A New Morning, Changing Weather

When The (International) Noise Conspiracy dropped their second full-length in late 2001, they couldn't have had any idea that in six months' time, pop music's spotlight would be swinging toward Swedish punk, thanks to the worldwide success of the Hives. But the (International) Noise Conspiracy are as political as the Hives are cartoonish, meaning that — especially with their firm anti-capitalist stance — America may not immediately embrace the more radical-leaning New Morning, Changing Weather. Of course, that's not what it's really about. What distinguishes New Morning, Changing Weather is that, like the aforementioned Hives, the (International) Noise Conspiracy borrow liberally from rough, '60s garage rock and avoid the stodgy, bizarrely overproduced punk associated with North American bands whose names resemble license plates (blink-182, Sum 41, etc.). That not only gives a record like New Morning, Changing Weather a hell of a lot more fuel, but it opens the band up to experiment, whether it's in the use of horns or keys — elements that most punk bands won't touch. And regardless of your attitude about the (International) Noise Conspiracy's pro-socialist political stance, at least they have something to get impassioned about, and that manifests itself all over the record. They break out into anthems all over New Morning, Changing Weather, whether it's on singles like "Up for Sale" and "Capitalism Stole My Virginity" or the fantastic barnburner "Born Into a Mess." Loud, messy, and passionate, New Morning, Changing Weather is everything a punk record should be, and is further proof that Sweden is one of the world's best exporters of rock music, even if no one had been paying attention until now.