 The Poodles
Performocracy


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Tracklist:
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01. I Want It All
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4:02
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02. Until Our Kingdom Falls
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3:03
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03. Father To A Son
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4:11
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04. I Believe In You
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4:10
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05. Cuts Like A Knife
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4:09
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06. As Time Is Passing
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5:13
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07. Love Is All
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4:49
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08. Your Time Is Now
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4:43
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09. Action!
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4:06
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10. Bring Back The Night
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5:14
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Release: 15.04.2011
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11. Vampire's Call
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3:56
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12. Into The Quiet Night
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4:23
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Label: Frontiers Records
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13. Don’t Tell Me
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4:48
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Format: Jewelcase-CD
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Performocracy is the fourth studio album of the Swedish band The Poodles and was released on April 15th 2011, via Frontiers Records. The album was produced by Mats Valentin. Before the album came out the band published Cuts Like A Knife as a digital release. I'm pretty sure no one is interested in what I'm saying now, but I'm pissed off of those digital releases. As a collector I want to hold something in my hands and put it into my CD shelves. So I refuse to download that digital stuff. But let's return to the present topic:
I saw The Poodles play live a while back when they were touring through Germany with Gotthard. Their look reminds me of the old glam rock bands and they really rocked the stage when I saw them. Their previous albums couldn't fully convince me and I thought this new CD would change my mind.
We have 13 songs with catchy melodies, an appropriate mix of pace and a little bit of everything. The opener I Want It offers an almost mystic drum intro, the vampire trend gets reflected with the track Vampire´s Call and As Time Is Passing is a somewhat soulful song.
Jakob Samuel's voice sounds great, he plays his vocal cords well and perfectly gets the lyrics across. He's a dab hand and if he sings the higher tones or puts the pedal to the metal... wow! Bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Christian Lundqvist set the rhythm and guitarist Henrik Bergqvist is doing a good job - if he's allowed to. It would have been great to hear more from him, longer, harder, with more intense action.
My suggestions are:
Don´t Tell Me - Track No. 13 is my No. 1! Slightly distorted keys, combined with a rocking guitar that catches your attention 'til the end of this song, including a longer, great solo. Drums and bass are grooving with a superb rhythm that makes my feet tapping. A very powerful song, thumbs up!!!
As Time Is Passing – this is well done. The acoustic guitar accompanies Jakob's voice, then a refrain sung in two voices followed by a good second verse sung in two voices, too. A slow song with a lot of heart, so the piano, the orchestral background and the choruses fit perfectly.
I Believe In You - a song with a cool rhythm. Especially the verses and bridges fascinated me, because all instruments have a great presence here - and the drummer deserves an award.
I would say most of the songs are good - no more and no less. Would there be more power on this album, it would be quite a different story. The songs rock, but they are too easy to the ear, too well-behaved, too 'flat'. The Poodles should have bite, not just nip. I like the wow factor while listening to new tracks but I was missing it. So I rate with>
Rating:
    4 out of 7 Ankhs
Marion Ney / Sarkophag Rocks 20.04.2011
Translation by Susanne Blum
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