This export from Sweden may have a hard time finding wide acceptance over here in the States. There’s something about the three songs on this debut EP that just doesn’t seem to translate well over the speakers. Leo Nielsen’s voice is fine and strong enough, but he seems to be squandering his talents on overdone performances. The first track here, “Let Go (John’s Song)” is a dramatically sappy piece of pop vocalizing, and by the time it’s all over, Leo’s pleading may have you ripping your hair out. “Don’t Ask” really pushes the meters into the red, while Nielsen’s voice misses many notes consistently, while his own layered backing vocals continue to bring down the song. If ever you wanted to hear a guy really try way too hard, then this is your chance. On the other hand, “Fade” is syrupy enough that it seems like it would strike the right chord in the heart of a gal in her late teens. That’s not saying much, considering we already have enough of that kind of stuff (and far better, for that matter) already clogging the charts. (self-released)
