CD of the Week: Erik Faber

ERIK FABER
"CENTURY"
(Epic/Norway, 2004)

I have to wonder how I've gone this long without once mentioning Erik Faber in this blog. I first got exposed to his music (beyond one song, this album's title track) just a few months ago, when a friend sent me a CD-R containing ten of his songs, a few from each of his three albums. I was met with one fantastic song after another, never having been so instantly captivated by an artist's music. Fortunately (for the sake of my sanity) I soon found an online retailer in Norway that ships orders to the United States. Without hesitation I ordered all three of his albums, and within a month I was leaning back in my recliner with my headphones on, my ears ecstatically awash in the beautiful sounds of this Norwegian pop craftsman.

Although what is currently my favorite Erik Faber song lies on one of his other albums, "Century" (his sophomore disc) is probably his best thusfar, situated perfectly in its melodic and lyrical evolution halfway between the radio-friendly accessibility of his debut, "Between The Lines", and the more emotionally weighty and sophisticated tapestry of his most recent album, "Passages". This album is everything a successful recording should be, with a perfect balance of catchy melodies, intriguingly assembled instrumentation, and meaningful lyrics. None of these elements ever overpower the other, and the flow of the album allows for a healthy mix of ballads, inspirational mid-tempo songs, and upbeat (but never quite dance-floor-ready) toe-tappers. Probably my favorite part of the album is in the second half, with the trifecta of "Strange" (with its semi-chill-out feel), "Open Your Eyes" (a vaguely Coldplay-ish brew of fuzzy guitars and moody, spooky echoes), and "Shivers" (an enjoyable, straight-ahead rocker).

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I've only been listening to Erik Faber for a couple of months and, though I've been listening to all three of his albums often and frequently, I'm still not completely finished digesting them. But I've heard enough to know that he will soon, in all likelihood, surpass Espen Lind as my favorite Norwegian pop musician ... and, in so doing, stands a good chance of entering the list of my top five favorite artists of all time. It makes me wonder what other phenomenal male pop musicians I'm missing by not having more exposure to the Norwegian music scene!