Amandine

This Is Where Our Hearts Collide

(Fat Cat)

Record Review by Michele Fair

While it is increasingly difficult these days for indie bands to make their mark on the scene, there are others who simply seem to ignore the race for the finish. Bands such as these perform with their own, personal agendas in mind, not worrying about staying ahead of the fold, but sticking to their guns when it comes to emotionally stirring music. Amandine is such a band, and they write songs with total disregard for the desire to be trendy and hip, and instead allow for real, solid songwriting to pour forth. The band is from Sweden, and their delicate music provokes thoughts of cold tundra flatlands and nights by the fireside, sitting and yearning for loves lost in past lives.

This Is Where Our Hearts Collide utilizes beautiful string work and just the right splash of female harmony vocals on a few tracks to make the album tender yet strong. While slower, contemplative music often falls too close to the dreaded “emo” stereotype, Amandine kicks it off-balance by implementing smart lyrics that encourage the listener to think instead of instinctively cry. “Fathers & Sons,” while seemingly literal, is more a figurative comparison of a breakup to that of a failed family relationship. Lead singer Olof Gidlof softly croons, “And we fell apart/Like fathers & sons/With a shot to the heart/From a poacher’s gun,” while piano, strings, and sparse guitar create a quiet and powerful backdrop. While the pace of This Is Where Our Hearts Collide might be a little somber for most, after a few listens, especially with real gems like the track “Easy Prey” and its gorgeous guitar work, Amandine becomes a band with whom anyone could easily fall in love.