Artist(s) You Should Know About: Sondre Lerche

Eeee! I am finally the owner of Phantom Punch, Sondre Lerche's second-newest major album. For some reason, it has been particularly hard to find, and I have been searching for what feels like forever for it. This means only EPs left, and I should have his entire discography.

Sondre Lerche is the only artist that I've ever tried this for. I have an album from this artist, a song or two from that one, but have never had the ambition (or the money) to try to get everything from other artists. It'd be exhausting, to tell the truth.

Having very ecclectic tastes in music (and being a very indecisive person), I always found it incredibly difficult to pick my top five or ten artists, let alone a favorite.

That is, until I 'met' Mr. Lerche. I don't know what it is, but something about his music is just right - even though it is different on each album. I first was introduced to it in high school when a friend of mine included a couple of his songs on a mix CD. It was love at first listen.

Although -- or maybe because -- he continues to tweak his sound on each album, he is one of the few artists who has survived my axe (or rather, disclusion from my iTunes library) during the transition from high school to college. Now that I am on the verge of entering into yet another phase of life, Lerche continues to be my favorite artist, and I doubt that will change any time soon.



As I've grown up, so has he. The 26-year-old singer/songwriter/guitarist from Bergen, Norway has metamorphosed beautifully from the contemplative indie on Faces Down to the plugged-in poet on Two Way Monologue to the rocker on Phantom Punch and to the jazz crooner on Duper Sessions.

For the soundtrack to Dan in Real Life, he pulled a Simon and Garfunkel (you've seen The Graduate right?...right? If not, let me know and we'll remedy this immediately) by writing and performing almost the entire soundtrack. He's also a very charming live performer and a witty blogger. (Check out the blog on his website, which is listed at the bottom of this post)

There is something about Lerche's somewhat strange, completely unique voice that is so appealing. When he sings, it is like every fiber within him is straining with the passion and force of pushing out feelings so deep they can only be expressed as a musical wail. And yet, the subtext of the tortured artist is covered by a seeming effortlessness and laid back charm. When you listen to him and watch him perform, you simultaneouly see the little boy, with his heart in his hands his eyes wide with vulnerability, and the man, the sophisticated musician with the mad guitar skills and songs full of musical surprises and lyrical complexity.

I must confess that I don't feel that my writing can ever quite capture the essence of this amazing musician and how it feels to listen to his music. All I can say, is give him a listen(I suggest starting with Faces Down or Two Way Monologue), keep an open mind, and enjoy.

The official website

Sondre Lerche Daytrotter session

Sondre Lerche selections

Artist(s) You Should Know About: The Shins

Let me know if you can think of a better title for that.

I've been trying to intersperse some regular segments with my other posts. So far, I just have Top Ten and Album Review, but I would like to add some concert reviews, Q and As and maybe even have featured guests (sort of like "What's On Your iPod?" if you read the campus paper).

The segment I'm adding today is a profile of favorite/noteworthy artists who I would recommend checking out. In this post I'm profiling The Shins.

The Shins were a gamble that turned out well for me. Wanting to try something new, I searched them on iTunes one day when I was buying music. I had heard they were good, and as a general rule, have found that I usually like bands that start with "the" (The Clash, The White Stripes, The Darkness...). I chose the middle album, because I usually find that they are the strongest; not so old that the artists were still trying to figure out their sound, but not so new that they've become cliched.

The album that I bought was Chutes Too Narrow. I gave it the customary full-album listen and couldn't believe my luck: I actually liked every song. Even with artists that I like, there are sometimes albums where this doesn't happen, and I've come to accept it as personal preference. Since then, I have become familiar with some more of their stuff, and so far, have liked it all.

The Shins have a unique sound and represent the perfect balance of indie and rock, of experimental and mainstream, of heartfelt and funny, serious and ironic.

The band consist of singer/guitarist James Mercer, keyboardist/guitarist/bassist Martin Crandall, bassist/guitarist Dave Hernandez, drummer Jesse Sandoval and keyboardist/singer Eric Johnson. They formed in 1997, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

...Oh, and yes, they are the band that Natalie Portman's character is listening to on Garden State.

Dicography:

Wincing the Night Away, 2007
Chutes Too Narrow, 2003
Oh, Inverted World, 2001

Favorite Tracks:
"New Slang," "Saint Simon," "Young Pilgrims"