Sondre Lerche

The great thing about seeing Sondre Lerche live is knowing that you'll never be bored, no matter what style of music you like. The Norwegian singer and songwriter is adept at a variety of styles, from straight-ahead Elvis Costello-influenced edgy guitar pop to gentle rustic folk to breezy West Coast jazz.

Lerche currently tours with a versatile lineup of musicians capable of carrying off the variety of styles he performs. However, there are also past tours that Lerche does with the Faces Down Quartet, in which the straight-ahead jazz stylings from his Duper Sessions album takes the forefront. Most recently, however, Lerche has opted to focus on his recent solo material that takes him back to the rock realm. Although his voice has always lent itself to a sort of breezy, bright sound, Lerche of late seems more interested in exploring more introspective material. Fronting his four-piece group he'll spend a great deal of time on these quietly intense songs. At recent shows in Europe, Lerche has also been debuting new material from a forthcoming album. The new songs encapsulate the essence of Lerche's myriad talents. The new song “Bad Law” starts with a jazzy, blue-eyed soul groove before blowing up into a chorus that suggests nothing so much as punk rock.Lerche also does strictly acoustic shows. In that setting, it's usually just himself and his guitar onstage. With his lilting, tremulous voice, it's hard not to compare the folk numbers Lerche favors in these settings to the legendary Nick Drake, who clearly is an influence here. That the comparison seems deserved is a compliment to the stage presence, charisma, and talent that Sondre Lerche brings to the stage for every performance.