Swedish trio Peter Björn and John have created a musical universe that is constantly evolving. However, theyâve managed to retain their unique charm that made them press darlings a decade ago with âYoung Folksâ. What many didnât realize is that that hitâs parent album, Writerâs Block, was the trioâs third in a career that has seen them stretch the boundaries of Pop music. While Top 40 radioâs Pop guidelines are pretty rigid, Peter MorĂ©n, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson treat them like elastic rubber bands, bending and twisting those guidelines into new and exciting aural avenues. Theyâve even managed to carve out musical careers outside of PB&J while never lowering the quality control level on the albums they record together. And can you believe they even collaborated with Canadian hip hopster Drake a handful of years before he became a musical sensation?
Breakinâ Point, their first album in five years, finds PB&J offering up a collection of songs that are so instantly lovable that youâll swear youâve been in love with them for years. Every track on the album is a potential hit single â the melodies leap out and grab hold on the first spin. Their songwriting is based in classic â60s, â70s and â80s Pop/Rock, but the production, arrangements and inventiveness is thoroughly modern if not outright forward-thinking. Theyâve sidestepped the experimental moodiness of some of their past albums and embraced their more playful side. This isnât an album that tries to revisit their past glories â it creates new ones.
Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to track down band member Peter MorĂ©n, who kindly took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about Breakinâ Point, PB&J and moreâŠ