Customer Reviews

Faces Down

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I originally gave this album four stars because at the time of that review, I had spent too much time listening to Lerche's other album and had become somewhat biased in its favor (though it is also VERY good). I've changed this review to 5 stars because over time, I have come to appreciate the music more for what it is that for what it is compared to. This is complex (sometimes mystifying), unique, and smartly conceived pop that asks something of the listener beyond listening. The music here has a good flow, insteresting lyrics, and is mixed well enough to hear layer upon layer of instrumentation. I love it.

While the music biz world turns into r'n'b duets and psychedelic garage-rock (thanks to Britain's most read newspaper, NME), few are the pop-saviors songwriters that come out of the crowd. Badly Drawn Boy is still great, but last Beth Orton's "Daybreaker" was softly acclaimed and slightly Beck seems to have forgotten his glorious funny experiments of the past. What about Dido....?

So, we really needed to take a deep breathe. Now, we just can dig into this excellent debut album, by gifted almost-20 Norwegian Sondre Lerche. These fabulous 11 songs have all the freshness and the light-heartness that a teen's life can have - but surprisingly show a real, already proved talent and lyrics that can be as sweet as consciously funny. Mixing the best Sixties' pop, bossanova swinging rhythms and flourishing melodic ballads, Lerche improves a Brit-based songwriting with an eye on easy jazz structures. His velvety vocals, then, makes it all even more fascinating. And he's only 19 - how has he grown up?

All songs definitely need to be mentioned. Proper hit-single "Sleep On Needles" features heart-beat drums and an irresistible duet between Lerche's voice and his guitar, leading to a catchy easy rock end. "You Know So Well", previously released as first single, somehow recalls Beatles' straightforward melodies, and Lerche sweetly sings of a lost love with the soft sorrow of the day after (`But if there's one thing I know it's this / when I lose my sleep it's you I miss'). Possibly there can be several hits. "Dead Passengers" (now released in fact as a single EP in the UK) is warm jazz atmosphere, with deep vocals and a superb bridge at half. "Virtue And Wine" is simply brilliant pop: starts quite like piano-pedals and flows in a grander melody. "No One's Gonna Come" mixes deep piano-lines and beautiful orchestra arrangements, while "All Luck Ran Out" could be built up only on its refrain - awfully catchy.
"Suffused With Love" is a mid-tempo ballad with the Beck-style bright idea of unexpected ghost synth after first chorus. You expect them after last chorus, then - no way.
While acoustic "Side Two" is the saddest episode of the album, "On And Off Again" still has a similar structure as "Virtue And Wine", with thoughtful lyrics (`I've come to see you on and off again'), "Modern Nature" features a lovely duet with female Norwegian songwriter Lillian Samdal. This somehow brings the record a new light.
Final "Things You Call Fate", is unexpectly too long (about 9 minutes) and still reminds of Beck's most melancholic moments.

This is a fearless and astonishing debut album, that already strongly shows what songwriting power is. If Lerche keeps on the good work, and doesn't get full of himself after many enthusiastic reviews, he'll go very far. And will surely be included among the "saviors of high-quality pop".

While surfing around the net looking for information about another great artist named Teitur (check him out too by the way!) I came across the name Sondre Lerche. I went to his website out of curiosity and listened to some of his stuff and was very intrigued by his unique sound.

I bought this cd and to be honest, did'nt quite know if I really liked it or not after the first/second listen. I was a bit on the fence. I kept listening, but this time I made a point to put on the headphones and really stop and listen....not just put it on and casually listen. I would suggest this if you too choose to buy this cd.

This is "pop music for the thinking person". Sondre Lerche is not afraid to:

- Write more complex lyrics. No "have ya naked by the end of this song...." cr@p here.

- Mix different generes together. There's a definite Beatles influence, as well as a more classical songwriting (a'la Cole Porter - one of Sondre's idols) style. Add in a bit of classic 60's pop-sound and a little bit of good old fashioned rock 'n roll too.....

- Use alot of unique insturmentation. Lots of cool little sounds/insturments. Not just streight foward guitar, bass, drums and occasional keyboard. Sondre has fun with the arrangements and gives you lots of unexpected things to listen for.

Bottom line - give it a try. If your looking for something sunny and fun, yet NOT shallow, then Sondre could just be for you. Don't judge it on your first listen, give yourself some time to immerse in it's many layers....

