This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
02. BigBang - Too Much Yang
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Magnet - The Simple Life
05. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
06. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
07. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
08. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
09. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
10. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik
11. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
12. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
13. Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
14. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen
15. Thomas Dybdahl - Science
16. Lomsk - Amerikabrevet
17. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
18. Jokke & Valentinerne - Prisen for popen
19. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
20. Röyksopp - The Understanding

MP3: Christel Alsos - What you gotta do

I can't help it. I see an album cover like this and I immediately brace myself for some weak MOR bullshit. That's usually what you get with a headshot of a pretty face. Maybe some watered-down country at best. However, as I'm sure you can surmise considering I'm posting about it today, that is most definitely not the case. Christel Alsos is a Norwegian singer/songwriter with the restrained elegance of Sophie Zelmani and the angelic intonation of Jeff Buckley. On the other hand, her voice is a bit darker and huskier than either of them, so sometimes she gives off a slightly more soulful vibe. All the more reason that I'm incredibly disappointed her duet with fellow Norwegian artist Thomas Dybdahl appears to have been removed from YouTube.
I don't listen to many of the chart-topping Scandinavian artists because I want to; I do it as a public service, because I feel I have to. Let me tell you, it can be dreary. Sometimes, such as when I discover someone like Christel Alsos, it's totally worth it.

Christel Alsos - What you gotta do

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. BigBang - Too Much Yang
02. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
03. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
04. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
05. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
06. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
07. Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
08. Magnet - The Simple Life
09. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
10. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
11. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
12. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
13. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
14. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
15. Lomsk - Amerikabrevet
16. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
17. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
18. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
19. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen
20. Madrugada - Live At Tralfamadore

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. BigBang - Too Much Yang
02. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
05. Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
06. Magnet - The Simple Life
07. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
08. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
09. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
10. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
11. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
12. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
13. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
14. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
15. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
16. Madrugada - Live At Tralfamadore
17. Åge Aleksandersen - Original
18. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
19. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
20. Draumir - The Island

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. BigBang - Too Much Yang
02. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
03. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
04. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
05. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
06. Magnet - The Simple Life
07. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
08. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
09. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
10. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
11. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
12. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
13. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
14. Röyksopp - Back to mine
15. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
16. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
17. Madrugada - Live At Tralfamadore
18. Susperia - Cut From Stone
19. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
20. Kjell Inge Torgersen - Aks av gull

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. BigBang - Too Much Yang
02. Magnet - The Simple Life
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
05. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
06. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
07. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
08. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
09. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
10. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
11. Röyksopp - Back to mine
12. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
13. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
14. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen
15. Sissel - De beste 1986-2006
16. Draumir - The Island
17. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
18. Susperia - Cut From Stone
19. William Hut - Nightfall
20. Odd Nordstoga - Heim te mor

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Magnet - The Simple Life
02. BigBang - Too Much Yang
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
05. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
06. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
07. Draumir - The Island
08. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
09. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
10. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
11. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
12. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
13. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
14. Odd Nordstoga - Heim te mor
15. William Hut - Nightfall
16. Sissel - De beste 1986-2006
17. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
18. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
19. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
20. El Caco - From Dirt

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. BigBang - Too Much Yang
02. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
05. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
06. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
07. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
08. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
09. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
10. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
11. El Axel - It Is What It Is
12. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
13. King Midas - Sorry
14. El Caco - From Dirt
15. Skambankt - Eliksir
16. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
17. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
18. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
19. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
20. Ole Ivars - Jag trodde änglarna fanns

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
02. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
03. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
04. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
05. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
06. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
07. King Midas - Sorry
08. El Caco - From Dirt
09. Erik og Kriss - Gull og grønne skoger
10. Skambankt - Elixir
11. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
12. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
13. Malin - Malin på månen
14. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
15. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
16. Ole Ivars - Jag trodde änglarna fanns
17. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
18. William Hut - Nightfall
19. Tungtvann - 96% Tungtvann
20. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
02. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
03. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
04. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
05. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
06. El Caco - From Dirt
07. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
08. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
09. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
10. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
11. Sissy Wish - Beauties Never Die
12. William Hut - Nightfall
13. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
14. Skambankt - Elixir
15. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
16. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
17. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
18. Thomas Dybdahl - Science
19. Tungtvann - 96% Tungtvann
20. Blind Archery Club - The Union

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
02. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
03. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
04. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
05. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
06. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
07. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
08. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
09. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
10. William Hut - Nightfall
11. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
12. Somebody's Darling - Walls
13. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
14. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
15. Tungtvann - 96% Tungtvann
16. Malin - Malin på månen
17. Dag Arnesen - Norwegian Song
18. Ulf Risnes - Ingen andre
19. Skambankt - Elixir
20. Blind Archery Club - The Union

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
02. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
03. Sondre Lerche - Phantom Punch
04. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
05. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
06. William Hut - Nightfall
07. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
08. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
09. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
10. Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes og Askil Holm - Hallelujah - Live
11. Somebody's Darling - Walls
12. Herodes Falsk/Tom Mathisen - De beste
13. Skambankt - Elixir
14. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
15. Blind Archery Club - The Union
16. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
17. 120 Days - 120 Days
18. Tungtvann - 96% Tungtvann
19. Ole Ivars - Jag trodde änglarna fanns
20. Pleasure - Pleasure 2

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
02. William Hut - Nightfall
03. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
04. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
05. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
06. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
07. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
08. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
09. Herodes Falsk/Tom Mathisen - De beste
10. Skambankt - Elixir
11. 120 Days - 120 Days
12. Tungtvann - 96% Tungtvann
13. Pleasure - Pleasure 2
14. Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes og Askil Holm - Hallelujah - Live
15. Thomas Dybdahl - Science
16. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
17. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
18. Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy Kiss
19. Div. Artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2007
20. Ane Brun - Duets

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
02. William Hut - Nightfall
03. Askil Holm - Harmony Hotel
04. Skambankt - Elixir
05. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
06. Bjørn Eidsvåg - Nåde
07. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
08. Herodes Falsk/Tom Mathisen - De beste
09. Øystein Sunde - Sundes verden
10. Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes og Askil Holm - Hallelujah - Live
11. 120 Days - 120 Days
12. Ane Brun - Duets
13. Tungtvann - 96% Tungtvann
14. Jan Werner - Stronger
15. Sissel - De beste 1986-2006
16. Ole Ivars - Jag trodde änglarna fanns
17. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
18. Odd Nordstoga - Heim te mor
19. Shining - Grindstone
20. Ane Brun - A Temporary Dive

MIC Norway is starting to profile many of the bands appearing at this year's By:Larm Festival, starting with In the Country, Heroes & Zeros and Christel Alsos: http://www.mic.no/english