Monica Heldal - Boy From the North (2013)

This 22-year-old Norwegian folk singer’s debut album finally saw official release in the U.S. in 2014, after being released in her homeland and spending 21 weeks on the country's Top 40 album chart in 2013. The title track recalls a classic folk ballad, while “Conman Coming” immediately surges with layers of electricity to remind listeners of Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention at their most intense. For American ears, the closer comparison might be Led Zeppelin’s folk adventures. That sense of centuries bygone is featured throughout this harrowing album (“Fightin’ Son,” “Die for You,” “The Road Not Taken”). A romantic feel brings out the best in “Follow You Anywhere.” A debut album for the ages.