I'll admit I wasn't that enamored with this album when I first listened to it, but after seeing him perform live I have a completely different appreciation for this album. In short, the album does not do him justice -- when listening to live music you can tell that some bands have "got it" and others don't. Sondre Lerche definitely has it.

Anecdotally, there were two opening bands and the crowd was talking throughout their performances. When Sondre appeared and started singing, it was amazing how quickly he silenced the room with his riveting whisper of a voice. If you get the opportunity to do so, see Sondre live. You won't be disappointed.

... and capable of being listened to over and over again" is the best and most succinct thing I can say about Sondre Lerche's "Faces Down."

Luckily for me, I stumbled upon Sondre Lerche quite by accident. Putting the CD in the CD player, "Dead Passengers" came on and I found myself saying, "What in the name of Burt Bacharach is this?" And yet, before I knew it I was hit with the Bacharach-esque horns on "Virtue and Wine."

Lerche's voice as well as this album is a lot like a spiral staircase, it keeps going up and up and you are not quite sure when you will ever arrive at the top.

The only thing I would change about this album would be to reverse "Things You Call Fate" with "Rosebud." "Things You Call Fate" sounds like a better song to close the album on than "Rosebud" but this only reinforces my staircase simile of the previous paragraph.

Sondre Lerche was only 16 when he wrote these songs. It should not mislead you: this is not another 'teen musician' TRL likes so much. The result is surprisingly mature. If you like guys who write good folk-rock guitar melodies and care about their lyrics, this one is for you. Mix Bruce Springsteen, Toploader and Pete Yorn with Prefab Sprout (Sondre worships Paddy McAloon) for the music and Beck for the voice and you will get a rough idea.

The evident singles "Dead Passengers" and "Sleep on needles" have gotten regular airplay on Belgian alternative rock radios. "Suffused with love" is a great mid-tempo ballad with ghost synth and guitars. "Side Two" is totally acoustic with just guitar and vocals. On the fresh upbeat "Modern Nature", Sondre shares vocals with Lilian Samdal, the feminine touch bringing variety. The drums solo 'tap dancing noise'imitation in the middle of the song gives a humorous feel to the ensemble. "Virtue and wine" starts slowly with piano and strings to turn into a rocky tune. The pace changes inside of this song show the mastery of this young man in writing melodies. I also like a lot "All luck ran out" quick rock pace. "You know so well", "On and off again" and the excellent (9:25 long) "Things you call fate" complete this first album. I own the european version, and I'm missing the bonus track you will get on this US release.

This young Norwegian is showcasing a real song writing talent and a very personal musical world, which deserves to get attention. If today's music bizz lets him grow he might do great stuff in the future.

Sweden has always made waves in the international music world, most notably with Abba, Roxette, Ace of Base, and The Cardigans, but lately they're western neighbor, Norway, is making inlands of its own. Sure a-ha is remembered for "Take On Me," M2M had a couple of sugary pop confection hits in the early part of this decade ("Don't Say You Love Me") and operatic chanteuse Sissel was the real voice behind Titanic, but lately Norse acts like Sondre Lerche, Erlend Oye, Royksopp and Kings of Convenience have been declaring that quiet is the new loud and creating some of the best 'chill' music from their icy home.

Faces Down though not typically downtempo chill music would fit well on any mixtape with any of his aforementioned Scandinavian brethren. Lerche, only a slight 20 years old, writes from his heart like a poet twice his age amidst classic pop melodies that would make Bacharach and Steely Dan (one of his oft self-confessed favorites) proud. Faces Down opens with the samba-jazz drum beat and the gentle watery acoustic guitar strumming of "Dead Passengers" before giving way to his voice, a nasally tenor characteristic of his age. "You Know So Well," one of the disc's highpoints, is next gliding along on violin strings and Lerche's simple strumming and contains one of the most poignant lyrics I've heard in quite awhile: "my transparent mind / won't cover see-through hearts." "You Know So Well"'s slow meditation of a possible relationship is followed by "Sleep On Needles" with Sondre deepening his voice, sounding none the less earnest, and donning the electric guitar for this Fifties Buddy Holly throwback. The guitars shudder and reverb at the bridge and the tentative toy piano taking over the vocal melody at the last chorus contrasts with the confidence of the amplified guitars. "Suffused With Love" has one of the most memorable choruses on the record: "Don't spend all your time / It's only hit and run / Why spend all your time / Making someone else's dream."

