MP3: Lemonator - Heart burns

I don't usually take the time to post two songs from the same album, but rules are made to be broken and Lemonator deserves the attention. I discussed the song "Would you die for me?" last Monday and today it's all about "Heart burns", my pick for the album's highlight. You'll probably be surprised when you first hear it because it starts out guns ablazin' with loud, crashing chords. There's nowhere to go but down, right? Au contraire! The piece still has plenty of room to grow, as you'll soon discover when you listen on. First comes the dense chords to build tension and then once things take a quick breather for the chorus, the first round of strings come in. The harmonies they employ in the chord progression are so incredible and so far from pop norms. The intensity grows! The second chorus leaves you hanging like it's the end, but then the drums take off again and oh my god, the band just explodes and all the hairs on my arms and neck are sticking straight up in the air and holy shit those chords are just so thick and agonizing until the resolution when everything lines up again for the final chime of the main theme. Phew! So ridiculously good.

Lemonator - Heart burns

MP3: Lemonator - Would you die for me?

Finland's Lemonator has to be one of the saddest pop bands I've ever heard. Even when the music is lush and beautiful, the sentiment is still dark dark dark. The song I've posted today takes it to the melodramatic extreme and I get the feeling that they're not just talking metaphors. The best thing about the song is the way that it builds slowly throughout, always adding an extra little something with each new verse until the apex of the guitar solo. It starts out oh so beautifully with a doubled melodic lead, but quickly turns quickly turns ugly with dirty string bends and blues licks. The pause before that final chorus marks the climax of the piece and the coda of the final chorus vamps just long enough for recovery. Now that's how you write a pop song!

Lemonator - Would you die for me?

Finnish act Lemonator has confirmed their new album "At the presence of great beauty" for release on April 26. The first single "Will I ever find out" will be released digitally in late March.

Mando Diao has flown over to England for two weeks to record their new album. They'll be working with producer Richard Rainey who has worked with bands like U2, Mew, Lemonator and Mansun.