The Second Hand Orchestra‘s last two releases were cover-dominant, but immensely appealing. The Slow Summer EP contained orchestral versions of summer nuggets including “Summertime Sadness” and “Cruel Summer,” as well as a traditional Swedish graduation tune, recorded outdoors. Before that came So, This Is Christmas.., which contained Swedish confections along with “Fairy Tale of New York,” “Happy X-Mas” and other festive favorites. Puzzle is all originals, as fun as its title implies, and has itself unfolded as a puzzle, released one EP at a time.
Even the recording process was a blast. Thirteen musicians were each invited to bring their personal ideas, sketches or compositions, and had one hour to introduce the track to the group, flesh it out and set it to tape, under the loving leadership of Karl Jonas Winqvist. This approach makes every selection sound spontaneous; one can almost hear the joyful laughter and mutual appreciation.
Listening to the album is liking going to recess. One can hear the performers freed from natural constraints, allowed to be themselves, every person and idea honored and supported. Exuberance is obvious from the opening notes: the piano and whistling of “Sprouts.” As pieces are presented in the order they were recorded, the listener takes the journey along with the ensemble. As the track branches into an Old West experience, one imagines riding the old horses alongside the musicians, instruments stored in canvas, tucked in the back of the caravan. “Bumpy road, go!” and “Horizon / Horisont” solidify the association with movement; the former includes the brief wailing of a police siren, along with hints of Spencer Davis Group’s “I’m a Man.”
Some of the tracks reference jazz, while others delve into funk. The horn refrain of “Divorce” is particularly catchy, not like a divorce at all, unless one is feeling suddenly liberated. Instead, the track sounds like the theme of a classic adventure show. The catchiest piece is “Na Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na,” lyric sheet unnecessary; while no relation to the Steam song, the melody sticks in the head in a pleasant, reverie-filled fashion.
One of the most pensive pieces is also one of the album’s best; in title and timbre, “Keep on building a world” is soothing and encouraging, a reminder that if one can collaborate in order to construct a composition, one may apply the principle on a larger scale. This is the metaphor implied by Puzzle: when a variety of voices are invited, most puzzles can be solved. (Richard Allen)