The Lionheart Brothers
White angel black apple
Sally Forth Records
Like many of you, I first heard the Norwegian dream pop of The Lionheart Brothers on "It's a Trap! readers companion volume one". That track, "I burn myself on you", is a stunning, bittersweet symphonic gem--easily one of the best songs I heard last year. It was part of the 2004 EP "Colour contrast context", which has been combined with the Brothers' 2003 debut, "White angel black apple", for this reissue. The other three tracks from that EP boast lots of strings over a dreamy soundscape, especially "Time river floaty". Standout tracks from the debut, like "The pole dilemma" and "The sun in my eyes", share the gorgeous melodies of their follow-up, but the songs are more upfront, more electric guitar driven. Interestingly, for a band with a clear spiritual focus (e.g., "Feed me Eden"), the Lionheart Brothers are at their best when the vocals blend in like any another instrument in the mix, and it doesn't matter if the words are understandable or not. That the same band who did "I burn myself on you" can pull off the spacey, loud "Love ludicrous" is a testament to the talents of Marcus Forsgren, Audun Storset and their new bandmates.
- Matthew W. Smith