RoD header

Translate

siverthoyem endlesslove
Artist: Sivert Høyem
Title: Endless Love
Genre: Rock, Singer-Songwriter
Release Date: 23rd May 2014
Label: Hektor Grammofon


Album Review

The former front singer of the Norwegian rock band MADRUGADA, SIVERT HØYEM, is now on a solo path with the release of his record 'Endless Love' on May 23, 2014. His name might hardly be known to a wide audience, but those who are familiar with the music of MADRUGADA will probably remember HØYEM’s voice being distinctive, plain and simple. This is the reason it comes into its own particularly well on his solo album: Framed by catchy rhythms and an almost always constant instrumentation refraining discreetly but yet presently and supportive in the background.

The versatility of HØYEM’s voice expresses itself in a wide range of genre influences, from gospel-inspired tracks backed by a choir over depressive slow rock ballads and country rock tracks to finger-picked acoustic folk guitar tunes. Therefore it is difficult to classify his music into a certain genre. In parts some songs sound like music from the 80s. The lyrics are to a great extent authentic descriptions of HØYEM’s innermost thoughts and feelings, it seems as if HØYEM puts his self-image to the test in order to gain self-knowledge. This can be strongly witnessed in 'Inner Vision' as well as in 'At Our Evening Table', which both sound like diary entries set to music. Those songs tell stories where HØYEM puts his inside out, and the music supports the lyrics with hymn-like organ harmonies.

However, some songs break the coherence of the album in a musical sense because they lack depth and artistic quality and seem like shallow classic pop, such as 'Free As A Bird', 'Handsome Savior' and 'Wat Tyler'. On the whole, SIVERT HØYEM album serves numerous musical tastes. It can hardly be assessed whether this is to be seen as good or bad from the listeners viewpoint. However, the album lacks coherence since there is no concrete musical genre and the songs seem thrown together randomly. Despite that, HØYEM’s work is a personal statement of a mature man who, through his songs, shares his experiences and self-reflections in love relationships with the world in a modest and unexcited way.


Tracklist

01. Endless Love
02. Enigma Machine
03. Handsome Savior
04. Inner Vision
05. Free As A Bird / Chained To The Sky
06. Little Angel
07. Wat Tyler
08. Görlitzer Park
09. At Our Evening Table
10. Ride On Sister


Line-up

Sivert Hoyem – vocals
Ulf Ivarsson – bass
Pelle Ossler – guitar
Anders Hernestam – drums
Per Viberg – keys
Stian Westerhus – guitar
Christer Knutsen – piano, organ


Website

www.siverthoyem.com / www.facebook.com/sivert.hoyem


Cover Picture

siverthoyem endlesslove


Rating

Music: 7
Sound: 7
Total: 7 / 10





Comments powered by CComment