Poor Rich Ones

Happy Happy Happy (Five One)
by Tim Den

Not that there are any questions left about whether or not European pop rock can kick American indie’s ass, but Norway’s Poor Rich Ones are here to make sure we all know which continent has centuries of musical history. Comparisons to later Manic Street Preachers and other Britpop bands are sure to surface, but Poor Rich Ones finds its own identity around vocalist William’s cool, ethereal falsetto. Smooth production courtesy of Mark Trombino (who hasn’t he worked with in the past three years?) and tasteful soundbending a plenty, Happy Happy Happy is like doing backstrokes in the clouds. Melancholic, a tad sweet, and blissfully melodious.

Every track here is padded out by the trademark Trombino sound. Huge layers of instruments with everything from keyboards to vibraphones to noise-swelling-machines (?), so rich that it’s almost comparable to a giant cake made out of frosting. But whereas frosting can be artificial and bad for you, Poor Rich Ones’ bricklaying of effects, atmospheres, and spiraling/intertwining melodic themes provides a healthy diet of substance cuz it actually results in a deliciously new exploration of the pop genre. Listening to this with headphones will make you dizzy, while blasting it will induce euphoric states of dreaminess. Silky songs, unbelievable production, and charisma that could melt the polar ice caps.
(1404 3rd St. Promenade, Ste. 202 Santa Monica, CA 90401)