I’m half Swedish. I’m seriously fully half Swedish, yet I can’t say I’ve ever heard much reference to “Swedish music.”

It wasn’t until The Soundtrack of Our Lives (T.S.O.O.L., as they’re known in the states thanks to Dick Clark suing them for copyright infringement) brought their mega-hit “Behind the Music” to the states that I had even a clue what to expect.

Then again, I don’t want Michael Bolton representing all of American music, so we must approach TSOOL delicately.

Let’s see - I purchased “Behind” in 2001 and really enjoyed it as a full-album listen-through. Every song sounded a lot the same, but they were all good, straightforward rock songs.

Enter “Origin, Vol. 1,” the group’s second stateside-issued full-length that proves that seven years of perseverance can and will pay off for starving musicians.

Supposedly only the first release of a fervent recording session that yielded scads of songs, “Vol. 1” continues where “Behind” left off — passionate, chaotic and compelling rock that doesn’t rely on costumes, electronic gadgetry or computers to engagingly good.

On March 29, I had my first up-close look at TSOOL at the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, MN. The group presented a 60:40 split of material from the two state-released albums, giving the mixed-age Tuesday-night crowd a run for their money.

New tracks like “Transcendental Suicide,” “Mother One Track Mind” and “Royal Explosion” coalesced perfectly with elder entries like “Sister Surround,” “21st Century Rip Off” and “Tonight.”

Singer Ebbot Lundberg was not what any of us expected in my group of TSOOL fans.

A Friar-tuck looking worship leader, complete with flowing “Polyphonic” robe, Lundberg took charge of the stage and refused to give it back. We were under his spell, and he loved it.

As Minneapolisians inhaled their final cigarettes indoors at a bar, restaurant or concert venue due to a new city ordinance coming into effect the next day, Lundberg looked perplexed at this strange country and their idiotic right-infringements as he whispered Swedish-laden English into the microphone.

“Check out Jorge back at the merchandise table, ladies,” he cackled mid-set. “He’s never been to the states or to Minnesota, and he’ll never be back. Now is your chance, girls!”

Second only to Lundberg’s performance was guitarist Ian Person, who obviously grew up watching Pete Townshend and loves the high kicks and windmills. The whole night was a fantastic performance by the whole group, really.

Whether you compare them to early Pink Floyd, current Polyphonic Spree or any other post-hippie rock of the late 1960s and early 1970s, TSOOL know how to rock, how to put on a good rock show and after seven years, can finally bask in their much-deserved praise.

And if I were a full Swede, I would be happy to let TSOOL represent my country, indeed.

The Sountrack of Our Lives’ “Origin, Vol. 1” is in stores now from WEA International.