The Wonder Boys
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Nicke Boström, ettnollett #46-47, 2005

rough translation:

A faithful and frequent band on these pages are the Stockholm based THE WONDER BOYS.
   I’ve spoken well of them before and will continue my superlatives here. A total of two demo records have found themselves to me this time, through David Liljemark who constitutes the second half of this duo.
   Together with the multi-instrumentalist (guitar, bass, drums, mandoline, balalaika, harmonica, piano + engineering, etc) Christian Gustavsson and a number of friends (six, seven), they twist and turn over 45 songs!!! It is two records that each contains a lot of music and lyrics. I could write maaany lines about each piece of music, but will restrict myself to concentrating on their latest demo that they call Die Kleine Schlagerparade. Their last one, Die Grobe [sic!] Schlagerparade, was sort of a collection demo, culling material from previously released cdr records that they’ve released on their label I Wanna Die On Stage Records.
   I’ve never seen the like of a more prolific demo band. I’m amazed. It seems like the duo have nothing else to do, but to make music, at home or in a rehearsal room with their portable studios. A full-time occupation, to say the least.
   During the recordings, they’re mobile between the three cities Lund, Karlstad and Stockholm. It seems like they’re devoted to an eternal dodgering and pottering. How does it sound then? It sounds really competent. There’s no lack of variation and inventiveness. Sometimes I gape with surprise. The material is so extensive that they could open their own hit factory.
   ‘Cause it’s swarming with little hits.
    Die Kleine Schlagerparade opens with a soft ballad called If We get Through This, We’ll get Through Anything. Am thinking about Paul Roland – anyone remember? And Robyn Hitchcock – anyone remember?
   The joy of playing continues with a playful Announcement (Death Dredger) (Close-down announcement trombone only mix + original lyrics), the bluesy The Car Ran Out Of Gas (blues version) with a beautiful, simple backing vocals part by Eva Björkstrand. Synthing’s Happening To You – indeed synth:y and danceable – Those Were The Days – with dist-rocky approach – Something’s Happening To You and so on.
   It’s not all pearls. There’s a couple of low water marks for those who can only handle hit-oriented stuff. Residents-like things as Jesus Christ Super Sitar and Oh Lord in the middle of the demo are no Schlagerparade-contributions...
   It’s a crazy mix of all music styles. No quarter is given. In conclusion, it’s a blessed mix of little masterpieces. Where to start if you’d want to release a single? An impossible task!