With Jettie’s third full-length album, the Swedish duo stakes its claim for big pop song glory. Except for the understated “Carraria Via,” each of the 11 songs on Kites for Charity is a grand affair. Strong, breathy vocals carry big-as-skyscraper melodies atop chiming guitars, driving drums, and lush production that sounds vaguely Coldplay-esque. But Jettie never ventures into wimpy “Yellow” territory, instead preferring to belt out its songs like they were ready to reach the backs of stadiums the world over. The lyrics, often incomprehensible, take a backseat to the power of the overall sonic landscape. But it’s no matter. With songs this big, they could be singing in any language.
--Frank Valish
