Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Northern Portrait - Ta!



Assume you have a pop fan on your list that you haven't covered yet, despite the fact that it is already Christmas Day.  I'm thinking of someone who will appreciate high quality pop that is a bit out of the mainstream.  Despite your tardiness, you can quickly rescue your reputation with Ta!, a collection of tracks not previously released on albums by Denmark's Northern Portrait.  Selected from singles and EPs from the last six years, the album reveals the band to be one of Scandinavia's premier pop outfits.  The songwriting, vocals and performances all reflect wit and craftsmanship.  Sample the album with "The Fallen Aristocracy".  You also can listen to a four song sampler below.  I think there is a good chance you will conclude that the pop fan who merits this last minute present is you.



Northern Portrait is based in Copenhagen.  The members of the band are Michael Sorensen, Stefan Larsen, and Rune Reholt.  Their style of jangling instrumentation and strong, soulful vocals reminds me of The Housemartins, although they draw comparisons to The Smiths as well, largely due to the vocals.

This is Matinee Recordings' second release for Northern Portrait this year, following the EP Pretty Decent Swimmers (our review here).



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Matinee Recordings page for album

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