El Perro Del Mar - From The Valley to the Stars

Genre pop Publisher The Control Group Records External Links El Perro Del Mar Website

El Perro Del Mar, which is Spanish for Dog of The Sea, is a Swedish Indie Pop band that is a solo effort by Swedish artist Sarah Assbring (no laughs). Her newest effort called From The Valley to the Stars contains 16 songs, clocking in over 43 minutes.

The album's first take is called 'Jubilee'. Contrary to what the song's title would suggest, the song animates nothing of the word's definition. To this extent, the song is a low key paradox that is virtually over before it began. 'Glory to the World' is a better song that begins with a wind wood, keyboard, a simple beat, and Assbring's soft soprano like vocals. The song excels at being better than 'Jubilee' but fails to be anything interesting. From The Valley to the Stars' first real success is the album's 4th cut called 'How did we forget'. Assbring does a good job of lulling the song along with her tender melody and interesting use of brass instruments over easy listening style guitars and keys. The song also features a nice little bass line which really supports the entire movement. 'Inner Island' is a good song mostly because of its message. Assbring rightfully declares "Don't cast away your inner island" which is basically suggesting that people should not cast away there individualism, "where you went as a child". This is a very believable notion and something that I think many of us can agree upon.

'Somebody's Baby' is probably the album's best radio single. It contains an up beat tempo and a melody that is truly difficult to ignore. A song that is best suited for sunshine and happy afternoons, it's a sing a long melody that hits all the right notes (literally and metaphorically). From The Valley to the Stars 11th take 'Happiness Won Me Over' is the mixtures outcast. The use of organ, chorus like effects, and melodic chants has this song best suited for church under candle light. 'Into the Sunshine' is another song which might have you picturing yourself covered in sun block and sipping a Mai Tai while pretending that reality does not exist.

El Perro Del Mar's From the Valley to the Stars is the kind of album that I can not fully wrap my mind around. Not that it is too deep or too epic, but because it is the kind of mundane appeal that is too simple to be simple. This album is not all bad. Assbring's album is still heartfelt and sincere, but it's just too boring.