Vocals from Heaven.
Guitars from Hell.
Keys from Outerspace.
Rhythms from Uranus.
Revenges des Nerds.
"The Swedes rip a page from the Darkness’s glam-revival book, adding fun disco squiggles and chant-along whoo!s to their stadium rock pomposity."
--Time Out New York
"The album's memorable melodies and sweeping harmonies mesh with Jon Gray's honest and provocative lyrics to produce one of the most original rock records that I've heard in a long time... The band does a great job by pulling off the quirky pop genre better than most, successfully blending Shin's style pop with classic guitar riffs and hooks. Photolab 9000 is a hard-hitting and catchy indie pop rock album, with inspiration that's drawn from early 80's clean-cut new wave. If you like Squeeze, XTC, or Dogs Die in Hot Cars, you'll love these guys. This album is highly recommended for those of you looking for that perfect indie album to polish off your collection."
--Kristen Luczak, The Beacon
"...The trick for any band is to transcend the weight of its influences while operating in a similar aesthetic. The Swedes are a band with impeccable and distinctive taste. The Swedes combine and refine the music they enjoy to great effect on their debut offering, “Photolab 9000.†The extent to which the music succeeds is based both on their ability to tap into the feel of their heroes and ignore the impulse to wholesale plunder from the past."
--Ed Gross, The Deli Magazine
"Take a bit of Suede (aka The London Suede), throw in some Space Hog (raise your hand if you remember Space Hog!), add a dash of Trippin’ Daisy (I’m really reaching, I know), now mix in creatively crafted space-aged synthesized sounds, combine with peppy vocals and—VOILA!—the new wave sounds of The Swedes’ Photolab 9000. The Swedes, have managed to infuse the psychedelic sounds of the 60’s and 70’s in their music, without forcing the listener to have prolonged bad trip. This can be credited to the strong melodies and danceable tracks. And, trust me, when I say danceable, what I mean is, dance around my room while I should be writing this review, shakin’ my booty. Superior vocal harmonization and poppy guitar hooks provide endless amounts of listening pleasure!"
--Jennifer Brown, Sugarzine.com
"Quirky pop is in, which is fine by me since angry facial hair rock makes me cringe like a scared kitten. The Swedes pull off the genre better than most, somewhat successfully blending Shins style pop with Steve Miller / garage-rock guitar licks. These New Yorkers with a photobooth picture obession would feel right at home playing with half the Sub Pop or Merge roster, and I for one wouldn't mind the show."
--Cory Gowan, 75orless.com
"Der Fastschonglamrock der Swedes aus Brooklyn trifft auf schöne Flageolett-Töne von The Boy Bathing, die San Francisco-Indie-Lieblinge von The Downfalls steuern einen Song bei, von Bobby & Blum gibts eine wunderbare Folkpop-Miniatur, die Kooks mal akustisch mit einer gelungenen Nummer, MC Chris, der Eminem der Herzen, mag die Zeit anhalten und dazwischen hört ihr noch eine reichlich schräge Cello-Version des Britney Spears-Klassikers “Toxic“: viel Spaß mit Ausgabe 10 der siebenSONGS!"
--siebenSATZE.wordpress.com, april 17 '08
