I appreciate the synthetic sounds, its more new and plastic clear pop than previously. I can't falter any song, we have to accept roxette will never be the same. New paths with new directions. I wish we had more rockier songs but as per stated he is pop. For a short time roxette were the biggest band on the planet.. through from listen to your heart , it must have been love, joyride... Marie fredriksson was the at the top of her game. She is irreplaceable. A real tour de force performer. Who is so missed. But this album was a smooth one.
What a great review. I was listening to You hurt the one you love the most when your video popped up. It's a great song. There's no album filler here. I was super anxious before I listened to the album. But I can actually hear the voice of Marie on some of the songs. Me and you and everything in between with that Ace of base vibe... LOVE! And Debris. There are some awesome melancholy songs and Modern talking kinda songs. I hope it will get the recognition it deserves ♥️
I think in one of the clips talking about this album Per even mentions that Marie gave her blessing to him keeping the project going. And I love that the name is and isn't Roxette. It can't be just Roxette as that would feel wrong without Marie. It's Per Gessle's version/side of Roxette, so the small change in the name is important and meaningful. And respectful. Thank you for the review. I thoroughly enjoy the record. At first listen some of the songs sounded a bit off. Some of them clicked with me immediately, but with more listens I warmed more to the ones that didn't immediately click. Maybe I've come attuned to them a bit more, maybe I've discovered something more in them, who knows. Anyway, I'm happy Per is still making more music for the fans. Even if one didn't like this new stuff, for the sound or for lack of Marie, there still are the old songs forever for you too.
Great review and I love that you shared those memories with us. My LP finally came yesterday (it's quite a distance from Sweden to South Africa), so I'm spinning it tonight at full volume.
Another great review. You all are getting better and better at this. Keep up the great work! Tons of great albums out this weekend including highly anticipated albums by First Aid Kit, Lone Bellow, and Phoenix. Can't wait to listen to those three albums.
Man, you are spot on. Some of your comments made me tear up because I lost my Dad a couple of years back. I personally love the album and totally agree it has both 80s and 90s vibes. Per and his team are exceptional. We will never get our Dear Marie back but we can be happy that these incredibly talented people are keeping the music and sound and lovely lyriics going. I love that Per decided to keep using the Roxette name. So many bands have done this in the past (including Alphaville) even when members changed. I think there's nothing wrong at all with PG Roxette. Let's face it, Per is a good man. Beautiful presentation "Beat Sessions" and I say KUDOS to you for articulating so well some beautiful thoughts. Best wishes from Northern California :) PS: Spent quite some time working in Sweden, Finland and Norway and I feel the "Nordic Sense" very much in this album. Love Abba and A-Ha of course too but Roxette is my fave.
Thank you, my friend, and I'm sorry to hear you lost your father. These are the type of connections I was hoping to make when I started The Beat Sessions and I appreciate you being open with your thoughts. Take care and rock on!!
Lovely Album full of absolutely Fantastic songs and it deserves to be noticed by everyone. I agree really that it shouldn't be PG Roxette. I understand why Per wants to keep the name alive but I don't think this is how to do it. Roxette songs are big enough to stand on their own. What I am disappointed about is the lack of worldwide notice of the album, even though it's a worldwide release and I feel it's going pass under the radar which frustrates the hello out of me.. This is just how I feel, wrong or right. But Thanks Per and Everyone involved for making a Fantastic Album💓
For me roxette was all about Marie. I still believe that. Having said that. I thought I had lost all interest on anything new related to it but somehow this album got my attention. Roxette will never be the same but this was a very appealing and interesting tribute like material. Loved most of the songs.
I listened to this album in an unbiased manner. I was grateful he was giving us another Roxette styled record. I think the two girls do a fine job on the album. I love the Ace of Base element on Me and You and Everything in Between. Some killer songs on this record that I truly enjoy as a fan of Roxette. Some tracks are void and don’t catch me. That’s sad because I usually find their albums addictive from beginning to end. This is not because Marie is missing. But all in all I am glad he has given us another album!
Actually I am surprise this album is that good! I mean things will never be the same without Marie but this album has its own merits with Per and the two ladies. Jezebel and Debris are two songs that I love on this album.
Love this album, the more I listen to it the better it gets, The more I hear the more i discover the layers and talent in this whole album. One thing about the guitar playing... It's mainly Jonas Isaacson 💓who is the genius guitarist on here and Christopher Lundquist 😊
To Fernando: ME TOO!!! This is sooooo cool. I received this link only because of Per. I love the album, Per and his team. Great talent here without vulgarity or strange marketing. Just some nice music with (in my estimation) great lyrics.
it took a couple of times listening to it to really get into it. Although for me it doesn't quite match up to Have a Nice Day or Room Service which I think are both in the top 5 albums ever, it does do better then Charm School and good Carma, their last 2 albums. as far as Roxette goes, I think perhaps a more appropriate name would be Roxette 2020 or Roxette (2020) since their first new material came out in the 2020's. I would have loved it if per added the words (in memory of ....) underneath the title of the album.
It is dedicated to Marie on the last page, but yes it would have been nice to have had a bit more plus maybe a photo of them together. Plus also Pelle Alsing who sadly passed away after Marie😢💔
PG Roxette isn't Roxette. Because Roxette died the day Marie Fredriksson retired from stages back in April 2016. This is just Per Gessle's Roxette, one half of this Swedish duo.
I agree, and while Marie and her energy are irreplaceable, I think it's important to note that Per has always the primary songwriter, and I think Helena and Dea are great in their own right.
I've only heard the one song and it sounded terribly under produced. Like a Demo and his voice and phrasing was odd. The guest vocalist was a good singer , but was not Roxette-ish at all. Hope the rest is much better.
this is NOT Roxette - Roxette ended when Marie died in 2019. You keep talking about looking past what Roxette was with Marie and see this project for what it is. For me, I think Per is using the Roxette name to make more money. When you listen to this album you can see Per didn't put too much work into the project - lyrics are lacking and the vocals on this album is weak, and most songs sound the same. Nah....This is NOT Roxette - Per Gessle solo project written all over it.
got to give it a couple times though, I thought the same the first time I listened to it, the 2nd time though I thought it was much better. Doesn't come close to Have a Nice Day and Room Service which I think are 2 of the best albums of all time but it does beat Charm School and good Carma, at least for me.
There was a time where I thought just like you. You have to get over it. Marie is gone. But as Per said, because she's gone, doesn't mean she's forgotten. This album is pretty similar to Good Karma or Have a Nice Day. There are even some similarities with late 80's/early 90's. And yes, i've listened to it. At leat, 12 times. We can't compare Helena's or Dea's vocals to Marie's. It's not suposed to... About Per, he doesn't need money, he's just doing what he loves. And there's an explanation for the name PG Roxette: He has already said he wants to keep touring and sing the songs HE wrote for Roxette in order to keep Roxette's legacy alive. Please, don't forget Per wrote almost all Roxette songs. He deserves to use this name. And also, when Marie retired in 2016, she said he could keep touring with Roxette songs ! So, get over it, the same why I did.
