Martin Nilsen – Lone Songs
Much time has passed since Martin Nilsen’s The Pumpkin, and Martin has since reverted his style to a simpler, colder and heartwarming approach on Lone Songs. Opting out of lengthy pieces in lieu of simpler, acoustic lullabies; Martin blends simple harmonies and raw delivery in a captivating manner. While it may be rough around the edges, it’s surprisingly quite inviting.
There are plenty of charming moments throughout Lone Songs. The opener, The Wind, soars when it lets the instrumentals play around more. Goodbye Angel is emotionally alluring and quite striking, as is the admirable The Hills. Lastly, Montana Nights Are Cold adds much need dynamics in the vein of Mark Langerhan’s dark and sombre delivery. The second half of the album is not as strong, though it certainly has its memorable moments. Wishes is quite smooth, as is the harmonica on If It Rains Tonight. The closer also stands on its own quite well, despite lofting around in the first half. The instrumental outro is divine and showcases Nilsen’s talents as a composer. Had the album been composed of more sections as such, it would have easily come at a higher recommendation.
Nonetheless, Lone Songs is a genuinely heartfelt and personal detour in Martin Nilsen’s catalogue. The greatest drawback of Lone Songs is not the lack of innovation, but Nilsen’s vocals themselves; while they are mostly good, at times they faulter and hit notes awkwardly. It’s apparent Nilsen was less concerned with refinement during this release, which is a darn shame – with a bit of polish it would have stood among his best. Here’s hoping Martin Nilsen can replicate his charm on his next release, but with more new ideas to compliment.
Above Average
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