In a nutshell EMCD 'from Norway and Beyond' Compilation

Another high quality Songlines compilation focusing on music from Norway, and more circumspectly, beyond Norway. Lovers of Scandinavian music will find no surprises in the Norwegian selections. They’re stark, fiddle driven ditties that could just as easily been sung by an attractive Scandinavian witch in a hut with turf for its roof or by a snaggle toothed sailor on the bow of a Viking longship. I think being ginger gives me a predisposition to like this kind of stuff, it’s a genetic throwback.

Sadly this is a game of two halves, as the ‘beyond’ Norway selections are much weaker and break the flow and atmosphere of the CD. But that’s a small criticism as there’s so much to enjoy here.

My personal favourites are the timeless ‘L’Autre Jorne’ by Five Men in a Boat, the ultra stark ‘Stev’ by Gunhild Tommeras, and the eerie ‘Tankens Runer’ by Bodil Haug. Best of all is the nasal sea shanty from Jon Anders Halvasen ‘Skomakarvisa’.

It’s another low key, slow burning Scandinavian gem from Songlines and well worth hunting down from www.emcd.co.uk.  

Euzen - Judged By

Pick of the Week 52 – Euzen

On the face of it, another one for the Race with the Devil soundtrack, but this song has more potential than the standard accompaniment to sacrificing a chicken. Undeniably gothic but simultaneously likeable and engaging, they straddle a nether world between Mordor and South Yorkshire with their semi-catchy ditties and the beautiful voice of singer Maria Franz (who has the look of a ginger vampire which can only be a good thing). Clearly they’re Scandinavian, so it’s all very stripped down and stark which I always love, but they’re definitely a group to watch in the future. Welcome to the Euzeniverse…

Annlaug – November

Is the world ready for a Scandinavian version of PJ Harvey? Scando folk music is a harsh, stark and bitter sweet experience at the best of times, but remove the jaunty fiddling aspect and things are looking very bleak indeed. Admittedly, she’s got a long way to go before she scales the dirgy heights of her heroine, but this is still a humourless and joyless album that could do with a little oomph!

I know nothing about Annlaug. Her wikipaedia entry is in Norwegian I think, but she’s a young, attractive singer, probably form Oslo. She has a beautiful, soulful voice with a distinctive wavering quality when she goes for the big notes. She should have the world at her feet, but in Scandinavian folk it’s the norm to aim for the starkest, least commercial sound in the world, then add some fiddles. Annlaug make the starkest, least commercial music in the world but forgoes the fiddles. And hence the dirge-like quality of the album.

That’s not to say it’s as harsh and cloying on the ear as a PJ offering, but it’s relentless in its low key Scandinavian murmurings and occasional waling. The only ray of hope is the moderately jaunty charm of the opening song ‘Ord Som Fell’; a quirk-some, lilting lullaby that suckers you into believing the rest of the album will follow in a similar vein. It’s a great track and worth the price of the LP on it’s own, which is a good job really.

There’s a lot of promise here, but next time; keep the stark beauty, the crystal vocals and the lack of compromise, but add a little sparkle. A jaunty fiddle, the honk of some Scandinavian bagpipes made from reindeer intestines or even the slight hint of a melody. Definitely one to watch for the future, but only time will tell if she is ultimately lured to the dark side by the queen of dirge. Let’s hope not.

      

 Please note this song is not on the album.

First Aid Kit - The Big Black and the Blue

The Soderberg sisters are not the most original talents in the world of popular music. They serve up a timeless take on female vocal folk that pushes no boundaries and blurs no genres. The fact is their folk music is so perfect and pure that no-one cares. This is folk music filtered through Scandinavian rock formations and served from expensive New York water coolers.

For artistes of such a tender age this is an accomplished and mature album. It sounds like generic Americana, but spiked with a shot of  akvavit and served with a cherry on a stick. The girls voices mesh with a synergy not seen since Agnetha and Anni-frid were warbling their way to international super-stardom, but sadly the girls are possibly headed for folky rather than mainstream success.

Every track is a slow burning winner, but if pressed I'd say 'Ghost Town', 'Heavy Storm' and 'Sailor Song' are all worthy of special attention. Best of all is the eerie melancholy of  'Winter is All Over You'; a gorgeous juxtaposition of crystal vocals and profound lyricism, and one of my favourite tracks of last year.

I can't wait to hear more of what First Aid Kit have to offer. Fans of folk will love their approach, but music lovers in general cannot help but be moved by the passion, purity and confidence inherent in these songs. A sure-fire winner; go and search them out immediately.

 

 

Ane Brun – Do you remember

Pick of the Week 27 – Ane Brun

Good grief! What on earth is going on in this video? The old general looks to be in a demented state somewhere between purgatory and ecstasy, but what’s the purpose of this drumming and dancing based torture? They’ve even got the cheek to shoot him in the backside with a blowpipe a couple of times! And it’s all capped off by leaving him to die on a beach with only James and the Giant peach style balloons to hold him up. Quality drumming, great dancing and Oscar nominated acting from the old guy.

While all this is unfolding before our eyes Swedish based, Norwegian songstress, Ane Brun warbles on in the background with the gusto and booty-shakability of a down-market Scandinavian Beyonce Knowles on akvavit. This is the most accessible end of Scando music and Ane follows the formula of rhythmic wailing, but somehow forgets to add copious amount of fiddling. Lovely turquoise jacket, dangly earrings and a natty little song that sounds refreshingly different even without the video.