Terje Nordgarden is a singer songwriter from Hamar, a small town just north of Oslo, Norway. He has also lived for three years in Italy where he released his first album in 2003.
He returned to his homeland in 2006 for 'A Brighter Kind of Blue' where he apparently wanted a stripped back sound of guitar, voice and trumpet.
His third album, 'The Path of Love' (also recorded in Norway ), is a different kettle of fish as its 10 songs are arranged with band, strings and brass. Over this, Nordgarden's bluesy baritone makes for a slick, lounge style slightly reminiscent of Michael Bublé.
His Americanised croon evokes themes of drifting, dreaming and longing - "of love we've come, of love we're leaving" he sings on the title track.
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His cover of Morphine's 'The Night' gives a strong flavour of wistful mood that pervades the record. Other songs include one about a hitchhiking trip in Sardegna (Oh Brother) and another on the loss of a beloved grandfather (So Far Away) .
The tasteful arrangements give the album a smooth yet bland feel and is seriously lacking in any real sense of the passion and drama that this kind of material needs.
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