The name is Morten Abel. He’s a Norwegian vastly famous in his own country – as member and lead singer of the extremely melodic outfit ‘The September When…‘ as well as solo artist with several brilliant songs in the book.

These days Abel is putting the final strokes of guitar on his sixth solo album, which is due later this year and his first since 2006.

And despite another inconceivably annoying effort from EMI to block anyone from helping spread the message, the lovely music and a very beautifully produced video (click image), we managed to find what seemed ‘Lost’ – the first single from the album – anyway.

Please enjoy and please encourage every musician you know to sign with modern labels or publish on own border-less labels. After all it is 2013 where traditional borders between countries mean nothing for musicians or for their potentially international audience.

And while you’re at it, drop by Twitter, and leave the man a line or two (@mortabel) or visit iTunes Store, Wimp or Spotify, where you can buy/listen to loads of great Morten Abel songs.

We hope that the next Morten Abel tour is not limited to Norwegian clubs and festivals

The channel is already well supplied with many of the old videos and – more importantly – lots of fan-pleasing behind-the-scenes stuff and new interviews.

Also the Glasgow-homies have released the video for their brand new single ‘Broken Glass Park‘, which not only features on ‘Celebrate – The Greatest Hits+‘ due March 25, 2013. It also marks the initial sprint towards the band’s upcoming 16th studio album later in 2013.

We’ll be back with more simple minded news during 2013. Meanwhile – lean back, close your eyes and enjoy a stroll in the ‘Broken Glass Park‘

The Hurts – Exile

With a short Facebook note specifically aimed at its growing crowd of Danish fans the British duo recently announced a release date of a new album – ‘Exile‘.

Hurts’ second album will be in the shops – both offline and online – on March 10, 2013. However easy the pre-order may be, the two pop-wizards of Richmond and Manchester have almost already sold-out their entire European Tour starting in London March 7.

An easy guess is there will be more dates in the Exile-calender soon.

With the FB-note a link to the first single ‘Miracle‘ was attached. Start here – you will recognize the rather unique sound right away.

Hurts single ‘Miracle’ from the 2013 album ‘Exile’.

Hurts managed to turn some heads Europe with their debut album ‘Happiness‘ in late 2010 with a soft and slightly melancholic pop-thread, that noone had heard the likes of for more than two decades. Before that time music divided listeners into pop-nerds and tough rock’n'roll bad-asses – one group despising the other.

Responsible for ending that in many ways premature era of musical segmentation was Depeche Mode. Holding on to love and hope DM took pop away from the worry-free summer beaches into the dark back alley of the subconscious self. Into the core to meet the demons of depression, fear and anxiety face-to-face – in opposition to others hiding cowardly behind a wall of loud heavily distorted guitars or denying the realities of life keeping up appearances while zealously checking out waxed hairdos every five minutes.

That reality-relay was picked up by Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson. And it is perhaps more important today than ever. Listening to the first pre-release of the song ‘The Road‘ it is clear that the two Brits dare go into that necessary darkness and use pop music as the torch of life.

Well, I will swallow all of my wanna-be-poetic babble in this post and just send this message to Adam and Theo: Thanks!!

We at Latebar feel sure that ‘Exile‘ will exceed the predecessor’s (Happiness, 2010) over one million sold albums.

Listen to ‘The Road‘ full length.

You can already pre-order ‘Exile’ or buy ‘The Road’ and ‘Miracle’ in iTunes Store.

So bear with us… Better late than never. Here follows a poor attempt to say something quasi-qualified anyway.

Ready?…

“WE… ARE… STUNNED!!!”

- – - -

Nik Kershaw must be regarded as one of the most skilled singer-songwriters in his home country. Almost three decades ago the now 54 year-old Ipswich-star published his first album – ‘Human Racing‘ – a renowned masterpiece of its time. And within just five years he published a staggering four albums, all consolidating his place in the all-time British hall-of-fame.

But then all suddenly went quiet!

