Sondre Lerche Two-Way Monologue. Release Date : March 9, 2004. Label: Astralwerks. Rating: Andy doesn't dig rating stuff. Oh, an album of loss. Sure, it's a common theme, but wee Norwegian Sondre Lerche approaches it in a different manner. It's hard quite to pinpoint what makes this so different. Definitely the instrumentation has a lot to do with it, and his voice. But I think what maybe really puts this in its own exclusive league is the innocence with which Lerche approaches the topics he sings about. He sounds wistful and he fondly remembers the past, but he really seems to be accepting everything rather than beating himself up over it. There's no whiny "oh my god, i'm so alone, life totally blows since you've been gone..." Instead, he just shares memories, tries to move on, seems quite at peace with his life. Back to those instruments now. The album starts off with a cacophony of James Bond style high-pitched strings. There's songs that feature classic country slide guitar. There's bonging glockenspiels and all manner of other unconventional instruments, things you wouldn't ordinarily hear in a song by someone his age. It brings this to a whole new level of cool tunes. Outwardly, it all seems so sweet and charming. It makes me want to tap my fingers and toes and anything else I can tap, run through a field, hold hands with my neighbour... It's only when you really listen closely that it becomes apparent what the themes are in the songs. And I envision a smirking, slightly-cocky Lerche walking around singing, with his guitar strapped around his shoulders. Absolutely wandering minstrel. He's got a bit of a speakerly voice, intertwined with high portions. Why am I thinking of Tom Jones here??? Lerche's like a younger, hipper (I know, I know, what's hipper than Tom Jones?), less sleazy Tom Jones. Just in the way he sings with a bit of a swagger. It's a TJ for the new millenium. Lerche needs a tuxedo, a silver microphone and a room full of socialite flappers. There was a group in the 90's who did, among other things, this smarmy loungey cover of Oasis' "Wonderwall" (The Mike Flowers Pops). This really reminds me of that too. How strange. I guess not many people make music like this these days! Poor Lerche - he's so broken, but so mature about his relationships. Recalling his recent live show here, he'd almost gotten married to a girl, and considering he's in his early 20's, I guess that means he was forced to be pretty mature about relationships at such a tender age. This review is simple and short, but trust me, it's an album and a music style you'd best get to hearing. It's very pleasant stuff, lovely and longing without being sappy or self-indulgent. Still an album to dance with your lover under the moonlight too (as long as you don't take too much stock in the lyrics while you're doing that...). Lerche's on his way. Lyric of choice : This is interesting. It's interesting because in his adorable little way, the English that makes up these lyrics make sense more in overall vibe rather than out of context single lines. It's a bit broken, some of it doesn't read well at all. You can understand very well what he's getting at, but it's just a tiny bit clumsy (part of this might also be trying to get English lyrics to fit the songs he created, cram them into the lines and still get across what he's trying to tell us). That said, from "Stupid Memory," Amplifiers burst out the deal I have made / What's there to say I cannot say by myself? / Thinking about writing it down seems pretentious / And helplessness may be the word they nail to my name / in a while. Song of choice : "Wet Ground." Sounds like it should be in a Bing Crosby movie. -Andy Scheffler Elsewhere Sondre Lerche website Published : August 7, 2004.