Peter Bjorn and John - In Review

There was a weekend-long Swedish dance party in Texas, if you knew the right places to be. Peter Bjorn and John hit up the House of Blues in Dallas on Saturday, playing a killer show to a less-than-enthused crowd, followed by a dirty, sweaty, awesomely fun set at La Zona Rosa in Austin. The crowd seemed much less self-conscious and much more ready to boogie down and have fun Sunday night, and the band’s energy level somehow managed to increase, feeding off of the group vibe.


The group is currently on their “birthday tour,” celebrating ten years together. In all of those years, the trio have put out five records, and they pulled from most of them for the Austin set. PB&J opened with the sleepy stoner-hit “Amsterdam,” featuring the deep-voiced Bjorn on the verses. Though Peter is typically the featured vocalist of the band, the group shows no qualms about trading up singing responsibilities: the second song of the night was the prog-rock epic, “Start To Melt,” with drummer John’s sweet voice weaving in and out of the layers of heavy, distorted guitar and bass sounds. The light show matched the song perfectly, with laser-like neon green lines of light spotlighting and flashing at the crowd.

“It Don’t Move Me” is a fantastic treat live, with synth whip sounds punctuating an electronic dance beat. The lyrics have a bite; it’s that attitude you aspire to when you’re breaking free from an old relationship, that “screw you, I’m so over it” sensation you wait for. “Blue Period Picasso” was also special, because it was the first time the band ever performed the song live. It went over swimmingly, again utilizing plunky electronic beats and the blending of the guys’ voices. The imagery in this song is sweet and clever; it takes a typical love song and channels it through a unique metaphor, just going to show that music has by no means been pushed to its creative limits.

“Lay It Down” become a hearty shout-along, with its profane chorus and clap-along danceability. As the first single off of the band’s latest album, “Living Thing,” it’s quite a brave move by the gentlemen. To go from radio-friendly (though nevertheless beautiful, catchy and well-written) “Young Folks” off of “Writer’s Block” to a song whose chorus drops the F-bomb multiple times, it’s a funny middle-finger to the industry and its limitations.

The band did jam on “Young Folks,” which was a natural crowd-pleaser. Sarah from El Perro Del Mar (also Swedish and the tour opener) took the female part, and a roadie jammed on the bongos while the audience leapt and smiled and attempted to whistle along. “Nothing To Worry About” with its kid-choir chorus was heavier live; the bass really thunks along, and the guitar feels sexed up and gritty.

“People They Know” was the oldest song performed at the Austin set, and although it was slow to pull in the somewhat unfamiliar audience, by the end most folks seemed to be nodding along and swiveling their hips. However, the highlight for many was the explosive, emotive and anthemic “Objects of My Affection.” The rhythm of the song makes the heart beat faster, like when you’re running a race in the cold winter air; it’s painful and refreshing and rejuvenating and exhilarating, all at once. It blasts you directly in the face, gives you flushed cheeks, and tugs at the heartstrings enough to squeeze out some tears. This is a song any fan of the band should hope for live, it is that good.

The guys took a break and returned for an encore, with the dreamy “Just The Past” allowing Peter to conduct the crowd in a chorus of “la la”’s. This song captures that feeling of being in a comfortable romantic relationship. You’ve known each other for a few years, have shared inside jokes, had silly fights, and can have just as fun in pajamas as you can out on the town. It’s a song built on memories, with themes of self-consciousness easily identifiable to any listener. The guys finished off the night with a song off of their hard-to-find instrumental album from 2008, “Seaside Rock.” The song is called “Needles and Pills,” and features more whistling, but in an almost-sinister, fit-for-Kill Bill kind of way. The tune builds and builds, brick upon heavy brick of sound layer, until it explodes at the end into ear-bleeding improvisation; ear-bleeding not because it is unlistenable, but because it is just that powerful. It’s as different a song as any of their other songs is, which is what makes Peter Bjorn and John so much fun to watch. They are a constant surprise, leaping from genre to genre, whether it be kid-driven hip hop or instrumental experimental rock. Whatever it is these Swedes do next, be sure to wear your dancing shoes.