Gone from the spotlight, the red carpets, the blitzing cameras, and the front pages of the glittering magazines, fans had to wait in despair for 10 years before Kershaw finally published works in his own name again. Allegedly doing so only because he couldn’t imagine anyone else would want to publish the songs.

‘15 minutes‘, however, marked the beginning of a new era. A new and far more matured Nik Kershaw reflected much more about his own place in this world. Often commenting on or even talking to his own inner demons and settling with himself, Nik stepped back from red carpet and into his living room at home – so to speak. Entering a space where a person is free to do as he or she pleases. In a way this served to raise Kershaw to another new, smaller but much more solid fame. He didn’t need to prove anything or look star-like in photos, and Nik’s true fans returned. And, mind you, not the ones only caring about the fame, but those who have always loved the music and the way it is carefully crafted and masterfully carried out.

Another four albums later we stand blessed with ‘Ei8ht‘. In Latebar’s opinion – the best Nik Kershaw studio album so far!

11 new tracks found their way into this album. All with their different stories and all filled with smashing instrumental arrangements and second-to-none lyrics like:

If you leave me, can I come too
Can I jump aboard and ride with you
Together we’d be starting new
Without me in the way
If you leave me, can I come too
Can I be the one to tell him he’s done
Runaway from me – with me

Simple?!… Yeah… Naive?!.. Sure… Unworldly?!… Not at all, are you crazy – quite the opposite!

Among fans, however, the “matured” Nik Kershaw is known to be quite the self-critic, often exposing himself, complete with flaws, faults and everything. Things most of his audience can easily relate to. It seems immediate to think that the track ‘Shoot me‘ is a finger pointed at his own previous self-pity – a trap familiar to most modern people.

He’s run his course. He’s run his race
The years are etched upon his face
What was his name?
What was his name?
The scores are in, the bets are off
He’s had his fill, he’s had enough
A cryin’ shame
A cryin’ shame

If I ever get like that
Shoot me!

One cannot help but feel encouraged and cheered up by lyrics like that. I am surely not the only one feeling exactly like this every now and then.

The first single ‘The Sky’s The Limit‘ does the same – although in a different and more subtle way. As a song to one or more of his children (so we think) or perhaps a retrospective of his own youth, this song could easily be aimed at anyone of the fans lacking a bit of courage.

‘The Sky’s The Limit’ from the 2012-album ‘Ei8ht’ by Nik Kershaw

Like every other Kershaw album ‘Ei8ht‘ is filled with an abundance of instrumental details, lovely fills and enveloped harmonies. It must be extremely satisfying for any musician to participate in performing pop compositions written with such spaciousness. Personally this is why this 5ft 4 British wizard keeps on ensnaring me – even after three decades.

From the hard-not-to-let-off-steam-and-dance-to ‘These Tears‘ to the spot-on comment on today’s consumer society in ‘Stuff‘.
From the folk-waltzing and highly poetic ‘Red Strand‘ to the Bryan Adams-like ‘Rock of Ages‘.
From the praising Huzzahs in ‘You’re The Best‘ to the squeezing hug of life in both ‘Enjoy the Ride‘ and ‘The Bell‘.

Nik, if you read this:

You’re the best, You’re the best
We confess it, we’re impressed
You’re amazing

Were we to give stars in this blog, ‘Ei8ht‘ would be a 6 of 6. We hope the tour exceeds the Ei8ht+1 gigs in the UK and extends to cover the mainland too.

Keep on rockin’

Tracklist on ‘Ei8ht‘:
1. These Tears
2. The Sky’s The Limit
3. Runaway
4. Shoot Me
5. Bad Day You’re Having
6. Red Strand
7. Enjoy The Ride
8. You’re The Best
9. Stuff
10. Rock Of Ages
11. The Bell
12. The Sky’s The Limit (Radio edit)

‘Ei8ht‘ is available from:
- The official Nik Kershaw Shop
- Amazon (of course)
- iTunes store (obviously)

With its 12 very different songs, ‘Alarmingly Happy‘ reaches all the way back to the first Penguin tunes heard in the early 90s. Embracing the years between then and now, this album peels away frills and enhances the original and true sound of Nice Little Penguins (NLP).

