As far as I can remember, rock's industrialists have tended to be rather conservative traditionalists who have resisted change, unless of course, that change led to something even more commercially appealing.

What exactly that was, was hard to tell until it actually happened. So who would have predicted a bunch of surly British and American punk rockers in 1976 would revitalize the recording industry or that a narcissistic Seattle songwriter named Kurt Cobain would become his own brand.

But for the most part, the music's remained the same.

So it's not surprising one of music's more innovative bands -- Peter Bjorn & John -- have critics and fans scratching their heads, wondering if they actually like where the Swedish pop trio is headed.

The band that hit the right chord with their 2006 album Writer's Block is back with Living Thing, an even more eccentric collection of pop curiosities that has blogsites and reviewers completely polarized.

And the band couldn't be happier.

"We wanted to do something new, keep the songwriting classic and experiment in the studio to make a strong pop record," explains Peter Moren from his home in Stockholm.

"You do creative stuff in a band you wouldn't do as a solo artist. It pushes you outside your creative comfort zone. I need that input, the creative head space and chemistry to grow as a songwriter."

Before recording Living Thing, the boys began writing variations of their personal favourites that included Depeche Mode, Ultravox, Talking Heads, Africa Bambaata, Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac.

"We are music lovers. I know that there are geniuses who can make music out of nothing, but not us. We like to play with the music we love."

Together since 1999, the band has produced four records, but only one legitimate hit, Young Folks featuring Victoria Bergsman from The Concretes, which charted in the Top 20 in the U.K. and was named New Music Express' runner-up favourite song of the year.

"Being in the band is frustrating because we all have strong egos, and I'm tired of giving in all the time," he admits.

But for all their musical invention, and a droll, playful Scandinavian personality, you're never fully sure is serious or ridiculous, about the only thing left for PB&J to figure out is how to do what they do in the studio in a concert setting.

While reviews for their recordings tend to be positive, feedback on live performances, including their set at the Coachella festival in Los Angeles last weekend, have been mixed at best.

"We rock harder live than we do on records. We're eclectic and bouncy. I would love to see it (translate)."