Sounding very much like an English modern rock/pop outfit, this is not what I was expecting primarily because of the presence off JJ Marsh on three of the tracks. With a varied mix of sounds reminiscent of early David Bowie, Lou Reed and even John Lennon with a Beatle-esque touch, this well put together package containing 12 tracks is definitely mood setting! It's very laid back in places - stand out tracks for this listener include the opener 'You Knew', 'How Long', 'Walk In My Shoes'. The Willie Nelson sounding 'Another Song For The Poor', 'Celebrate My Life' which has some nice Hendrixy style licks and a good vocal chorus. 'Why Is It So Hard To Give' is not bad with a Neil Young riff throughout. You can imagine the song, album title and first single, 'Hello (Take A Look On The Inside), being played on any US college radio station, with good catchy chorus. The music of this Swedish band is certainly odd and remarkable and is produced with edge and presence.
JJ Marsh's participation is not at all in the style you would of expected,
which is not a bad thing, but should be mentioned in case you're thinking this is a hard rock outing - which it certainly is not! JJ can be found on the tracks 'You Knew', 'How Long' and 'Celebrate My Life'. His connection with the band is a friendship and collaboration with one of the main members of Orange, Sampo Axelsson. Sampo and JJ wrote some material together with Glenn Hughes for the albums Addiction and The Way It Is. Sampo also participated as a bass player in Glenn Hughes band on the European tour in 1996 and on one tour in Japan during 1997.
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How does an orange sound?
 The Beatles legend John Lennon once looked for the answer and made his producer quite frustrated. But now you can find the fruit in the musical garden of the band Orange, based in Uppsala, Sweden. It's a playful and original album and and album to live with. The opener "You knew" is a surprise since it's about a poor pig and his way to the slaughterhouse. The song "Hello"  is about being different and an outsider. This is retro, melodic, guitaric music with a touch of Lennon, Bovie, Hendrix. It's an exiting cross of two styles, country and rock with a lot of respect for the classics.
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Drenched in pop hooks, sonic feedback and dynamic – almost ethereal soundscapes is the music of Orange. Granted, one of the most appealing things about this Swedish duo is their flare for artistic melody – much of which is reminiscent of early to mid-70s California rock. Take for instance “How Long”, a lush, primordial composition that reflects a certain Neil Young/David Gates aura especial as it spills out of the timbre voice of Kent Wennman. His John Lennon side is just as poignant when applied to “Walk In My Shoes”. 

Multi-instrumentalist Sampo Axelsson makes up the other half of this remarkable combination. His distinct tuning can be heard in the acoustically biting “Immigration Man”, the Hendrix influenced “Celebrate My Life” and the riff-heavy “Hello (Take A Look On The Inside).” Yet it is the mix of Wennman and Axelsson that gives the whole thing balance. Their air of political spirit is also convincing when it spices up songs like “Why Is It So Hard To Give”, and “Another Song For The Poor” – an eloquent nod to classic CSNY. 

From the liquid fusion of “You Knew” and the bass-laden “Let It All Out” to the delicate piano of “Peter’s Basement” and “Come Cry On My Shoulder” the duo reach a distinguished balance of memorable songs - songs that dig deeper in the soul while swaging with the beat. This is not your standard sing-songwriter piece. It is expressive, ageless and worth seeking out.
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