Out to Lunch

National Bank

I’ve been to a live show a couple of weeks ago by an all-star band from Norway. The National Bank has a line-up feat. Thomas Dybdahl, Lars & Martin Horntveth from Jagga Jazzist, Morten Qvelild from Suzanna & The magical orchestra, Nikolai Eilertsen from Big Bang.
They brought with them a singer songwriter called Erlend Ropstad who delivered the pre program. A nice introspective fella with a good sense of humour and above all a great voice. He sold CD’s but I didn’t have enough money to buy one. I tend to buy CD’s and records at live gigs but sometimes it doesn’t work out that well. When hearing a former unknown band that gives a great liveshow it’s usually not a good idea to buy the CD because there’s much chance that the studio versions lack the live spirit you just witnessed. It recently bought a CD by The Willowz after a great live performance with groovy Southern AOR Rock just before the show of The Sons & Daughters. Hearing it back at home the CD’s just stinks, big time. It’s hard to hear those tunes in the same way as on that night because of the lousy sound and production. A real piety because they have potential.

But back to the National Bank. I loved this band from the first moment I heard them. I didn’t realize right away that the singer was Thomas Dybdahl even though I have practically all his records. It sounded familiar but slightly different. To me The National Bank sounds like a wonderful marriage between Dybdahl’s voice and songs and the Jagga sound, especially a song like Styrofoam. It’s very sophisticated pop music as it should sound today.
Before the show I wondered how they would reproduce it live? Everything was there. Every sound, every twist, note, accent. It only grooved more than on record. The drums were very prominent, at your face, but that was not a problem. I wonder now if anyone has made any remixes of their songs because they’re really up to it.

The National Bank – Home
The National Bank – Family
The National Bank – Styrofoam
The National Bank – Tolerate


Goldfrapp - Hapiness

Goldfrapp's back with a new album. Hapiness is finaly Felt Mountain revisited and that's pretty fine by me.

But you might as wel check out an alternative Muppet version of this tune over at Meckermeckermecker starring an edgy Miss Allison Piggly Wiggly and Rexxie the dog.