The Swedish touch

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      Peter Bjorn and John weren’t prepared for the avalanche of hype that greeted Writer’s Block.

      When a single as eminently catchy as "Young Folks" immediately becomes a living-room-dance-party anthem for scarf-wearing indie kids everywhere, and turns out to be from a Swedish band, it's hard not to attribute its lovability to the inherent "Swedishness" of the group. From the Cardigans to Ace of Base and all the way back to those masters of perfect pop, ABBA, the Swedes seem to have a knack for sweet-but-not-saccharine pop songs–romantic enough to appeal to the dreamers, but musically sound enough to withstand repeated spins. But, with Peter Bjí¶rn and John, the trio responsible for the ubiquitous hit, there's more at play than simple one-hit-wonderdom from the land of lutfisk and IKEA.

      Formed in 1999, and consisting of Peter Morén on vocals and guitar, Bjí¶rn Yttling on vocals, bass, and keys, and John Erikkson on drums, Peter Bjí¶rn and John (no comma, because they didn't like the way it looked in their logo) have been at it for quite some time, toiling away in relative obscurity. Until recently, Yttling was more renowned for his work producing other Swedish acts, including the Shout Out Louds and the Concretes, and for his stint in the Caesars, of iPod-ad fame. Morén played in a Beatles cover band, and Erikkson found some success as a percussionist for hire. As PB&J, they released a couple of records and a ton of EPs that received praise and admiration in their homeland for their fusion of '60s pop, '80s new romanticism, and '90s indie rock, but had little notoriety outside Sweden.

      Then, in 2006, along came Writer's Block, featuring that single, which is lovely and drenched in Merseybeat dreaminess while still sounding ready for a modern dance floor. And that's when everything changed.

      "It's been quite amazing," says Morén over the phone from his house in Stockholm. "Since August, when a lot of European countries picked up the album, one after the other, there's been a lot of travelling and that's quite a lot of change. We're used to only playing in Sweden, and even then, not very much."

      The group is now in high demand, selling out on its current North American tour, winning appearances on Late Night With Conan O'Brien and Saturday Night Live, and playing prime spots on the European festival circuit.

      "The whole thing is very bizarre–doing sold-out gigs all around the world and people knowing the songs," says Morén, sounding amazed. "You don't expect it, because there's such a lot of great bands around in the world that never get this appreciation. And also because we've been around for such a long time, it makes you a bit humble. We're all in our early 30s and we didn't expect anything. Maybe if we were all 22, it would be more of a diva thing, but I'm genuinely surprised and also really happy."

      The frontman makes it sound like the band lucked out, but a quick spin of Writer's Block proves Peter Bjí¶rn and John are more than a chancer that hit the big time. The album, which, for the first time, boasts songs written by all three members, overflows with catchy tunes, each straddling many genres but still sounding cohesive. The recent single "Objects of My Affection" has proved to naysayers that the group has staying power, and if all the artists lining up to remix Writer's Block tracks are any indication, Peter Bjorn and John certainly have the respect of their peers.

      What's most striking about the band's members (besides their music, that is) is how genuinely unprepared they seem for all the hype. Their current tour had drummer Erikkson for just the first week before he had to return home for another engagement (he will be replaced for the remainder of their jaunt by Caesars drummer Nino Keller), and Morén recently had to drop out of school to meet the band's obligations. Perhaps it's because, despite all their fame abroad, their homeland just isn't making as big a fuss.

      "In a way, it's weird because we've never been really popular in Sweden," says Morén, who seems amused by all the questions about Swedish it bands. "And I don't think we're even popular now. It's weird recommending bands that are more popular than you. American media is big in Sweden. We were on all the talk shows and we were on Grey's Anatomy–and Swedish media, if something gets noticed in America that's all they care about.

      "I've done a couple interviews here that were all about Conan O'Brien," Morén continues. "They were completely ridiculous. So I don't understand selling out shows over there [North America]. But it's very nice."

      Peter Bjorn and John play a sold-out Commodore on Saturday (May 12).

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