Norwegians are clearly not all death metallers and trawler fishermen, but apparently men well versed in North England’s musical heritage and recent epic guitar pop too. Asleep’s press shots indicate you’d rather not meet them on a dark Fjord, but the chiming, Coldplay-esque™ guitar lines indicate a gentler inclination.This album was released late last year and their singer/songwriter Fredrik Rodsaether has a gentle, confidence handle on radio pop, though the evocatively romantic title is a misleading, any future album called ‘Days of Vague Discontent’ should probably be avoided in the interests of mental well-being. That’s not to say ‘DOPD’ is entirely miserable, more jaded, like old bar memorabilia. ‘Not the right thing’ opens with an affectingly weary vocal, nodding to Morrissey’s laconic delivery, while the tune is subtlety anthemic, in the vein of the Killers ‘Read my Mind’. The ‘woos’ are more pop than Moz would indulge today, but the tongue-in cheek joy at the lack of bonhomie is present and correct.‘Never Say Thank You’ also skates close to their clear admiration of The Smiths, in the wry lines, ‘you’re high on Kafka/you said we’d end in disaster/You said I have issues/not sure what that means’ as though to suggest he feels his partner might mean old copies of Classic Car. Elsewhere there’s the lilt of Billy Bragg and the sure footing of a band entirely sure of how they want to sound.This isn’t gob and cider soundtrack music, its subtle strings, strong vocal, pop harmonies and good, simple piano hooks; it’s very Nordic adult pop, in that A-ha (mark 2) way. However, unlike Keane, with whom they share a talent for simple uplifting chords, they’ve made guitars sound like guitars, which swoop elegantly throughout. ‘Nothing’s Going On’ is Gwen Guthrie’s wealthier Scandinavian cousin, reminiscent of the Magic Numbers summery drive, while one of the stand out tracks, ‘I lost you’, sits the learned vocal against the foil of chiming guitar, with a crescendo Athlete fans will recognise.These are familiar songs to throw heartache at, which grow with each listen. It’s classic adult pop, which may have missed the zeitgeist of young white men sinking disappointment into pianos and soaring guitars a few years ago, but Asleep will doubtlessly be encouraged by Snow Patrol’s ongoing success.
Tom Hocknell - Rock Feedback UK
