Sovereign Music
Rating: ****
If you didn't actually remember The Parlotones were local boys, you'd never guess that just by listening to A World Next Door To Yours. They're beyond being the guys from next door and fit somewhere into the indie rock/alternative genre.
It probably won't be too long before we hear some of their tunes on an American television series, probably something with a touch of whimsy, but with a solid rock core, nonetheless.
This, their third CD, is as good a place as any to start if you don't know them. They're the guys who did that cover of Here Comes The Man.
Lead singer Kahn Morbee's distinctive voice is as much their trademark as their signature use of whimsical lyrics including "pick a star /hope it fits in your pocket", when they're not referencing castles and dragonflies.
Not that the music is all the same; the songs range from slow love songs (I'll be there) to an infectious little rock ode, to getting rid of your inhibitions and dancing "like nobody's watching you" (Dance).
Lyrics stop on this side of poignant without descending into melancholy. The songs hint at the pain of growing up and the very adult yearning for that one perfect partner which, face it, is rooted in childhood fairy tales.
Repeated listening reveals a layered sound which incorporates some subtle synth effects into the overall rock sound. They've avoided the trap of a rushed, hastily produced CD to continue riding their wave of success.