Candy Sweet: Mr Little Jean's Sugary Debut

Mr. Little Jeans

Monica Birkenes, a singer/ songwriter from Norway, has already made a name for herself writing for other artists.  Now, she has a lavish debut album, "Pocketknife", under the moniker Mr Little Jeans.

This record is a great fit with other artists that I have reviewed lately.  It has a '60s-inspired, Phil Spektor jangle pop vibe like Frankie Rose, Lucius, or Dum Dum Girls combined with the sweet vocals and soft electronics of Broods or Au Revoir Simone.

The album started out with "Rescue Me", with an effervescent rhythm and piano set to breathy harmonies interlaced with each other creating a candy-coated pop tune.  The next song, "Mercy", melds an understated rock guitar with synth chirps that would make Depeche Mode giddy, all offset by a bridge of a chamber orchestra.  My favorite songs is "Runaway" with its danceable beat and insistent bass.  "Oh Sailor" is set apart with its chime of voices provided by the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Youth Chorale.  "Good Mistake" is notable for its poignant lyrics.  "The Suburbs" is an Arcade Fire cover that, in my estimation, better than the original.  Other songs of note are the quirky "Haunted" and the ambient "Far From Home".

This record is bubbly and sometimes saccharine, but its merit is that it is not too tightly bound to any genre, enough so that is removed from the mainstream.  This is a good pop record, like savoring an all-day sucker.  It tastes good, it is enjoyable, but, when you get sick of it, you can wrap it up and save it for later.