Thus their poor results at this year's Melodifestivalen with You're not alone, the first single released from their new and fourth studio album Big Science, Bodies Without Organs (or Alexander Bard+Marina Schiptjenko+Martin Rolinski=BWO) are back on a new record label, Bonnier Music, after their Singles collection Pandemonium of last year so a split is not in store after all.
Visually, BWO have gone for a futuristic scientific cover, making them look like Star Trek spacemen attempting a conference on Mars. Marina wears an awful Mireille Mathieu like haircut that strips her down from any sex appeal, Alexander looks crazier than ever with his beard and riding hat, and Martin looks like a romantic millenium doll version of Barbie's Ken, sexy as hell! On its back, their CD displays the tracklisting like if each song were moleculars in some biochemistry table.
Musically, BWO sound like always : G-O-O-D.
1/ RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW 10/10
The album starts off slowly with the next single and a favourite of the band, Right here right now, that builds up from an orchestral intro to a slow first verse and into an uplifting pop song with rhythm and a piano-led melody. "I'm talking about love" sings Martin with his heart on music produced like always by Alexander Bard & partner in crime Anders Hansson, except on nearly all the album, Felix Persson and Märta Grauers are co-producing. Right here right now is the perfect introduction to what BWO's new album is all about : pop with killer chorus, dance beats and strings arrangements.
2/ LOVE CAME CRASHING DOWN 9/10
A jazzy intro and old-fashioned rhythm changes the pace with this retro song, still with a chorus you can only whistle along to, this co-written and produced with Henrik Wikström.
3/ KINGS OF TOMORROW (BALLAD VERSION) 7,5/10
By its title, we know this new track is going to be a slow one and because of the two versions displayed on the CD, a next single for sure too. The ballad version is a mellow and moving ballad, sticking to the romantic side of Martin's vocal beauty, including a nice bridge with talking words & etheral piano notes. It's not what I like best about BWO myself but a nice pause.
4/ BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE 10/10
Burning down the house starts with a disco beat and strings to become a Motown inspired feelgood pop number that can only make your move your feet and nod your head in rhythm ; a song that will be hard to remix if released as a single though.
5/ RISE TO THE OCCASION 9/10
I had been dreaming this could be a cover version of the Climie Fisher 80's hit but it's not and I'm not deceived after all... Rise to the occasion is a nice midtempo with an uplifting groove with nice memorable WOooOhohoh backing vocals and once more a talking bridge, this time by Marina.
6/ YOU'RE NOT ALONE (BALLAD VERSION) 8,5/10
The piano intro shows off the emotional beauty of this song, with stripped to the bone first verse and anthemic chorus for this symphonic power-ballad with big choir. It was maybe destined to appeal to the masses on the Eurovision show but maybe too middle-of-the-road for eurofans.
7/ BITE THE BULLET 10/10
Not to be confused with Army Of Lovers' Ride the bullet, Bite the bullet is another pop song to dance to, with old school inspiration, this time from Phil Spector in the chorus I feel, but sounding very modern, with nice sing-along diva vocals by Britta Bergström. Single potential in my heart!
8/ IN TOO DEEP 9/10
Time for another mid-tempo with mellow beats with this In too deep that is a charming album track, with a chorus melody that takes you away with Martin's voice. Once again, there are beautiful strings arrangements on this one and I can't help but think that even if BWO are always an electronic-pop group, they've managed a perfect fusion with symphonic
9/ THUNDERBOLT 10/10
Produced & co-written by Star Pilots' production team, Thunderbolt is a pure electro disco-dance anthem and I dream it will be released as a single too. Remixers will sure queue up for this one! Maybe less BWO than the other tracks, this one has a magic that works on my ears and the slowed-down bridge works nice too. When the songs finishes (at 3'24), you're tempted to touch the "Repeat" button immediately.
10/ RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT 9,5/10
Except Rhythm of the night has already begun and it's another upbeat mid-tempo with a repetitive chorus that sticks to your brain and make you think it's another winner ; "Rhythm of the night, rhythm of your soul" it goes, on and on. It feels strange to call some of their songs upbeat mid-tempos but I can't say they're totally upbeat numbers as they're a little laidback but there's a fast rhythm that builds up even though throughout the whole song...
11/ SINGING IN MY CAR 10/10
This time, it's more of a mid-tempo than a fast song, but very anthemic, and with something that makes me think of tribal harmonies ; a nice surprise that has got me totally spelled.
12/ SHOOT FROM THE HEART 10/10
Shoot from the heart starts with classic ABBA piano intro then comes an upbeat rhythm and we know we're going to end the CD with full on NRG dance-pop. It is the second and last Wikström collaboration who previously worked on Lay your love on me. Despite its placing near the end, I would happily see it become a single too...
13/ KINGS OF TOMORROW (DISCO VERSION) 10/10
The album ends with two versions of songs previously seen in their ballad version with a disco remix produced by Skyylab. Kings of tomorrow really benefits from this new treatment right from the start and the disco loops in the intro. First verse still builds up from a slow start but then, it's all becoming a pop-dance future hit. I hope this is the version that will be released to the radios as a single.
14/ YOU'RE NOT ALONE (DISCO VERSION) 10/10
You're not alone was already a winner as a ballad, it is a stormer as a dance track. Once again Skyylab succeed in speeding up the tempo, making its chorus an even more anthemic one, and still clocking at nearly 3' so I can't understand why BWO tried to do better at the Melodifestivalen with This version, or another one, starting as a ballad then melting into disco.
