THE YOUNG GODS SUPER READY/FRAGMENTE ALBUM PIAS RELEASE: APRIL 16, 2007 REVIEW: MAY 7, 2007

The Young Gods are cursed with their own early brilliance. They were so far ahead of the game with their sampled guitar riffs, carneval music and hippie modernism back in the 90:s that they seemed invincible. Yet clearly this achievement had drained Franz Treichler of most of his creative power. I consider the whole Young Gods catalogue up until "TV Sky" to be works of genius. The following stylistic shift to ambient techno may have been necessary on some personal level, but it made little sense to me or, I imagine, most of the band's fans.

The reaction at live appearances or friendly advisors have probably made the band realize their selling points. At any rate the guitars and percussion setting of their prime is back on "Super Ready/Fragmente", and the sound is just a tad bit too familiar. It is very much "like The Young Gods", but less inventive and less vital, as if this was in fact another band skillfully imitating their style.

It's all really quite okay: the melancholic streak on "Stay with Us" with its psychedelic vocoder delivered lyrics, the powerful crescendo of searing guitars on "Everythere". Yet in the overwhelming competition of "L'eau Rouge" et al, I know all too well that this CD will remain more or less untouched in its case after this review.

MATTIAS HUSS