Press reviews of the album Montmartre 15 40

Svenska Dagbladet / 1996-02-02 / 4 out of 5

It’s a miracle that there are a Skellefteå band that manages to be themselves, at least for four songs. In 1990 things started to happen on the Skellefteå scene, as well as 91 and 92. Since then, it has almost just been Bear Quartet - Wannadies is going for the international market nowadays and This Perfect Day has taken a break. So Popundret has got the Skellefteå scene for themselves. I don’t think Magnus and Magnus and the others in Popundret would like to be called an indieband (because no popgroup does), but that is what I would like to call them. And if you’re interested, it sounds very nice and noisy. The songs are intelligent and the choruses will stick. Great!

ULRIKA NILSSON

Stokage / Benno / 1996

Prologue: To mention references and ideals are, as everybody knows, quite common in reviews. It gives the reader some idea about what the reviewed band sounds like. This is a marvellous system, almost. The reader must know the references if it should work, and the other way round can give the reader the wrong expectations. That’s why I have decided to skip the referencesystem in this review. Just to not confuse any readers.
 Skellefteå keeps on producing popgroups in the same pace in which Leila K produces scandals. Popundret is a new Norrland acquaintance, and as the name tells you, it’s about pop. Most of the songs are, just as good old popmanner, barely three minutes long, but that, I’m afraid, doesn’t mean that the record feels a but too long. At this point, they are by no means a masterpiece, but a couple of really nice songs are featured on the album. Shiver Gone and That What Makes Me Love You are two songs that definitely will make it to my mixed tape of the summer.
 Epilogue: (Don’t tell anyone, but Popundrets idols begins with an S and ends with a miths.)

FN

Aftonbladet / 2 out of 5

Witty name for a stylish litte quartet that breaks the Westside-pattern by surfing in the wake of Morrissey, instead of Dinosaur Jr’s or Teenage Fanclub’s. Sadly, they are bit too timorous to manage waves that high, and therefor they fall into the water and drown before they reach the harbour.

PER BJURMAN

Göteborgsposten / 1996-02-02 / 5 out of 6

Montmartre 15 40 is the most charming Swedish guitarpop record I have heard since Happy Dead Men’s debut. It sounds a lot like early Smiths and British wimppop. But it’s done in a new way and it’s hard not to wanna huddle up and pretending to be somewhere else. Skellefteå, and not Lund, should be this year’s Pop Town.

PM JÖNSSON

Scandinavian Indie Digest / 1996-02-08


 Don't scratch your ears -- the two-minute guitar-pop song is back,
courtesy of Skellefteaa's Popundret. Unfortunately, so is the
37-minute CD, but (mindful of 'The La's', 'It's a Shame about Ray' and
other miniature gems) we won't take issue with that. Listening to
Popundret's neatly-crafted debut is a half-hour-and-a-bit well spent.
 Magnus Nilsson's voice dominates, which is both Popundret's
strength and their weakness. At his best, he's exhilarating to listen
to, attacking the variously acerbic and joyful lyrics with obvious
relish. At times, however, he sounds a little too much like Morrissey
for comfort, and anyone who remembers early James material might feel
awkwardly transported back to 1991. This is less of a problem on the
slower, more melancholy tracks, than it is in the upbeat ones where
things otherwise to work best. There, Popundret shine. Occasionally,
as in 'Shiver Gone', they positively shimmer: you realise sheepishly
that any record that makes you grin like this can't possibly be the
Smiths. Music, indeed, which would go just fine with that second cafe
au lait at twenty to four on a languid Parisian afternoon...

ROBERT CUMMING

Live reviews

From Trästocksfestivlen 1996

Popundret (main stage)

Popundret don't quite shine like they should. They have, as we know from the `Montmartre 15 40' LP, a repertoire of great pop songs that don't always sound like a cheery version of the Smiths. They play a selection of them here, and some interesting but unremarkable new songs, and nobody in the audience gets terribly worked up. Maybe it was just the sound. Maybe Magnus just needs to steal some of Morrissey's star quality as well. Or maybe it's that Popundret, made up as it is of members of
other outfits, are too much of a hobby band and not enough of the supergroup the festival programme says they are.