Mattias Alkberg BD venue: Smålands, Lund date: 2004-04-14 Mattias Alkberg BD:s musical directness suggests that they are going to be more successful than Bear Quartet, one of Sweden’s best indie pop bands where Alkberg has been the singer for twelve years. Alkberg says that he plays punk but even though the guitars are noisily punky, the catchy melodies and guitar hooks is closer to pop. What is punk though is the attitude, with song titles like “Icke-maktens prerogativ” (sorry non-Swedish readers for the Swedish in this text), political lyrics (”har brutit upp en massa gatstenar/för att snöra på dig för att du dealar porrtidningar /pissmoderat med förutfattade meningar/det finns alternativ till ditt småborgerliga liv”), and a feeling of honesty. That Alkberg looks exactly like what he is, a thirty-something year old school teacher, makes it even more punk. It is hard not to be impressed by Alkberg’s productivity. He has released two great albums within a few months, the BD-projects debut “Tunaskolan” (BD was what the cars from Norrbotten had on their number plates before) in the beginning of this year and Bear Quartets “Angry Brigade” in the autumn of 2003. With Bear Quartet he has made eleven albums, even more ep:s, played with other small bands on the side, released four collections of poems and on top of that makes the fanzine “Butter”. Smålands Wednesday rock club Dodger is packed with people that has taken the first chance to see Mattias Alkberg BD live in Lund. We don’t get disappointed because Alkberg gives us a concentrated fifty minutes concert of fine pop punk. Unfortunately the sound is a bit mushy if you not are standing close to the stage, which makes it hard to hear the pathos filled and funny lyrics and glowing guitar melodies. That doesn’t matter very much on their hit though, one of the best singles of the winter, “Fyllskalle”, because everybody knows the words: “Säg det mig /säg det till dig själv /vilken fyllskalle /det blev av dig”. /Erik