Ex Norwegian

Miami, FL's Ex Norwegian return with second full-length Sketch. On this release, Ex-Norwegian show off their pop prowess. Interestingly, each member of the band takes a turn as lead vocalist, which allows for peculiar dynamics to develop. "Seconds" is an exquisite example of pop composition; it features the orchestral tendencies of '60s pop music, multiple vocal harmonies and layers of horns supporting its delicate melody. Sketch comes into its own during the back-end of the album. Early tracks like "Jet Lag" and "Mind Down" focus too much on heavy rock tropes like thundering bass and aggressive guitar, qualities the group don't pull off well. On Sketch, Ex Norwegian show their true colours when they're acting less serious, when a sense of fun and excitement comes through their songwriting. A prime example is "Girl with the Moustache," which is the album highlight. The tongue-in-cheek nature of the track allows Ex Norwegian to focus on just playing a good song, which harkens back to the heydays of power pop bands like Sloan.