My new not-so-secret crush: Marit Larsen. Formerly part of the duo M2M, her solo release Under the Surface proves conclusively that fantastic pop music can just as easily come from Norway as the more commonly known Swedish acts. Because I only found out about her very recently (and thanks to computer problems) I still haven’t been able to listen to the whole thing. But, from what I have heard, I think it’s fair to say it is the first real mistaken omission from my list of favorite records for 2006.
I fell in love with this song about a month ago, which meant that I did manage to find a place for it on my list of favorite songs for the year, but the more that I listen, the more it becomes clear that putting it at #31 was a travesty. I simply cannot explain how adorable and light this song is: you’ll have to listen for yourself.
I can say this, as someone who has been burned but kept coming back for more, this manages to hit home in a way that nothing that sounds so full of bubblegum ought to. And it’s got one of those choruses that just keep building until it finally bleeds back into the verse over that great little harmonica riff. The whole thing just makes my heart melt.
And how about a video… Here’s “Under the Surface”