Peter Bjorn and John – Breakin' Point

Returning for seventh studio album Breakin' Point, Peter Bjorn and John unveil a gaudy collage of pop music platitudes. You'll remember that the group found international fame through some catchy, low-key whistling, but PB&J make no bones about this record's grander aspirations. Inspirational references to fellow countrymen ABBA litter the press release, and the band teamed with seriously big-time pop producers – ones with U2, Florence and Adele on their books. And yet... 

Opening track Dominos ticks all the boxes for daytime radio play, with a chorus irritating enough to weld itself to your brain no matter how unwelcome. There's a stab at indie-disco on In This Town, the potential for a festival clap-along on Hard Sleep and a clearly pilfered Blondie riff on A Long Goodbye but, to fall back on yet another tried and tested cliche, Breakin' Point feels like a pop record designed by a committee. It should stand up, in theory, but the glue's not strong enough to hold these gimmicks together.