Sondre Lerche’s dialogue
Two Way Monologue is the name of Sondre Lerche’s second album, just released in Norway. According to the first critics, he has matured and developed his pop skills from the success debut Faces Down that sold impressive 120 000 copies worldwide.
After extensive touring in the United States, Lerche, 21, from Bergen has become a confident and experienced live artist, as well as a skilful songwriter. Faces Down was named the 6th best debut album last year, according to Rolling Stone, who declared that Lerche "is a Norwegian versed in cheeky folk rock - he coughs up enough charming melodies to make Thom Yorke crack a smile". Music Box stated that "Norway's finest musical export since A-ha is a young singer-songwriter named Sondre Lerche."
Two Way Monologue will be released in Japan 25 January, Europe 8 March, and USA 9 March.
Here is what some Norwegian critics have written:
“Few years after Faces Down, he (Lerche) is still balancing on a narrow line, where the naïve is threatening to tear him down in parody. But luckily, he and the producers Jørgen Træen/HP Gundersen manage to limit the most excessive arrangements, which makes room for the simple and effective pop melodies. This is Lerche’s strenght, the melodies, especially when he performs them with as little accompaniment as possible. As in It’s Your Job, Stupid Memory, or the title track – three of the songs where he has most to tell. Standing out is the playfulness in the melodies, the vocals, and Lerche playing the guitar.”
Dagsavisen
"I'll throw a melody, that is as serious as it is simple," Sondre Lerche sings in On the Tower. It is probably the oldest song on his second album, almost three years after the success debut Faces Down, which sold 120 000 copies, and it sums up both the artist and the music in one short line. How serious is Lerche? Very. Easy, commercial and energetic coincidences are not what you find at Two Way Monologue. The fantastic single with the same name it clearly the fastest song in the selection. The eleven others are quieter, softer pop melodies – with exception of the country flirt Stupid Memory.
Aftenposten
Do you want to read Lerche's own comments? Go to his web site and read his latest monologue.
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