RIYL: Prefab Sprout, David Gray, Beautiful South
Normally, one might think of Norway as kind of an isolated place, at least in terms of its being removed from the mainstream. However, considering ex-patriot Sondre Lerche’s ability to absorb soft rock styles and recycle them in his own breathless, breezy style, he’s clearly in sync when it comes to fashioning a radio-ready formula. Lerche’s previous albums have shown a steady evolution in honing his approach and smoothing over the rough edges, ensuring that Heartbreak Radio isn’t only palatable to the masses but possibly his most accessible effort yet. Lerche’s powder-puff vocals are as unobtrusive as cotton candy, but underscored by the teeming pulse and rambunctious strings of “Good Luck,” the staccato rhythm of “If Only,” and the unruly – relatively speaking – posturing of “Easy to Persuade” and “Almighty Moon,” Lerche is mostly able to avoid coming across as completely cloying. Not that he skirts it altogether; the giddy designs of “Words & Music,” the smooth croon of “I Cannot Let You Go” and schmaltzy posturing of “Goodnight” are mired in a syrupy sound best suited to the vacuous airs of an adult contemporary radio format. It stands to reason then that only when its pulse starts pumping, Heartbeat Radio gets its blood flowing. (Rounder 2009)
