I’m From Barcelona - Who Killed Harry Houdini?

Genre indie-rock Publisher Mute

Like a slightly even more pop-driven Sufjan Stevens, I’m From Barcelona channels multiple musical genres in its latest release Who Killed Harry Houdini? While on the surface peppy and light-hearted, a closer inspection will reveal leader Emanuel Lundgren is talking about darker topics than the band’s 2006 debut Let Me Introduce My Friends. Despite the balancing act, the Swedish band continues to achieve indie pop excellence and keeps the listener interested the whole way through.

I’m From Barcelona consists of, at any given time, 20 or more members, making it Sweden’s version of the Polyphonic Spree or Dark Meat. With such a large mass, the group gains accessibility from the wide range of influences and ideas converging, while still maintaining coherence by the expert harnessing in by Lundgren’s vision and musical prowess. Who Killed Harry Houdini? isn’t a concept album about the famed magician, rather it’s a tribute to the idea of escape in its various forms, much like the real-life Houdini.

One has to speculate at the supposed trials Lundgren has endured in his private life to elicit the tone of songs on this latest record. “Paper Planes” (and not an M.I.A cover) is, in subject, not unlike Flight of Conchords’ “Inner City Pressure” except Lundgren’s version is not going for the laughs. The cool kids will appreciate the Cosby Show reference, and then it might dawn on them that the song is a much more depressing description of loneliness and ennui. Herein lies the magic of Who Killed Harry Houdini? – it is a musical bait and switch.

I’m From Barcelona contributes it’s token “get lost in the music, man” song on this record that most artists write during the course of their career. It’s called “Headphones,” and it’s definitely not as irritating as most. It’s the kind of song you find yourself singing in the car, and is probably the cheeriest track on the album. The song is an almost cute respite before segueing into “Music Killed Me,” with a 180-degree change in emotions. The “music” could easily stand in for a living, breathing muse to the songwriter, and that opens up a whole other can of worms. And “Ophelia” automatically brings about a sense of tragedy with just the evocation of the name of the Shakespeare femme fatale. 

All in all Who Killed Harry Houdini? is a fairly creative exploration of real human emotions with a touch of twee to make the medicine go down more easily. It’s far from the usual sophomore slump of pop bands, and includes enough Wall of Sound techniques to provide a lovely (if a little dreary) album to rock out conservatively to.