"Side Two," with just Sondre and his clumsily strummed guitar, is my least favorite track on the disc, and may even be politically minded in its lyrical discussion of tortured souls, executions and killing forces. From the melancholy of "Side Two" we jump to the bouncy "Modern Nature" detailing the hesitancy of new relationships as Sondre duets with Norwegian singer/songwriter Lilian Samdal recalling that of Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman's on "Something Stupid." Her smoky voice (think Erin McKeown or a calmed Bjork) contrasts nicely with the airiness of Lerche's. "Virtue And Wine" features another one of those instantly memorable choruses: "It's just the attitude or in fact the lack of it / You are nothing without it;" and aptly namechecks Lionel Richie cluing the listener in to another like-minded musical companion before giving way to Bacharachian horns. "On And Off Again" is another one of the more upbeat tracks featuring Sondre's deeper vocal range, like "Sleep On Needles," and lyrically mines the pratfalls of love and youth. "No One's Gonna Come" is one of the darker songs on Faces Down with Sondre's voice returning to its normal level singing over low bass notes, a brightly bossa nova picked electric guitar, shaker percussion, and a couple violins before venturing into a little electronic manipulation for the bridge. "All Luck Ran Out" is one of the more sonically interesting songs and one that melds most musical genres. During the "la la la" chorus, I envision a video for this song featuring Sondre's strange fascinations of performing this song with the crew from Fraggle Rock (though the Scandinavian Smurfs would be more territorially accurate..and light blue does seem to be one of Lerche's favorite colors). He gently plays and sings at the beginning of the song before the Fraggles get a little frenetic and crazy towards the end worked up in a fit by the music and begin running amok hanging from the boom mics and studio lights with Sondre doing his best to keep playing like normal. But that's just a dream I have I believe. "Things You Call Fate" extends nearly ten minutes and on the first few listens seems overly long and unnecessary, but after repeated listens the Casio keyboards and electronics seem like a perfect close to the album. The US version of Faces Down also include an extra bonus track, "Rosebud" which is an international b-side and a bit more experimental and more along the lines of the Faces Down tracks on 2003's Don't Be Shallow EP.

Faces Down is evenly paced throughout with "Side Two" being the only real distraction from the rest of the album. On a disc full of gems, each with their own secrets and charms, it's so difficult to pick favorite tracks. Touring off of Faces Down brought him such fans, serving as a handpicked opening act, for Elvis Costello, Ed Harcourt, Beth Orton, Liz Phair, Jason Mraz, local faves a-ha, and even the emo-punk Nada Surf. Astralwerks, his label, is banking that Sondre will remain popular as late this year they released Don't Be Shallow featuring four Faces Down outtakes and four live tracks. Showing the diversity of his fan base he recently made his way onto Elle's Top 50 Hottest Rockers, and Faces Down was featured in GQ as one of the top 40 releases of the 21st century, and he received similar mention in Rolling Stone as one of 2002's Top Ten debut records and Top 50 releases overall that year. Sondre's blend of Norwegian chill folka-nova should continue to do well abroad and in the US; as genres come and go, some things are timeless - his melodic songwriting and lyrical wit amongst them.

An amazing first album. I've had the pleasure of seeing him live a couple times, and he just blows be away. So much talent at such a young age.

If you like belle and sebastian, spoon, franz ferdinand, you will love sondre lerche.
personal favorite tracks:
on and off again and things you call fate.
musically, sondre lerche is EXCELLENT --- the music, even after the scrutiny of listening to it over and over, always has something to offer, and something new to appreciate.
great, clean sound.... looking forward to see what they do next.

I felt compelled to shout out my praises for Sondre Lerche's "Faces Down". I understand Sondre was like 15 or 16 when he recorded this CD. Remarkable! No one that young has any business making such brilliant music. Romantic, catchy, poppy, and simple- yet sophisticated. I don't like- and I don't think it's fair- to categorize music, but Sondre seems to be a mix of Badly Drawn Boy, Burt Bacharach, Tahiti 80 and a touch of Weezer. Gorgeous pop music! I won't go through all the songs, but there's really not a weak track on the CD. Buy this CD, tell your friends and neighbors! True pop music lovers of any age will dig it!