#reviewoftheweek / Monica Heldal - Boy From The North

Hailing from Norway, you might expect an artist like Monica Heldal to be in the same vein as some other European folkies like Sondre Lerche and Teitur or even Kings Of Convenience, but you'd be wrong. Heldal harnesses the blues and mixes them firmly with her style of pop and rock. The combination makes for a very unique sound coming from that area of the world. In fact, the most close interpretation of this music came recently from Of Monsters And Men. Heldal embraces her rootsy elements and invokes a style that is equal parts 70's hippie folk and 90's British indie rock mixed with the good old blues. The title track is by far the standout and the song that will get Heldal's music into the ears of the masses, but it's tracks like "Conman Coming" and "Follow You Anywhere" that showcase her true talents as a musician and a songwriter. From start to finish the album is intriguing and interesting. It's a great listen for music fans looking to hear something fresh and new that's not the same old import coming across the pond.