CD of Week

PETER BJORN AND JOHN
Writer's Block Wichita ****

Don't be fooled by a band name that points to a lack of imagination, or an album title that hints at an ideas shortage: Writer's Block is reassuringly devoid of both. While Peter, Bjorn and John have more in common with Husky Rescue than The Cardigans, once again Sweden provides us with angular pop soaked in originality. Peter was sole vocalist on PB&J's previous albums (which weren't released in these parts); now all three contribute lead vocals.

The songwriting is also democratically divvied up: each has penned individual songs, which results in crests and troughs of moods and rhythms. Take Roll the Credits, a folky wall of acoustic guitars, or their sub-Velvet Underground love song, Start to Melt. The only song written together is The Chills, a percussion-centred number named after their '80s New Zealand heroes. The undisputed highlight is whistle-a-long summer single Young Folks, with The Concretes' Victoria Bergsman providing husky harmonies. Amsterdam has the same effect; all odd synths, feel good melodies and a chorus that harks back to early Bowie.

All in all, it's about as unaverage as you can get. Writer's Block is an unashamed slice of finest indie, dripping with guitars, DIY charm and a hint of the 1960s, while never cutting its lyrical heart off from its musical head. www.peterbjornandjohn.com