June 2004 ARTIST: Sondre Lerch TITLE: Two Way Monologue RECORD LABEL: Astralwerks REVIEW BY: Michael Delgado Two Way Monologue is the sophomore LP from Norwegian indie-rocker Sondre Lerche. Barely old enough to drink, it’s strange to notice every song sounds like he plucked it straight from the past. From one of those old movies or the carefree times they were made in. Although each song is primarily an acoustic, solo showcase of Sondre’s strumming and lilting vocals, ala Jeff Buckley, or even Louis Armstrong (particularly on “Wet Ground”), there’s still a lot more going on. Sounds ranging from strings, keys, and backing vocals to electronic bloops that sound like alien ships on twilight zone or the bridge of old star trek episodes, prove that he’s doing something different. Strangely, it still seems there’s not much to it. The old lounge sound feels slightly repetitive and monotone, leaving you asking, why not listen to the old favorites? GRADE: B LEARN MORE: www.sondrelerche.com/