Peter Bjorn And John — Living Thing

It was the curse of the whistle heard around the world. Peter Bjorn And John's "Young Folks" spurred such international acclaim that the Swedish trio retreated from their indie pop realm.

Guitarist/vocalist Peter Moren released a quiet folk album and bassist/vocalist Bjorn Yttling produced some records, including Lykke Li's Youth Novels. When the band reconvened, they released a limited edition instrumental album titled Seaside Rock last year and are only now divulging the true follow-up to 2006's Writer's Block.

Living Thing opens with the awkward "The Feeling," showcasing only percussion and vocals from drummer John Eriksson. The album then settles into a more classic PB&J sound with Moren taking over lead vocal duties on "It Don't Move Me" and the quiet "Just The Past."

Many of Living Thing's tracks bubble beneath the surface, including the haunting "Stay This Way" and "I Want You!" It's evident that the trio have boiled down their sound, refining and reducing their instrumentation to focus more on fragmented electronic beats, percussive elements and vocals rather than guitars and bass.

But then you're hit with single "Nothing To Worry About," which is just a few hairs shy of being "Young Folks 2.0." It's filled with broken beats and a children's choir that sounds out of place at first, but becomes catchy as all hell by the time you reach the chorus. The expletive-laden second single, "Lay It Down," is also catchy but lacks some of the previous single's oomph and seems a tad childish.

There are the obvious nods to other musicians, like the Paul Simon-inspired title track and the Phil Collins drumming on album closer "Last Night." These songs hold their own, but are smudged with some cheesiness.

Peter Bjorn And John have taken their sound down a more minimalist path, yet seem less cohesive with all three members contributing vocals. Moren's voice sounds the most natural in the forefront, while Eriksson's vocals are out of place and less confident because of his thicker accent. There are some good songs on here, but this darker album just doesn't have the same pizzazz as Writer's Block.

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