Escape/Sound Pollution
Behind the moniker OXYGEN stands the quartet of Tony Niva, vocals (ex. ZANITY, ex. SWEDISH EROTICA, NIVA, ex. LION`S SHARE etc.), guitarist Roger Ljunggren, keyboardist and backing vocalist Marcus Persson, plus drummer Bengan Andersson. Tony released his first NIVA effort in Japan in 1994, and he has been pretty much active as a writer or in a band situation ever since. The style is of cause typically Swedish, with a slight American/Canadian early eighties touch.
“Janitor of Love” opens up the proceedings nicely, but the title is a bit lame. The song is quite alright apart from that, and the same goes for the ultra-Swedish “Anything for You”. There is of cause traces of the European Song Contest in the very gentle refrains, which owes quite a bit to refrain-centered pop as well. But things speed up a bit the keyboard laden “I Wanna Know for Sure” and “Gold from the Future”. TREAT fans get a glimpse of the times of old in “Bring Back the Joy”, but the piece de la resistance is saved for last. “You” is a descendant from MAGNUM`s “The Last Dance” but done the Swedish way of cause. It could well represent Sweden in the ESC, but alas, that might not happen. It could even be a winner. The album itself is a winner in the long run, but only if you have a penchant for Sweden in the age of the poodle haircuts…like me.
Track List
Janitor of Love
Anything for You
When Tomorrow Never Comes
I Remember
Gold from the Future
We Must Fight
I Wanna Know for Sure
Bring Back the Joy
Best Days of our Lives
You
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