It all started with a mutual liking of each other’s music and after having met several times during several of the year’s festival tours, the idea to make a split album was born. It’s two generations of junk lovers meeting with fantastic results. All of Pascal’s three albums have been praised in unison and their latest one, ’Orkanen närmar sig’, was nominated for everything (Grammis, Manifest and P3 Gold) an album in music Sweden can be nominated for. Mattias Alkberg has been making music for over 30 years without losing his curiosity and energy. In my ears, the two most recent Bear Quartet albums (”89” and ”Monty Python”) are the band’s absolute best, and his latest self-titled album ’Nerverna’ is brilliant.

Pascal’s side consists of five songs, four of his own and a cover of Peter LeMarc’s ”Håll om mig”. On the song ”Allt det här” Mattias is guesting on vocals. Pascal’s new songs are heavier and woodier than before and LeMarc’s “Hold om mig” in Pascal’s version is ominously beautiful and depressing. Pascal is still angry (at the government, bad music, people who don’t care, well there’s a lot to be angry about) and channels his anger into music. But in the anger and the black there is always a light in the form of love.

Mattias’ side consists of four songs, three of his own and a cover of Conny Nimmersjö’s ”Regnet i Södertälje”. In terms of sound, the new songs are scarier than ”Nerverna”. Probably as a reaction to the collaboration with Pascal and Mattias showing that he is a master of this kind of music. Sweden’s two most wayward artists, Pascal and Mattias Alkberg, are therefore doing something together and in true punk spirit are releasing a split album. One side was Mattias’ participation on Pascal’s song ’Allt det här’. Two generations of musicians who have long liked each other and what started out as mutual admiration for each other has resulted in an album of noisy and raucous rock of the highest order! https://frontl.ink/db4qyed