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Love Is Not Pop

El Perro del Mar

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Album Review

El Perro del Mar could have kept making the same desolate, heartbreakingly crushed record over and over with no diminishing returns. Maybe the pristine arrangements and fragile chamber pop sound were starting to feel limiting to Sarah Assbring, though. Perhaps it was beginning to feel limiting and insular and she needed a change. To that end, when the time came to start working on a follow-up to her 2008 album, From the Valley to the Stars, Assbring picked Studio's Rasmus Hägg as a collaborator. Together the pair have opened up El Perro's approach beyond the limits of the past, and have incorporated new ideas and sounds. One change is that the songs are much longer, averaging around five minutes and taking their time to ebb, flow, and reach devastating emotional levels. Another is that even though it's the work of just Assbring and Hägg, the record sounds very much like the work of a full band, rather than a one-person operation. The interplay between instruments and the layered arrangements help with that impression. So do the innovations Hägg brought to the project. His background in dance music means there are a couple of songs ("Gotta Get Smart," "L is for Love") you could almost imagine yourself dancing to, albeit very sadly. Elsewhere, the warm synth tones, dubby sound effects, and overall expansive feel of the record can probably be attributed to his influence. Assbring's rigidly defined chamber pop sound gets a look in, too; on songs like "It is Something (To Have Wept)" and "A Better Love," she sounds as composed and precise (and broken) as ever. The sonic touches Hägg adds to her songs only makes them better. The combination of their gifts has resulted in something pretty special, possibly the best work either of them has done to date, and hopefully something that will continue.

Customer Reviews

Danger, Approaching Enya!

After one listen, this is not an inspiring record. I don’t know who is behind the production, but EPM is loosing the endearing awkwardness and unusual organic instrumentation of her first effort. Change of Heart is a standout track – sounding oddly like a mid-70s soft-rock pop hit (think Fleetwood Mac) but nonetheless compelling and instantly nostalgic. At worst, though, Love is not Pop drifts toward the over-produced glossy middle-of-the-road sounds of Enya and the like. I hate to say it, but this record would not be out of place on your mom’s IPod (nothing against your mom). I could be wrong, this record could grow on me – but I’m not sure it will be worth the effort. Buy Change of Heart and the remixes, which variously keep the edge of the EPM we fell in love with last time.

She's Really Good

This is really good! I love her type of music. It's great for a summer pool party, a summer drive in the car, yoga, working on a painting! The estential piece!

New album = amazing live!

I had the opportunity to see El Perro Del Mar perform the new songs live in LA when she opened for PB&J, and also at her headlining show at the Hotel Cafe Nov 21st & 23rd. She and her backing band were STELLAR! The songs were really kicked up a notch in a live setting. The live arrangement for Change of heart, Let Me In, and Heavenly Arms were particular highlights of both nights. I loved that the drums and bass were more prominent and punchy. Both venues have good sound systems and the mix for instruments & vocals was sublime. You could her lovely voice up front and still have the power of the drums behind her. I felt her performance was sincere and subtly theatrical. She has a great way of channeling the music and conveying those feelings to the audience. And her dance moves were awesome. On beat and a little reminiscent of Ian Curtis. A rare gem.

Biography

Born: 2003 in Gothenburg, Sweden

Genre: Pop

Years Active: '00s

El Perro del Mar (The Sea Dog) is the nom de musique of Sarah Assbring, a Swedish pop thrush whose recordings are glorious aural confections that combine Brill Building pop and the influences of Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, and Smokey Robinson with lyrics that speak with a sweet, ineffable sadness of the pitfalls of love and life. According to Assbring, the name El Perro del Mar came to her during an ill-fated vacation in Spain; she was alone, depressed, and out of sorts when a stray dog came up...
Full Bio

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