Magnet
Tourniquet
Warner Music Group
Even Johansen is an introspective kinda guy; his tunes are almost always suffused with melancholy and yearning. But he's never maudlin, 'cause Johansen has a way of simultaneously tugging at your heartstrings and keeping your attention with evocative music details. His third CD as Magnet finds Johansen simply doing more of his wistful thing, with maybe a few more songs hitting the mark than on the previous "On your side". This is soft rock, but it's really quite lovely. "Hold on" features an unexpected banjo and very airy "Bah bah" backing vocals in the song's closing minute or so that reel you right in. On "The pacemaker" there's a sound that resembles rapidly dripping water and the keyboard sounds not unlike a toy piano; such elements prevent the song from being mere easy listening. "All you ask" somehow combines a near-reggae and waltz rhythm in curious fashion; this plus Johansen's jump to a falsetto a couple of times pushes the song to the plus side of marginal. "Deadlock" is classic Nordic melancholy; the tinkly mix sounds almost Icelandic, in fact. Very nice indeed. "I don't think I can do this no more," our boy sings several times. Sure ya can, Ev...you're a natural at this kinda thing. "Miss her so" is vintage lovelorn Magnet; if this sweet acoustic ballad doesn't make the little girls tear up, I don't know what will. And "Blow by blow" is downright hypnotic; very cool arrangement, almost Beatle-ish. Although a few tunes do generate a rhythm you can tap your foot to, just expect mostly whispery balladry and poignancy. Not quite a classic, but wonderfully soothing when you're in the mood.
- Kevin Renick