Nicolai Dunger's Song

At first, I listened to Here's My Song (my first exposure to Dunger) on a primarily vocal level, intrigued by the nuances and power of his singing voice - somewhere between Van Morrison's soulful projection and Alec Ounsworth's constantly cracking itchy throat, it's a vibrato that soothes as much as it excites. Here, thankfully, Dunger makes the most of it. "Hunger," for example, finds it unbridled and rollicking, building along with the music to a fantastically rock-n-roll finish, all double-time drums and pounding pianos. Appropriately, Dunger reigns in his pipes on the next track, "Slaves (We're Together Like)," a song that strolls along, unhurried, on strings and brushes. My favorite moment, though, comes two songs later. Here, on "White Wild Horses," he gives a true vocal performance - strong, dynamic, and affecting. Confident and assertive, Dunger lets fly a series of gorgeous falsettos, careful not to overpower the delicate melody while still belting it out.

As I said, the vocals were what grabbed me initially (and didn't let go for some time). Of course, half the reason they work is because the rest of the album succeeds in sounding good. It's clearly informed by and a homage to old rock and soul, often spot-on (the eight-minute "Year of the Love and Hurt Cycle"), though Dunger's impassioned performance makes this anything but mimicry. The piano and drums work wonderfully on the album, bouncing where appropriate ("Tell Me"), lilting on "Country Lane," and straight barnburning on "Hunger." And, in the latter, I've got to mention that saxophone, sealing the deal on a true rocker.

There are a couple misfits here, "Someone New" an attempt to further the album's theme while falling flat, and more than a little terrifying at its end. And "Way Up High" is abrasive in its intensity, which can be good or bad depending on how you're listening. But overall, it should be clear, Here's My Song, You Can Have It... Don't Want It Anymore/Yours 4-ever (full title) is a terrifically well-executed album, entertaining well beyond Dunger's stand-out vocal performance.

Nicolai Dunger - Hunger [mp3]

Nicolai Dunger - White Wild Horses [mp3]

Visit Nicolai online, and purchase Here's My Song here.

Enjoy!