Thursday, September 20, 2007

Norwegian singer-songwriter THOMAS DYBDAHL to re-release acclaimed album SCIENCE

On October 23, 2007 Norwegian break-through artist Thomas Dybdahl will re-release his critically acclaimed new album Science via Recall Records.

Thomas Dybdahl has garnered numerous accolades throughout his homeland earning him a “Spellemann prisen” (Norwegian Grammy) for Best Pop Artist along with an “Alarm” (Alternative Grammy) award for Best Pop Album. And, he has just been nominated for the 2007 Spellemanpris in the category of Best Male Artist. The awards ceremony takes place on January 27, 2007.

Now, after achieving critical acclaim and platinum-selling status in his native Norway, Thomas Dybdahl is ready to share his emotive voice and intricate portraits in song with the rest of the world. At 27 years old, Dybdahl possesses a true strength and maturity in his songwriting that defies categorization.

NPR has said of Dybdahl, “His delicate but lush music recalls that of Tim Buckley, Nick Drake and other forward-thinking songwriters.” And Jon Pareles of The New York Times recently wrote of Dybdahl’s under-discovered 2006 U.S. debut One Day You Will Dance For Me, New York City, “Thomas Dybdahl writes songs that move in for extreme close-ups: his acoustic guitar, his breathy voice, his vows of love. He's Norwegian, but he sings in English. …the tempos are glacial and the instruments few and pristine, so that every gesture is exposed. Anything less than total grace would turn precious and cloying, but Mr. Dybdahl maintains his poise; each song has the delicate suspense of a drawn breath.”

Upon first listen, Science draws you in through the bare richness of the music. Delicate guitars meet soul-filled vocals that keep the listener anticipating each gentle nuance. His music is perhaps best enjoyed while open and able to absorb its many sounds, inflections and subtleties. The opening track, “Something Real,” is a rhythm-driven number featuring stand-up bass, piano, violin, viola, bass clarinet and bass saxophone, organ and pedal steel guitar with Dydahl on guitars, bows and vocals.

Other noteworthy tracks include “Still My Body Aches,” the stark and moody heart-wrencher that finds Dybdahl’s distinctive vocals almost naked at the front of the song backed by a striking, yet subtle string arrangement and piano. “U” is an R&B number that highlights the range of Dybdahl’s soul-inflected croon and “Maury the Pawn” starts as an up-tempo neo-folk tune that collapses into a string-laden ending.

The album artwork boasts some notable names with celebrity designer (and vocal Dybdahl supporter) Philippe Starck providing the graphic art direction and famed lens-man Jean-Baptiste Mondino (Madonna, David Bowie, Björk) providing the photographic art for the CD.

Thomas Dybdahl will perform alongside Grand National and other Recall acts at “Recall Nights” @ Blender Theater NYC on November 7. A North American tour is planned for the winter (dates to be announced shortly.)

"Thomas is one of the biggest artists in Norway" - Sondre Lerche

One of Norway's most popular and acclaimed singer/songwriters, Thomas Dybdahl has gained a growing international following for his elegant and expressive songs of love and loss, which have earned him comparisons to Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley” - Billboard

“Thomas Dybdahl (…) began the evening singing dusky ballads in a warm, silken singing voice that evoked Chet Baker and Tim Buckley.” – Boston Globe

Tracklist
1. Something Real
2. How It Feels
3. Still My Body Aches
4. No One Would Ever Know
5. Dice
6. Always
7. U
8. This Year
9. Maury The Pawn
10. Outro
11. Be A Part

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