M2M back with The Big Room

M2M, that pop sensation from Norway, the Land of the Rising Sun, is back with its much-awaited follow-up to the big selling Shades of Purple.

The album is titled The Big Room and it features an older (when I say older, I mean older than 14 years old which was when they recorded the first album), more confident and definitely better sounding M2M. But as I am sure you will surely notice, their music retains the same young, sparkling kind of effervescene that made the group such a huge success in Europe, Asia and the US of A.

The Big Room was recorded in New York and produced by Jimmy Bralower who has worked with Donna Lewis and Jennifer Paige. The album is made up of 11 new songs, all of which were either written or co-written by M2M. The girls also fully participated in recording their music tracks with the help of professional musicians like T-Bone Wolk on bass synths and others, Kenny Aronoff on drums and percussion, Miklos Malek on keyboards and others. Judging from the way the album sounds, M2M held up their own very well in the sessions with these pros.

The Big Room offers more varied fare than the first album. The songs echo The Corrs and the Scandinavian pop of ABBA. The main focus is on the big guitar sound usually found in ’60s rock and roll. Of course, commercial hooks litter the entire package. The best cuts in the album are Everything, the first single release, and Sometimes, both of which rock harder than usual for the girls. Other good choices are Wanna Be Where You Are, a soaring romantic ballad and Eventually which is sweet and folksy.

The other songs in the album are What Do You Do About Me, Miss Popular, Jennifer, Don’t, Love Left for Me, Payphone and Leave Me Alone.

M2M is made up of Marion Raven, 17, on lead vocal, piano, acoustic guitar, percussion and harpsichord and Marit Larsen, 18, on vocals, rhythm guitar and acoustic guitars. They are both very pretty and very talented. Their big break came when their recording of Don’t Say You Love Me was chosen lead single of the soundtrack album of the motion picture Pokemon, the First Movie. The name M2M was taken from the first letters of their first names.

If I remember right, the songs of M2M hold the record for the most recycled tunes in the world. It seems to me that there was such a great demand for M2M songs that live vesions, acoustic versions, repackaged versions, compilations, videos and more must have been released featuring the hits Don’t Say You Love Me, Mirror, Mirror, Pretty Boy and Everything You Do. For the moment there is no need to do that anymore for after what must have seemed like an eternity to loyal M2M fans, the new album is finally here for them to enjoy.

Incidentally, Marion and Marit are back in the Philippines for another round of shows and interviews to promote The Big Room. This is their third visit. These girls must be among the most traveled pop stars in the world today. In fact they circled the globe and landed in a remarkable 22 countries while doing promo for Shades of Purple.

Modern Love

Stocking Stuffer: Still on M2M, this goodlooking duo is among the artists featured in a new compilation titled Modern Love. If you like love songs, come to think of it, who doesn’t, and if there is somebody in your Christmas list who does, you might want to check this album out. The all-hit collection does not only have great romantic sounds, it also comes with a song book containing all the lyrics and colored pictures of the artists included in the album.

M2M performs Pretty Boy. Some of the others are When You Say Nothing at All by Ronan Keating; Miss You Like Crazy by Natalie Cole; Breathe Again by Toni Braxton; You Took My Heart Away by Michael Learns to Rock; I Turn to You by Christina Aguilera; Last Flight Out by Plus One; Shape of My Heart by the Backstreet Boys; This I Promise You by N’Sync; Breathe by Faith Hill; What Can I Do by The Corrs; 7 Days by Craig David; plus others.

Take note. It is now only 17 days ’til Christmas.