The Soundtrack Of Our Lives Hold Communion

Have you ever stumbled upon a band decided that you liked them, followed them briefly, totally forgot about them, and the rediscovered them serendipitously? Well, that's exactly what happened to me with The Soundtrack Of Our Lives. I loved their Behind the Music album enough to make it one of my Top 25 Albums for 2001 but then as fate would have it I totally lost track of them until now. Having just released their latest album, Communion The Soundtrack Of Our Lives have once again stumbled across my path and it's like becoming re-acquainted with an old friend.

Communion sees TSOOL maintaining pretty much the same sound that they've always had. This isn't a band that's gone the way of trends and in fact it's almost as if they've regressed against the trends a bit. Sounding a bit like Oasis at their most indulgent, TSOOL write huge, massive, slightly psychedelic pop songs that can barely fit in their native Sweden. This is a band so in-touch with writing the "big" tune that they've had to spread Communion out over two discs. At a mind-numbing twenty for tracks, this is a gargantuan effort that's just short of being to big for it's own britches.

Despite the epic nature of this record, it is actually quite good. What's really amazing about Communion is that despite the fact that it's got so much music on it the record never falters or even hints at being bad. TSOOL have got to be the new kings of consistancy because every single song here is simply gorgeous and is top of the notch epic anthemic pop. Guitars soar, drums bash about, basslines ebb and flow and the songs either reach for the stars or rock out in an explosion of raw power.

They may have studied Oasis, The Who, The Kinks, and the 60's as a whole, but they've moulded all those influences into an all crushing rock and roll beast that fires missles in the form hit songs and they hit their targets repeatedly. It may have taken them four years to put Communion together but it's easy to see why with the sheer quantity as well as quality of this recording. Communion is an impressive effort that is by far the best record of TSOOL's career.

They've totally gone against the grain with Communion,recorded a double album that's nearly 90 minutes alone and has no frills attached except that it's a straight rock and roll album, and yet despite every opportunity for it all to go wrong and end disastrouly they've come up with a record that has to be one of the best of 2009. Communion is awesome stuff. While it may have taken me forever to catch back up with this group of Swedes, they've welcomed me back with open arms in the form of an instant classic and I couldn't be happier. Thanks guys!