Back then Bo Feierskov and the two Kolster brothers – Michael and Carsten – circled around the very core construct of the “good” pop song staying loyal to the instrumentation and most often ending up with a product delicately alluring the listener in on the journey.

Almost all 12 tracks on NLP’s sixth studio album left us humming patterns of the recorded instruments or even adding new ones while listening. That is involving/activating the listener and why this band remains exceedingly popular among its fans to this day. As when NLP in the early days thrived on the obvious benefits from fans knowing the songs inside out, the new songs simply stay with you long time after you closed down your laptop or turned off the car. Only a few Danish pop bands are capable of doing so.

That said, NLP still looks forward without neglecting the past. At good example is the track ‘Grateful‘ where the clear sound of ukelele (two ukuleles in fact) underlines that, despite what many reviewers think, it actually is possible to write more than one song with the Hawaiian traditional.

‘Alarmingly Happy‘ definitely allows new listeners to step onto the Penguin cruise here. But for the many loyal fans there is also plenty of cool details enveloped. First of all the the album cover. It simply is the best looking Penguin cover ever – sad, serious, fun, happy and all in all loveable. NLP has furthermore listened to the countless number of musicians asking for notes and keys to their music and printed chords in the sleeve next to texts. Brilliant move!

The really hardcore fans will notice tracks ‘Jewel‘ and ‘Did you ever‘ right away. Both were previously published on the 2008 album ‘Som en rejse‘ – NLP’s only album with Danish texts so far. Both unmistakably Penguin songs, but significantly lifted by the Anglofication.

Hopefully Nice Little Penguins will return to extensive touring like in the old days. Because that is where tunes like ‘One Life‘, ‘Sleepy Sunday‘ and the hit-single ‘Love Is A Rainbow‘ – previously mentioned here on Latebar – really come to life.

Nice Little Penguins is a good studio band – but a great live experience!

‘Alarmingly Happy‘ was released on August 13th (2012) and can be purchased on Amazon and iTunes.

Tracklist looks as follows:
1. Alarmingly Happy
2. One Life
3. Love Is A Rainbow
4. Sleepy Sunday
5. Grateful
6. Jewel
7. Did You Ever
8. I Will Follow You
9. The Peacock
10. To Be In A Coma
11. I Am Cupid
12. Bless This Land

Bon Appetit!

It’s been a while since we first laid ears on “Bitter Heart” by Super 8 Cynics, and it was love at first sound. We’re happy to finally see the single out and about in real life! So first of all congratulations to the band for making it happen.

We had never heard about Seona Dancing until we heard the cover, and you would probably have to be a hardcore 80s music afficionado to remember the short-lived duo. Comedian Ricky Gervais started the band in 1982 with his friend Bill Macrae, and they went their separate ways in 1984.

“Bitter Heart” was released in 1983 – went to no. 79 on the UK Singles Chart, and Gervais (whose alter ego David Brent later picked up a “career” as a pop singer in the British hit comedy series “The Office”) soon went on to bigger and better things. (For which we are all grateful.)

Super 8 Cynics came across the song by coincidence, and Singer Ady Hall saw its potential through the massive amounts of 80s makeup, fog and hairspray. He liked the lyrics and thought the song deserved a 21st century renaissance. The band started experimenting in the studio and were so excited about the result, they started looking into what it would take to get the rights to publish it as a single.

Ricky Gervais was quick to give the green light, but his Seona Dancing partner, Bill Macrae, turned out to be a little harder to find.

In November 2011 Ady Hall told us,

“[Back in the 80s] Seona Dancing was signed to London Records and now Universal Music owns 100% of the publishing rights to the song. We contacted them to ask for permission to release our version.  They said that because we’d make some changes to the arrangement we needed consent from the writers as well as the publishers. This is where we ran into the first hurdles.

