Just a short, write up today about a band that we haven't feature before in Nordic Music Review, but who hopefully will be getting a fair bit of attention in other publications given their status in their home country.
Norwegian band Real Ones have build a great reputation over the last quarter of a century, with a stream of albums behind them, their last studio release being 'Hey Future, Hey Past', which was released in 2018 and now they return with 'Love Your Mother', and whilst there is a slickness to the writing and production, it also retains a natural organic feel which makes it really easy to listen to.
The theme behind 'Love Your Mother' is relatively simple, a call to arms on the need to protect Mother Nature, and straight from the opening of the title track they start to hit home with their lyrical points: "we were told by the government, by the ministry, we could blow up the mountains, we can dump into the sea". And the theme behind by 'Brother' reflects how we all need each other to stand together more than anytime: "they don't need us when we're gone, they need us now before we're born".
But it's the soft musical landscape that appeals in 'Early Evenimg', a gorgeous if quite simple melody that drifts elegantly by, accompanied by gentle harmonies. And for me the highlight is 'The Feeling', a jaunty and optimistic call to humans, animals and trees to join together in a victorious cause against all that get in the way of protecting the planet: "Next in line are the wealthy, who have more than they need, and who's desires we will no longer feed... just wait for the tax at above 90%".
The curious 'Sunrise in the Andes' offers an enjoyable, if slightly curious, Latin American influence (not the only time we hear it in the album), whilst the album wraps up with another gorgeous melody in 'Everyone', with my favourite lyrics in the album, reflective and clever for sure, whilst more life affirming than sad: "you have to grow before you walk, you have to learn to listen out before you talk.... you have to live before you die."
Of course, alongside the businesses and governments that profit most out of environmental harm, there's those out there who seem to dislike artists offering up messages like this. They sit mostly alone, despising everything around them, with their ears clasped and their heads buried in the sand - an impressive yoga pose in itself, if only they didn't hate everyone who did yoga too. And that's why we need artists like Real Ones, and 'Love Your Mother' is a persuasive likeable album, which I've enjoyed more every time I've listened to it.
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