Evil Tordivel - "A Fine Young Man" (Éllet Records)
Quirky is definitely the word to describe this Bergen, Norway based group/solo project. It's taken me quite a few listens to try and wrap my head around this thing, but I still don't quite have it figured out yet. Evil Tordivel combine elements of rock, pop and electronica in a way similar to fellow countrymen Beyond Dawn, but they are nowhere near as dark or moody. Yeah, singing songs like "Let's Go Beach" seals it. Far, far more on the sunnier side of the rock spectrum. The label describes 'em as "Frank Black meets The Residents meets Kings of Convenience" which I suppose is kinda accurate. It's definitely not as experimental as The Residents or as abrasive as some Frank Black material, but I do hear the influences cited. Even though I wouldn't quite call myself a bonified fan at this point, I still think this album is well worth noting. Fans of the aforementioned Beyond Dawn or their labelmates When who are curious about hearing something a bit mellower and happier might dig this. Despite the name, I don't think it's quite evil enough for my tastes.