The Migrant

The story of the Migrant's Travels In Lowland is a good one, good enough that it might threaten to overshadow the music. Danish musician Bjarke Bendtsen spent the past couple of years travelling around the U.S. with a suitcase and a guitar. Upon his return to Denmark, he recorded the songs his trip inspired with some fellow Danes. Exactly what influence his trip had upon the finished product is hard to tell. If it was recorded on the road it would have taken on a completely different quality. Instead, Travels In Lowland sounds more polished and calculated than it should. Yet there are times when the collection of musicians really let loose and the glorious cacophony is a joy to behold ― the psychedelic "Gør Hvad Du Sagde Du Vil Gore En Dag" is the definite highlight of the album. The rest of the record, while solid enough, is too predictable and straightforward, suffering by comparison. Apparently Bendtsen recorded the other songs connected to his travels in Texas with musicians he met along the way, so perhaps that will reveal the true impact of his American odyssey.