Måns Wieslander, according to his press, is also "involuntary leader of the brilliant powerpop band Elevator Adam, one half of the equally fabulous folkelectropop-duo Campo Mondo and bassplayer of the the Moonbabies". None of this really meant anything to me as I contemplated Twin Piloda. All I knew was that I was going to have to look up another damn extended HTML character if I was going to spell his name properly.

Wieslander offers ten (actually eleven) tracks of wistfully rich folk-tinged pop in the "intelligent singer/songwriter" vein -- acoustic guitars and subtle percussion enhanced by the occasional loop. The true strong point here, however, is Wieslander's voice. In the last few years, we've heard from a lot of solo artist types who can write thoroughly memorable music but can't turn in vocals to match -- this is particularly the case with emo guys, who are used to being able to "cheat" by screaming when they can't hit the note just right. Wieslander, however, has a strong and enthralling voice, and is capable of conveying a wide range of moods and emotions. Working in a sort Forster/MacLennan vein, he aims more for a narrative approach than a confessional tone, invoking a quiet moodiness on the swelling pop of "Nightcap" and a throaty new wave superiority on "Ivan G". "Zap Crusade" gives Måns a chance to work his falsetto-laden radio-friendly pop vocal, while "Indian Ladder," which follows it, is one of those intimate musical conversations that'll make the ladies swoon. And if you're wondering if Wieslander can deliver the rock, "The Move" is about the closest you'll get -- it's not fierce, but there's plenty of feedback.

"The Move" also reveals Twin Piloda's primary shortcoming. While the recording sparkles in the midrange, vocals and instruments hit a flat and brittle ceiling at higher volume. The production also withers a bit during more intricate multitrack work, such as the layered vocals on album closer "Nemo (Only You)". It's a little disconcerting, but not a major complaint, especially considering that most of Wieslander's work seems to be done on a four-track.

There's also an odd feeling, which I've encountered with other Swedish artists, that Wieslander isn't really speaking English. He is, of course, and he sounds American about 97% of the time, but the occasional awkward sentence construction or odd song title (what the hell is a "Zap Crusade"?) hints at some cross-cultural incompatibilities. This isn't a legitimate criticism per se -- just something odd I've noticed over time.

Will you like Måns Wieslander? If you're a fan of mellow, confessional pop ballads -- The Lilac Time, The Go-Betweens or much of Stephin Merritt's output -- then yes, you'll you'll enjoy Twin Piloda...though you'll probably come away none the wiser as to what a Twin Piloda actually is. I wish I could help you, but the press materials are keeping stubbornly mum on the issue.