The Lost Patrol is
(International) Noise Conspiracy frontman Dennis Lyxsén's side project and
The Lost Patrol Band is their third, and best, release. On it the group make a move away from the low-key, somewhat ramshackle charms of the first two releases and embrace a full-on rock & roll sound. Made with a steady band instead of a collection of friends and colleagues, the record sounds like it was bashed out in the best sweat-filled teen dance club in Sweden (or anywhere else for that matter). Steady as steel, the sound almost never wavers from a classic two guitars, bass, drums, and organ attack, though there are some neat background vocals and the occasional cheesy synth to break things up. One might miss the intimacy and sonic adventurism of the previous albums, but the energy and hooks here should ease the sting. Tunes like the rock-solid "Golden Time," "Pick Me Up," "Let Me In," and the wall-shaking rocker that kicks things off, "Feels Like Drowning," walk the narrow line between new wave revivalism and the late-'70s AOR pop sound of groups like
Cheap Trick,
the Romantics, and
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Not the hippest Heartbreakers to emulate, perhaps, but the result is very envigorating and sometimes, as on the, well, heartbreaking "My Heart Is Still a Mess" and "Can't Stand the Quiet," breathtaking in a dancing until you are ready to pass out kind of way. It seems a sure bet that the record will sink without a trace, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a more melodic and spunkier 30 minutes of rock & roll made in 2005. ~ Tim Sendra