The song was written by Ricky Gervais and Bill Macrae. They [Universal Music] knew how to contact Gervais but had no idea how to reach Macrae. They even asked Gervais if he knew but he didn’t.

So we set out to find Macrae ourselves. We spoke to many people but we came to a dead end after a while, so we hired a detective to find Bill Macrae!! They found an address for us and we sent him a nice letter with the track and a copy of our debut album.”

With permission to publish the single in hand, the band set out to find a record label, and in April 2012, Super 8 Cynics signed with UK based Longevity Records.

“Bitter Heart” was released August 6. It is the first track to be published from the upcoming debut album. (Album release details to be determined. We’ve had a listen to the full album – it’s AMAZING! We will reveal more later.) While the single has already received positive attention from both BBC Radio, UK comedy guide Chortle, and dailies and bloggers around the UK and Europe, synth player Mike Healey takes the fuss with British self irony. Here’s what he has to say about it on Facebook:

“If it all goes wrong can we say that Ady was actually the guy inside the Alf suit, from the seminally turgid TV show. He decided to cover Bitter Heart after a chance encounter with the guy from Police Academy who makes all the silly noises in a New York bar, whilst Ady was on his honeymoon. Ady put 10c in a jukebox and sat down next to Linz [Ady's wife, Lindsay] and the Police Academy guy, who smiled a heartening smile to Ady. The Police Academy guy then did an awesome beatbox version of Bitter Heart, projecting his voice so it appeared to be coming from the Jukebox. Linz then said to Ady “Och! Ya should form a wee pop band and cover this Ady!” Police Academy guy then walked out of the bar, his job was finished.”

We’ll let you be the judge. Shoulder pads and eyeliners at the ready?

And for reference, the original Seona Dancing version:

The single is now available here:

www.itunes.com
www.amazon.co.uk
www.hmvdigital.com
www.7digital.com
www.play.com

Unfortunately skilled musicians with this blessed ability do not often get a shot by established record labels who tend to favour what we at Latebar call ‘fastfood music’. Crap composed far to fast and with no noteworthy substance in it what-so-ever – a burp and you’ve already forgotten it.

After years of sporadic single chirps (‘The Peacock‘ in 2010) the Danish pop ensemble Nice Little Penguins (NLP) finally seems to have found the energy to put together an entire new album – the sixth studio album. After a few delays the album ‘Alarmingly Happy‘ is now due August 13th 2012.

On June 27, 2012, the second single ‘Love is a Rainbow‘ was released. And there is no need to beat about the bush – immediately after the first review we are right back at the point in the beginning of this post. ‘Love is a Rainbow‘ is a simple but very well written and arranged pop song with almost “no frills”.

Indisputably NLP this time excels in poppagandistic excess like never before. ‘Love is a Rainbow‘ is a full-blown true NLP-song. With (dare I say) the usual vague scent of The Beatles, Crowded House and yet something completely Penguinish, ‘Love is a Rainbow‘ is not only a tribute to love and the old craft of writing a GOOD pop song – it is also an example-to-follow of how to keep things to a minimum without compromising quality.

Coincidentally the single – with its rainbowish title – is released in the midst of the biggest religious turmoil in Denmark since the reformation of the church in 1536. After years of pressure from a majority of Danes, the state church (i.e. Danish parliament) passed a law allowing gay marriages earlier in 2012, causing outbursts of rage from more fundamentalist priests who spared no chance to condemn homosexuality. According to bass player and lead vocalist Bo Feierskov, the song, however, doesn’t have a particularly gay context:

“You’d have to ask Michael (Michael Kolster, guitarist). He wrote the lyrics for this one. But I’m quite sure it’s just meant to be a love song – period!”

Gay or straight – Latebar is head over heels with the song. ‘Love is a Rainbow‘ is arguably the best Nice Little Penguins song since their groundbreaking hit ‘Flying‘ from 1994.

‘Love is a Rainbow‘ is now on sale on:
- iTunes
- Amazon

Soluna Samay - by: Justine Hoegh

Shooting star Soluna Samay, who recently won the Danish ticket for the Eurovision 2012 in Azerbaijan, is not at all new to the stage.

