Norway's hottest import is back

Pretty face, pretty voice, pretty damn good album.

By Meg Walsh

Published Feb. 6, 2007

Very rarely in the music industry does pretty go hand in hand with talent. But Norway's Sondre Lerche is a perfect blend of the two key elements. Lerche has been getting more public attention since the release of Two Way Monologue and its title track single made it onto American airways. His 2006 release, Duper Sessions, caught fans off guard with the classic pop of previous releases gone in exchange for a much jazzier sound.

Now Lerche is back with Phantom Punch, his fourth major album from Astralwerks. It's not jazzy like Duper Sessions but instead, a pop-rock record more to the tune of Two Way Monologue.

The album begins with "Airport Taxi Reception," a typical-sounding Lerche song. But it isn't the light and smooth intro like "Love You" from Two Way Monologue. This time, the album starts with a bang. It's upbeat with great lyrics and Lerche's gorgeous voice hitting all those heavenly falsettos. The next track is a new feel for Lerche. "The Tape" could be confused for modern neo-punk with its heavy beat and distorted guitars. Two Way Monologue featured Lerche playing guitar to the tune of classic pop rock idols of the past, but this release finds a more modern-sounding electric guitar. The album flows together very well, transitioning from the cheerful and simple tracks to this new sound of heavier rock.

"Face the Blood," featuring a fast-pace and heavy beat accompanied by Lerche's more-rock-than-pretty-vocals, could be mistaken for something by Arctic Monkeys. "Well Well Well" is an almost perfect mesh of Lerche's two sounds with a melodic verse and loud rock chorus. The track is perfectly pleasant-sounding with the clever lyrics that we love Lerche for.

The title track on the album opens with distorted guitars and a modern new wave intro. It is pretty clear that Lerche has embraced a harder side and let go of the cute little boy feel of earlier releases.

The track "She's Fantastic" is not Lerche at his best. The verses are composed of the same line of music and the same syllabic way of singing the different repeated words. It isn't melodic or very appealing. The two minutes of jam-band quality distorted noise at the end of the final track "Happy Birthday Girl" seems out of place with the rest of Lerche's ear-pleasing tracks. But this track adds a bit of artistic quality to the album and reminds you that Lerche isn't just about sounding pretty.

This album has what we love about Lerche: great melodies, well thought out lyrics and that angelic voice. Lerche also steps it up by adding more diversity to the tracks. Many have a rock feel, though some stay to the tune of Two Way Monologue as upbeat but soothing.

But the mix can get confusing. Is the heavier rock sound the new Lerche? Or are they just there for diversity? Has he progressed? Who knows? But he sure does sound pretty.