Did somebody say Sweden? You? … Oh yeah, it was MTV. And Rolling Stone. And every other self-aggrandizing publication/network looking for a revolution.

And with the sudden popularity of fellow Swedes The Hives and the impending popularity of other Swedish bands like Sahara Hot Nights, International Noise Conspiracy, The Division of Laura Lee and Abba, one can only hope to look to the “Swedish Scene” for the next big thing.

True, these bands are supportive of each other, even with some inter-band dating (The Hives and Sahara Hot Nights), but a Swedish scene? That seems like quite a fallacy.

The only things these bands really have in common are a flair for British and American rock ‘n’ roll and a not-quite-complete hold on the English language. Sure, this can be construed as cute, but one must also take these bands on the same level of seriousness as other American and British bands, like Justin Timberlake and O-Town.

The Soundtrack of Our Lives is better than O-Town. It’s even better than Justin Timberlake.

It rocks out, six-piece style, with fluid orchestration and wall-of-sound, psychedelic pop stylings. It sounds an awful lot like bands in Britain (Doves, some Oasis) and therefore has been acclaimed by the vultures at NME.

Nonetheless, the group’s record Behind the Music is damn good. The image needs some work, though. The Soundtrack of Our Lives makes its fairly lugubrious name a bit more concise (and abbreviating it to TSOOL isn’t that cool). And the record title Behind the Music? Far too VH1. Far too Vince Neil describing car crashes and groupies. Far too Swedish-attempting-to-be-American. Not enough authenticity.

Isn’t that what everyone seems to appreciate about Icelandic bands like Sigur Ros, Bjork and Mum? What can be appreciated, however, about Swedish music is that a majority of it has been state-sponsored. Imagine forming a band and then receiving money from the government to foster it — one can only dream of such a system in the United States.

About half of this album focuses on rocking pop music a la the Doves. Who doesn’t appreciate poppy music? Everyone does at some point. And the best part of when the members of TSOOL rock out is that they brings the orchestra and whatever else they can get their hands on with them.

And then there are the slower, more contemplative songs, a la the Doves.

What record wouldn’t be complete without looking at one’s life from a bit more melancholy position, especially with such striking lyrics as “I’m on your side / and I am also blue / ’cause I am still a child / and I know that you are too?” Certainly not this one.

It must be further emphasized, though, that Behind the Music is beautiful, perhaps brilliant, background music. It is lush and thorough with, at the same time, concise and expansive songwriting.

The question still must be asked: Is Behind the Music better than albums made by bands whose members speak English as their first language? Or will it be lauded because being Swedish is cute?

Grade: A/B