Not only has she been performing, touring, and playing music with her dad, Gerd G. Kettel (Gee Gee Kettel) since childhood, she has already published an EP – ‘I wish I was a Seagull‘ – in 2006, and her first album – ‘Sing out loud‘ – in 2011. And to those of you who like her Eurovision bid ‘Should’ve known better‘… You have heard nothing yet!!!

Personally I’ve had a weak spot for American songwriter Sheryl Crow since I saw/heard her in ‘All I wanna do‘, playing her Ocean Turquoise Fender Stratocaster.

Listening to ‘Sing out loud‘ I get a similar feeling of comfort, ease and swinging excellence as I did listening to the early Crow-albums. I’ll get back to that later.

I see two reasons for this, as it is:

1) Samay really has immense potential and knows what she’s doing.
2) Samay is surrounded by some of the very best musicians in Denmark.

Taking a dive into to ‘Sing out loud‘ a few names jump from the sleeve. First of all producer Michael Friis is regarded as one of the most important bass capacities in Denmark. He plays another key part as Samay’s personal bass teacher, and his vast knowledge and understanding from more than 40 years among the very best musicians in Denmark, have surely rubbed off on Soluna Samay – a lot.

The album was recorded at the Baltic Records studios on the island of Bornholm. The label is owned by Jesper Mejlvang, who has throttled down a long career with an extensive list of music celebs (most famous; Robert Palmer) to focus on producing and refining young talents. Mejlvang, like Friis, plays on the album.

Other Danish top names playing on the album are: Jakob Andersen (percussion), Ole Kibsgaard (guitars), Lars Juul (drums), Troels Skovgaard (guitars) and Maria Sita (backing vocals).

And finally daddy, Gee Gee Kettel’s harmonica suddenly pops up on the track ‘Pipe Dream‘.

And now back to the Sheryl Crow sound. This is the only weakness this album has (if it can even be considered a weakness to sound like Crow). Several tracks bear resemblances to the famous Missourian to an extent that it might confuse the listener. It is shame, because the album is so all-over well made and played. After listening to all 14 tracks, however, my recommendation stands abundantly clear:

Go buy this album! – (Buy it @ SolunaSamay.com)

I really like all tracks on ‘Sing Out Loud‘. But where this young star shines the brightest is in the beautiful ‘Like A Rose‘, and the very, very intense ‘Winter Song‘ where Mejlvang’s piano and Friis’ awesome fretless bass support Samay’s fragile words excellently. My all-over favorite piece, however, is ‘Number 24‘. Its smooth reggae-beat reminds me of the Caribbean and makes me long for another visit there.

Tracklist is as follows:
1. Two Seconds Ago
2. Insanity
3. My Own Medicine
4. Everything You Do
5. Pipe Dream
6. World in Colors
7. Mama
8. Like a Rose
9. Sing Out Loud
10. Number 24
11. Do You Understand Me Now
12. All This Time
13. Winter Song
14. See You in June

Thanks for reading this far “south”. Now, tell me this girl hasn’t got star potential

Soluna Samay – ‘Everything you do’.

But earlier this summer the band announced that something was on the way. The single ‘Grateful‘ boded well for a return to scenes and on December 5, 2011 the EP ‘Part Of The Way‘ was released.

The single ‘Grateful’ and four brand new songs feature on the publication, and they bring back memories of the trio I heard in a small café (PC’s) in Herning almost 20 years ago.

Although Søren Lund, Hans Henrik Præstbro and Palle Hjorth appear on the EP, NLP is back to the three-man line-up; Michael and Carsten Kolster and Bo Feierskov – the essence of what it was all about from the beginning.

‘Part Of The Way’ really is how the band sounds – The sound of Nice Little Penguins.

And as the title of the EP suggests this is only ‘Part Of The Way’ towards the new album.

Five songs made it onto the EP and they are all very, very different from each other.

