The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

My office-mate Gavin is the latest in a list of the many people I've known through my life who have had a huge influence on the music I listen to. (I plan to write a blog piece about all of them, one of these days.) Over the past months, he's introduced me to a lot of new music. We're lucky enough to be in a room of our own, in a remote corner of our office, where we can semi-quietly listen to music while we work. We do work, too, but there's no doubt that most of the time our brains work better with musical accompaniment.

Today, he brought two CD's to the office by a band called The Soundtrack of Our Lives.

How could I have possibly missed such a fascinating rock group for all these years? I'm especially surprised because they were nominated for a Grammy in 2003 for Best Alternative Album. (It's worth noting that they were beaten out by Coldplay's brilliant "A Rush of Blood to the Head".)

This is a Swedish band that's been around since 1995, having been formed from what's described as the "imploded" band which was called Union Carbide Productions.

TSOOL (as they are apparently also known) were heavily influenced by 60's psych-rock bands. But I think you can hear traces of the Who, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Buffalo Springfield, and even Ray Davies as well. It's fascinating stuff.

Here are the two CD's Gavin played for me today:






"Behind the Music" - from 2001











"Origin Vol 1" - from 2004






I already have ordered both of these...as well as a couple of their other releases (one an older album, and the other a collection of "B" sides and otherwise unused tracks). So more to come from me on these guys once I've had more time to explore their music.

Here's the official website for The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, in case you'd like to read about the band. I see that "Origins Vol 2" should be released some time in 2007.

Are any of you already fans? If so, how did you come across this intriguing band?

Janet