liveliness of Stop in the Name of Love, the lyrics remain steadily uninspired throughout as demonstrated by the melancholic tone of the titular song Ghosts from the Past.
Having set the plank for themselves so high with Something Wrong, it should come as no surprise that Bang Gang’s new album fails to live up to the standards of its predecessor. Yet, with that said, it is still difficult to forgive the shallowness of this offering’s lyrics and the lack of the ethereal style which made the group’s previous album so beautiful and unique. Recommended for die-hard fans only; others would be best advised to wait until Bang Gang’s next album.
this album is ok. check out inside every heartbeat, it’s the real deal
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