From the moment Swedish Woods by The Manikins kicked off with the infectious “Can’t Give You Up,” a single thought raced through my mind: this band is poised to be rock-n-roll’s saving grace.
Man, I miss the days when rock-n-roll was an electrifying fusion of infectious beats, dance-worthy rhythms, head-banging melodies, and irresistible grooves, all encapsulated within a single record or even a solitary song.
But that has been solved with Swedish Woods, set to be released on November 17th via Lövely Records, the sixth studio album from Sweden’s The Manikins, is a refreshing, exhilarating, and downright fun experience.
Since their inception in 2000, The Manikins have been synonymous with high-energy punk rock, and Swedish Woods is no exception. Across its twelve tracks within a tight thirty-one-minute duration, the album delivers a relentless, high-octane rush that’s the ultimate adrenaline rush.
On the album, the band says,
“After years in solitary, due to the pandemic we’ve been working on new songs and are now ready to share it with the world. In the process of the writing we’ve been searching in the back catalogues of the most primitive rock n’ roll in history. It’s hard hitting, trashy, simple yet with a twist of finesse that makes you wanna hear it over and over again. Nothing is so ageless as the dark and massive woods of Sweden, and in a time of turbulence we wanted to create something similar to this in our music. With the classic recipes of rock n’ roll that has been used and recycled since the time we had the ability to count 1, 2, 3, 4, we want to describe our contemporary struggles and create sounds and beats that will let you let loose.”
In the punkest way possible, “Rosita” is nostalgic – sending one back in time to the rockabilly heyday. If one isn’t swaying their hips and jiving, then there might be something wrong with them. Then there’s “Zombie” which could be the glorious theme song to any great B-rated horror movie.
It’s the ability to cross genres, hell cross time, that makes Swedish Woods flawless. The Manikins jump through time as if they were on an episode of Quantum Leap and they don’t skip a beat while doing it.
The Manikins have managed to cram a whirlwind of attitude, catchy basslines, infectious guitar riffs, and an unruly and wild great time into every minute.
Swedish Woods is a non-stop riot of swagger, angst, and unadulterated feel-good vibes that refuses to let up.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Diamond Rings”, “Zombie”, “Can’t Give You Up”, “By My Side”
