Come up for Air

Album review

First released in Europe by Glitterhouse in November 2005, then reissued for the world by Rune Grammofon in June 2006, Come Up for Air is the White Birch's first album in four years. It picks up right where Star Is Just a Sun had left, with Ola Fløttum realizing his potent talent for writing melancholic pop songs. This set of 11 songs is more immediately likeable, with stronger melodies, more prominent drumming, and less falsetto singing (the only annoyance on Star Is Just a Sun). The core of the band consists of drummer Hans Christian Almendingen, bassist Ulf Rogde, and singer/multi-instrumentalist Fløttum. Isak Anderssen adds cello on five songs, Ivar Chr. Johansen lays down trumpet on three, and Susanna & the Magical Orchestra's Susanna Wallumrød takes care of the backing vocals in "June" and "New Kingdom," two highlights. "Seer Believer," "Storm-Broken Tree," and "The White Birds" are the other strong numbers, with the addition of "Your Spain" as a viable single, if the label decided to make that kind of commercial move. However strong the songwriting and pleasant Fløttum's voice, the album peters out in the second half. Is it a case of an unbalanced track list or a lack of strong material? Don't be surprised if you find yourself listening a lot to the first six tracks and then letting it go. That said, Come Up for Air remains a good album that will be of particular interest to fans of Rune Grammofon's song-oriented acts.

© François Couture /TiVo