I'll make this short and sweet, because it seems that the Whitest Boy Alive would like it that way. In fact, everything about this group is conscientiously sparse and hidden. Take the album cover for example. Four half-open doors tucked into each other with a foot peeking out of the smallest door seem to hint at the mystery, minimalism, and possibility of the tunes inside. The power of this album is in its predictability and, though the tracks tend to resemble each other, it is this similarity that opens the core essence of the tunes and moves the listener into a mood that is at once soothing and hopeful.

With hints of Phillip Glass-inspired pop tied with bass/guitar line doubling vaguely reminiscent of the Cure, each track seems to follow a specific form, consisting of short, repeated motives, lyrics that are at once covert and down-to-earth ("I'm so happy you called/I really needed a break/from all the people I see/all the people I spend time with…"), and a trajectory that works best in the tracks that color the simple guitar solos innovatively with a rhodes and crumar ("Above You," and "Don't Give Up" develop well using this form). Erlend's vocals (best known from the pop duo Kings of Convenience) are pure and nuanced and definitely highlight the overall mood.

After listening to the album I turned over the CD case and, only then, could see the title. Also consciously obscure and simply titled 'Dreams,' it seems to embody the hopefulness, the mystery, and the aura created by the music.

Official Site: www.whitestboyalive.com
MySpace Site: www.myspace.com/thewhitestboyalive