‘Grateful‘ has an unmistaken resemblance to the 1994 smash hit ‘Flying’. But as the song progresses into bridge and chorus you are no longer in doubt. This is a completely new song and a potential new crowd-pleaser at the 2012-festivals, no doubt.

‘Sleepy Sunday‘ is the strongest of the new songs, in my opinion. A true NLP-song with all the large major 7 (or 9) chords and beautiful Beatles-like backing vocals that the three do so well. ‘Sleepy Sunday’ is good enough to sell the entire next album.

‘Bless This Land‘ is a peculiar little piece that requires the listener to sit down, shut up and listen a few times. With a soft Tom Petty touch, guitarist Michael Kolster leads us through something as rare as a political statement. It suits the band very well indeed and is done balanced and without being completely subversive as in the 60′s and 70′s.

‘I Am Cupid‘ – Roy Orbison didn’t live in vain. I really had a hard time figuring out what this song is about – but about love itself. The personification of ‘love’ or Cupid wrapped around a very well played song. All I can say at this time is that I’m dead sure a hidden tape with some VERY entertaining recordings of this song is hidden somewhere in Bo Feierskov’s attic.

‘Crazy Love‘ – here’s another really typical NLP-song. No redundant fills. With a slightly more Beatles-touch it might as well be a song from the second or third album. And in some way this wraps up this EP nicely.

All in all – This is EP is not complete. It is… Part of the way. And it doesn’t have to be more at this time. Overall I really like the direction it sets out. It’s going to be very interesting to see and hear the full album due in the beginning of 2012. Are we to bet, I’ll put my money on ‘Very, Very Good’.

Just to set expectations where they belong

Latebar’s recommendation —> Buy the EP:
@ Amazon
@ reStorm
@ iTunes

More about Nice Little Penguins:
- Nice Little Penguins (official website)
- Nice Little Penguins on Facebook
- Nice Little Penguins on MySpace
- Nice Little Penguins on Wikipedia (DK)
- Nice Little Penguins on Wikipedia (EN)

- – - – - – -

Nik Kershaw - No Frills

As the title “No Frills” state, this album is nothing but Nik. 15 songs with guitar and vocal only…Well, except the Boss RC20XL loop station of course *hehe*.

This is Nik Kershaw! – Nothing more… and dare I say nothing less.

Let me just say it out loud – This album is a pop masterpiece!

A mix of both new and old tunes flow through the album like they were contemporaries (25 years between new and old). But with this album it really becomes obvious, that the 80′s teen idol is perhaps one of the best pop songwriters of our time – and better now than he ever was.

Kershaw’s newer albums “15 minutes“, “To Be Frank” and “You’ve Got to Laugh” are clearly more thought through productions with the man himself in complete charge. Songs like ‘Wounded’ and ‘Billy’ in the new acoustic versions sounds alot like their original studio album versions… But with no frills, of course.

Where “No Frills” becomes really, really interesting is the re-recordings of the evergreen classics: ‘The Riddle’, ‘Wouldn’t it be good’, ‘Don Quixote’, ‘Dancing Girls’ and ‘I won’t let the sun go down’. To me these have never sounded better. Especially ‘Dancing Girls’ has been tweaked quite a bit making the story within stand out much more. Marvellous!

I still recall an evening with Nik early 2009 at the Danish club ‘Fermaten‘ (Herning City), where it struck me midway through the concert just how skilled this guy is. I’m sure many guitarists can play what Kershaw does. But to be able to compose and even re-compose old and established evergreens…

And then of course – no real compilation of Nik Kershaw titles without something new for the fans

Buy the album and find out for yourself. I recommend you go directly to Nik’s official website and buy “No Frills” right away. You’ll thank me later!

Meanwhile I will leave you with ‘Don Quixote‘ where both Nik, his guitar and the Boss loop station is in action. And then hope Shorthouse Records will allow us this copyright exception.

More about Nik:
- Nik Kershaw (Official Website)
- Follow Nik on Twitter
- Wikipedia