Solander – Monochromatic Memories

Solander
Monochromatic Memories
A Tenderversion Recordings
★★★★

Never in my wildest imagination could I have prepared for this. What I expected was a gentile pop album. What I got was something heartbreaking.

Solander’s third release is the soundtrack to that life event you never want to experience but cannot avoid. This is what happened to the Swedish band. They had the intention to make a folk-pop album attuned to the natural world. However, when they came over to the United States, they experienced an extreme loss.

Monochromatic Memories took on a new meaning. It became a way for the band to cope with a life blow that never makes sense to the human spirit. And by coping, it wears down on the listener. As some may find comfort in these songs, it’s a difficult pill to swallow. “The Woods Are Gone,” “Monday Afternoon,” and the soft, gentle hues of “Hey Wolf,” these songs are haunting, sobering and explicit in its fragility.

Monochromatic Memories is a success if beating you down is their goal. What the band does so well is to bet that mirror and expose all of the skeletons and fears in front of you. Unlike many other bands, Solander expresses emotion so well, it’s almost too much to take. But if I were you, I would pick up this album to experience for yourself and feel the stark reality this album professes.