The Island – Part One is Birds Are Better’s Album Out Now
Good Day Noir Family,
I already reviewed Birds Are Better in the past but this talented artist is back with an album and I want to share my thoughts about it.
The Island – Part One is Birds Are Better’s Album Out Now
Already the first time I listened to the music of this eclectic artist I was particularly surprised by the musical universe that he is able to create.
The thing that struck me is his great ability to transform his deepest emotions into music.
The atmosphere of the album The Island – Part One is nostalgic and psychedelic. Stian Fjelldal has a kaleidoscopic personality that makes you think you are facing a new star.
It’s not easy to find music of this quality around. I note with pleasure that the plays on Spotify are going up… I’m sure this is only the beginning.
His music has the songwriting approach of Cat Steven mixed with a Pet Shop Boys production… a really interesting musical blend.
Birds Are Better lives in another dimension and communicate with us humans through beautiful melodies.
The Island – Part One is a fantastic album. You have to take your time to listen to it so you can appreciate every little nuance.
10 out of 10!
The Island – Part One is Birds Are Better’s Album Out Now!
Superlative!
The Island – Part One is Birds Are Better’s Album Out Now
The brainchild of Norwegian singer-songwriter Stian Fjelldal, Birds Are Better, brings a different approach to folk music with a fusion of traditional folk, power-pop, synth-rock and indie-pop.
Three years had passed since I started a side project, which began with a writer’s block. I had become tired of myself and felt trapped in my own image. A question sneaked up on me. Did I actually like my own music? Or more specifically: would I listen to it if it were made by someone else? The answer surprised me. No, probably not. It may seem like a brutal and somewhat depressing realization for a musician who has created a nice little career on what is described as quirky Southern Norwegian folk-pop.
Starting with the radio hit “Håbløs” in 2010, a record deal with Warner Music, and releasing great songs such as “Sammen i Mørket”, “Æ vil heim”, “I verdens rigeste land”, “Bare min”, “Festen” and “Ville hesta”. But instead I felt relieved. I was finally honest with myself. Not bad for a Norwegian Southerner who, in line with the stereotype, might have a slightly annoying tendency to sweep difficult issues under the rug. The big liberation came with the question I was now ready to ask myself: What kind of music do you want to make? I love bands and artists like Fleet Foxes, The Flaming Lips, Crowded House, Susanne Sundfør and Super Furry Animals, to name a few. Do I have anything in common with such company? I have no idea, but what is stopping me from trying? So I got down to it.
I started making songs in English and found that I had a different voice, one that I identified more with because I drew inspiration from the heart, not from my own idea of what kind of artist I was. Three years have passed since a writer’s block was lifted by a realization. Since then, things have escalated. The debut album “The Island – Part One” is out now. The first part of a double album. Composed and recorded at home in Oslo and further produced, mixed and mastered by my good friend, the great maestro Håkon Gebhardt. Does this mean the end for Stian Fjelldal? By no means. I will still make and release songs in Norwegian. But with Birds Are Better, I have rediscovered my love for music. So it’s more than just a fling.
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