这张专集的名字借用了上一张EP《missing you》中一首作品的名字,而专集本身却并没有收录这首作品。不管怎样,踏着bossa nova回归的club8确实更能让人接受一些,甚至更加清爽宜人。于是有了《everlasting love》的自然欢快,有了《the end of the affair》灵动跳脱,更多电子音色的使用使Club 8更加空幻迷人,鼓的编配也不在像第一张专集里那样单调...不过细心的朋友肯定也发现了一个问题,johan在这张唱片中没有参与任何演唱的部分。虽说女声karolina的声音已经足够迷人,但是没有johan露面的Club 8感觉多少还是缺了点什么,算是这张精彩的唱片中唯一的不足吧。为了能够更直接地抒发真我情怀,Club 8离开了Siesta,投奔了一条DIY的自主之路,从此他们自行制作唱片,只交给唱片公司代为发行,并在1998年推出第二张专辑《The Friend I Once Had》,这时的Karolina和Johan已从恋人成为朋友,而这张专辑正是对这段恋情的追述和纪念。Karolina声音甜蜜如昔,而Johan明显变得强大,在或流畅或悲伤的民谣基础之上埋入温暖的空间感和不张扬但忧悒缠绵的吉他旋律,尝试了摩登电子,也体现了Birt Pop的风华,比起青涩之美的前作融入了更为丰富的变化,不仅仅只是流畅和令人动容的整体旋律,细节部分也谱写得端庄有余、富于韵味,显然他掌握了更多值得推敲和信赖的智谋,也让人不禁对其未来的DIY旅程有所期许,或许他会成为一个风云人物吧?
by Dean Carlson
All bubble-pop, breakbeats, and xylophones, Friend I Once Had was a step forward from the fey gestures Club 8 had once been known for. The demure indie rock that had fertilized 1996's Nouvelle was given an acoustic disco makeover and it gave the band a new level of credibility. Vocalist Karolina Komstedt was as sweet as ever, but it was Johan Angergård who seemed most responsible for the change, embedding a warmth into the album that borrowed equally from Vangelis, British strum'n'bass, and happy/sad Neil Tennant ballad construction.