Pitchfork

Sure, there are a lot of mean-looking sons of bitches in bands out there, but guess which band would win in a fight every time? How about an exuberant twee-pop outfit from Jönköping, Sweden, called I'm From Barcelona? They might look like total pansies, but there are 29 of these kids-- that's enough to individually pin down every limb your speed metal band has, with plenty of Barceloners left over for ass-kicking, and you guys even drink protein shakes and work out twice daily. You cannot fuck with that.

Not even Pitchfork could fuck with that, and since we couldn't beat 'em, we joined 'em, awarding I'm From Barcelona's debut, Let Me Introduce My Friends, the coveted Best New Music distinction and a healthy 8.4. Of course, it certainly helped that the record's overflowing with enormous hooks and irresistible good vibes. Until now, however, U.S. pop kids have had to brave import pricing or resort to the nefarious netherworld of illicit file-sharing to sneak a snack from Barcelona's cookie jar.

Not for long: the good people at Mute North America have just signed I'm From Barcelona-- all 29 of them-- and will treat U.S. audiences to Let Me Introduce My Friends, housing the same twee-lightful tracklist as its European sibling, on March 20 of next year. That should give you plenty of time to beef up and hire a huge posse for the next time Barcelona come a-calling.

I'm From Barcelona play the Trans Musicales Festival in Rennes, France on December 7, sharing the stage with Cat Power, Razorlight, and more. Hopefully signing to Mute brings them one step closer to barnstorming the U.S. someday-- although, alas, our dream Swede double bill of IFB and Peter Bjorn and John probably won't be happening.

And finally, how's this for cultural chaos? A band from Sweden calling themselves I'm From Barcelona performing "We're From Barcelona" unplugged on the streets of Paris? And "Treehouse" in a local restaurant? Believe it, and watch it now on wonderful French blog La Blogothèque.

Let Me Introduce My Friends:

01 Oversleeping
02 Collection Of Stamps
03 We're From Barcelona
04 Treehouse
05 Jenny
06 Ola Kala
07 Chicken Pox
08 Rec & Play
09 This Boy [ft. Loney, Dear]
10 Barcelona Loves You
11 The Saddest Lullaby [ft. Mathias Alrikson]