In the end, Big Science doesn't include a single boring track and it sounds like a Greatest Hits, Part 2, as every song on it or near could become a further single.
Visually, BWO have gone for a futuristic scientific cover, making them look like Star Trek spacemen attempting a conference on Mars. Marina wears an awful Mireille Mathieu like haircut that strips her down from any sex appeal, Alexander looks crazier than ever with his beard and riding hat, and Martin looks like a romantic millenium doll version of Barbie's Ken, sexy as hell! On its back, their CD displays the tracklisting like if each song were moleculars in some biochemistry table.
Musically, BWO sound like always : G-O-O-D.
1/ RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW 10/10
The album starts off slowly with the next single and a favourite of the band, Right here right now, that builds up from an orchestral intro to a slow first verse and into an uplifting pop song with rhythm and a piano-led melody. "I'm talking about love" sings Martin with his heart on music produced like always by Alexander Bard & partner in crime Anders Hansson, except on nearly all the album, Felix Persson and Märta Grauers are co-producing. Right here right now is the perfect introduction to what BWO's new album is all about : pop with killer chorus, dance beats and strings arrangements.
2/ LOVE CAME CRASHING DOWN 9/10
A jazzy intro and old-fashioned rhythm changes the pace with this retro song, still with a chorus you can only whistle along to, this co-written and produced with Henrik Wikström.
3/ KINGS OF TOMORROW (BALLAD VERSION) 7,5/10
By its title, we know this new track is going to be a slow one and because of the two versions displayed on the CD, a next single for sure too. The ballad version is a mellow and moving ballad, sticking to the romantic side of Martin's vocal beauty, including a nice bridge with talking words & etheral piano notes. It's not what I like best about BWO myself but a nice pause.
4/ BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE 10/10
Burning down the house starts with a disco beat and strings to become a Motown inspired feelgood pop number that can only make your move your feet and nod your head in rhythm ; a song that will be hard to remix if released as a single though.
5/ RISE TO THE OCCASION 9/10
I had been dreaming this could be a cover version of the Climie Fisher 80's hit but it's not and I'm not deceived after all... Rise to the occasion is a nice midtempo with an uplifting groove with nice memorable WOooOhohoh backing vocals and once more a talking bridge, this time by Marina.
6/ YOU'RE NOT ALONE (BALLAD VERSION) 8,5/10
The piano intro shows off the emotional beauty of this song, with stripped to the bone first verse and anthemic chorus for this symphonic power-ballad with big choir. It was maybe destined to appeal to the masses on the Eurovision show but maybe too middle-of-the-road for eurofans.
7/ BITE THE BULLET 10/10
Not to be confused with Army Of Lovers' Ride the bullet, Bite the bullet is another pop song to dance to, with old school inspiration, this time from Phil Spector in the chorus I feel, but sounding very modern, with nice sing-along diva vocals by Britta Bergström. Single potential in my heart!
8/ IN TOO DEEP 9/10
Time for another mid-tempo with mellow beats with this In too deep that is a charming album track, with a chorus melody that takes you away with Martin's voice. Once again, there are beautiful strings arrangements on this one and I can't help but think that even if BWO are always an electronic-pop group, they've managed a perfect fusion with symphonic
9/ THUNDERBOLT 10/10
Produced & co-written by Star Pilots' production team, Thunderbolt is a pure electro disco-dance anthem and I dream it will be released as a single too. Remixers will sure queue up for this one! Maybe less BWO than the other tracks, this one has a magic that works on my ears and the slowed-down bridge works nice too. When the songs finishes (at 3'24), you're tempted to touch the "Repeat" button immediately.
10/ RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT 9,5/10
Except Rhythm of the night has already begun and it's another upbeat mid-tempo with a repetitive chorus that sticks to your brain and make you think it's another winner ; "Rhythm of the night, rhythm of your soul" it goes, on and on. It feels strange to call some of their songs upbeat mid-tempos but I can't say they're totally upbeat numbers as they're a little laidback but there's a fast rhythm that builds up even though throughout the whole song...
11/ SINGING IN MY CAR 10/10
This time, it's more of a mid-tempo than a fast song, but very anthemic, and with something that makes me think of tribal harmonies ; a nice surprise that has got me totally spelled.
12/ SHOOT FROM THE HEART 10/10
Shoot from the heart starts with classic ABBA piano intro then comes an upbeat rhythm and we know we're going to end the CD with full on NRG dance-pop. It is the second and last Wikström collaboration who previously worked on Lay your love on me. Despite its placing near the end, I would happily see it become a single too...
13/ KINGS OF TOMORROW (DISCO VERSION) 10/10
The album ends with two versions of songs previously seen in their ballad version with a disco remix produced by Skyylab. Kings of tomorrow really benefits from this new treatment right from the start and the disco loops in the intro. First verse still builds up from a slow start but then, it's all becoming a pop-dance future hit. I hope this is the version that will be released to the radios as a single.
14/ YOU'RE NOT ALONE (DISCO VERSION) 10/10
You're not alone was already a winner as a ballad, it is a stormer as a dance track. Once again Skyylab succeed in speeding up the tempo, making its chorus an even more anthemic one, and still clocking at nearly 3' so I can't understand why BWO tried to do better at the Melodifestivalen with This version, or another one, starting as a ballad then melting into disco.
In the end, Big Science doesn't include a single boring track and it sounds like a Greatest Hits, Part 2, as every song on it or near could become a further single.
.