Back in his native Norway, Sondre Lerche is the bright new music hope. At only 19 years of age, this is certainly a remarkably confident and cohesive first effort. Lerche's voice belies his youth; he often rasps in the manner of someone twice his age and to great effect on the opening song 'Dead Passengers', its foreboding title belying the fact that this is actually a very 'up' album. Clearly strongly influenced by the Beatles (just listen to 'You Know So Well' for evidence) the arrangements belong to music from about 35 years ago which makes the listening experience a somewhat second-hand one. However, when he transcends mere pastiche on the outstanding 'No One's Gonna Come' he writes a song that the considerably older Badly Drawn Boy would be proud of and the finale 'Things You Call Fate' proves that he has listened to recent indie music. A precocious talent then but one which needs careful direction before it can reveal its true greatness.