Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (2009)

2009 release, the fifth album from the award-winning Norwegian singer/songwriter. The songs on Heartbeat Radio mix acoustic guitars and grand gestures of orchestral pop with elements of anything from '50s Jazz via '60s and '70s Brazilian Psych-Folk to state-of-the-art '80s pop masters such as Prefab Sprout, Scritti Politti and Fleetwood Mac. While it maintains the studio polish of his groundbreaking debut, Faces Down, there's also a sense of musical adventure that stems from his later work. Having written, scored, and recorded all songs for the Dan In Real Life soundtrack, as well as earned Rolling Stone "Top 50" nods, and Elvis Costello's fan-ship, Lerche is no stranger to acclaim. But the story doesn't stop there. Heartbeat Radio is Sondre Lerche's boldest and most challenging record yet.