Rating: NNN
Television watchers will recognize the Neneh Cherry- and Annie-featured Yours To Keep from this Swedish ex-grindcore-now-pop band’s latest album as that catchy tune beaten into submission by those incessant psychedelic Virgin Mobile spots. Turns out the real licensing star here is the Elephant Man collabo Cobrastyle, which has appeared in six movies, five TV shows, a pay-per-view event, two beverage ads, the in-store soundtracks for three major clothing chains, a major sporting event and a video game. Soft Machine is actually lots of clean, clever fun, mixing Scandinavia’s polished, crisp take on garage rock with electronic aspects, then hiring an eclectic cast (Mad Cobra and Iggy Pop, too). But buying a disc of commercials seems backwards to me.
