Andrew Collberg

On his debut album, singer/songwriter Andrew Collberg shows a streak of lo-fi and D.I.Y. independence that can be a slippery slope at times. The Sweden- and Arizona-reared 19-year-old plays all of the instruments here, and at times (and like numerous indie poppers before him), this results in charmingly calculated amateur edges and rawness; but, at other times, it is an undertow that prevents the songs from fully cresting. "Roll on in Bed" aims squarely at solo John Lennon, complete with a vocal track that is soaked in reverb, but the hesitant instrumentation drags it down around the edges. (Here, he also sounds strikingly like indie singer/songwriter Fernando, an artist Collberg has likely never heard of.) Nevertheless, the loopy, country-grooving alt pop of "Come Home with Me" is a highlight; it shows that the young man has real songwriting chops, and in this case the production and the playing (particularly some twangy guitar leads) really spur things to life. The busy rhythms of "Dream Tonight" seem to echo Nicolai Dunger (a Swedish singer/songwriter who Collberg is sure to have heard of and been influenced by). Overall, Collberg has released a solid debut that shows real promise, and there is something here that is compelling and unique enough to suggest that he has even better albums up his sleeve. At times, there are even intonations and nuances that call to mind early Elliott Smith.