URO – Or
Losen: Losen 159-2
Kristofer Spangan: dobro , guitars; Anders Bronstad: guitars; Marius Igland: guitars; Torbjorn Tveit: bass; Kristoffer Tokle: drums, percussion; Kristin Dahl: vocals; Joakim Bergsronning: saxophone, flute
Recorded June 2016 at University of Agder, Norway
This group is built around a guitar trio, with a central role for the dobro. This instrument has a wood-body that gives a rich and full sound, together with a single-cone resonator that adds a characteristic twang to the notes – in places the sound is not unlike a lap steel guitar, but there is a much brighter tone from the dobro. URO delight in this richness and create their tunes to celebrate this, both in the dobro playing and also in the ways that the other guitarist’s develop their solos. This is even apparent in the tones of the saxophone or flute (track 6, ‘April’ and track 10, ‘Gudbaj’) and wordless backing vocals (track 7, ‘Avgjorelsen’ and track 10, ‘Gudbaj’). All of which suggests that the group have a very clear conception of the musical style that they are working towards. Each piece incorporates a wide variety of musical influences and styles, with the clean and clear guitar sounds underpinned by a kaleidoscope of rhythmic patterns. Added to this, the Fender P-bass adds a deep and resonant backing.
On first hearing, the dominant feel of this music shares much with Americana (or even Country) music; but this is as much to do with the sound palette that the group works with as it is the structure of the tunes. On several tracks, particularly the closing ‘Gudbaj’, I was reminded of the ways in which Van Morrison sought to combine elements of jazz, Celtic folk and Americana in albums such as ‘Inarticulate speech of the heart’. For this band, a similar goal seems to be at work in their ambition to fuse a Norwegian musical heritage with instruments that are so traditionally associated with American popular music. What they produce is a collection of tunes that repay repeated listening and that are played with warmth and honesty.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Losen: Losen 159-2
Kristofer Spangan: dobro , guitars; Anders Bronstad: guitars; Marius Igland: guitars; Torbjorn Tveit: bass; Kristoffer Tokle: drums, percussion; Kristin Dahl: vocals; Joakim Bergsronning: saxophone, flute
Recorded June 2016 at University of Agder, Norway
This group is built around a guitar trio, with a central role for the dobro. This instrument has a wood-body that gives a rich and full sound, together with a single-cone resonator that adds a characteristic twang to the notes – in places the sound is not unlike a lap steel guitar, but there is a much brighter tone from the dobro. URO delight in this richness and create their tunes to celebrate this, both in the dobro playing and also in the ways that the other guitarist’s develop their solos. This is even apparent in the tones of the saxophone or flute (track 6, ‘April’ and track 10, ‘Gudbaj’) and wordless backing vocals (track 7, ‘Avgjorelsen’ and track 10, ‘Gudbaj’). All of which suggests that the group have a very clear conception of the musical style that they are working towards. Each piece incorporates a wide variety of musical influences and styles, with the clean and clear guitar sounds underpinned by a kaleidoscope of rhythmic patterns. Added to this, the Fender P-bass adds a deep and resonant backing.
On first hearing, the dominant feel of this music shares much with Americana (or even Country) music; but this is as much to do with the sound palette that the group works with as it is the structure of the tunes. On several tracks, particularly the closing ‘Gudbaj’, I was reminded of the ways in which Van Morrison sought to combine elements of jazz, Celtic folk and Americana in albums such as ‘Inarticulate speech of the heart’. For this band, a similar goal seems to be at work in their ambition to fuse a Norwegian musical heritage with instruments that are so traditionally associated with American popular music. What they produce is a collection of tunes that repay repeated listening and that are played with warmth and honesty.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
