ANE BRUN
A Temporary Dive
V2
· Norwegian star fails to translate to North America.
Already an established star in Norway, Ane Brun makes her North American debut with A Temporary Dive. Brun’s voice is smooth and inoffensive, but is hardly memorable, and the same can be said for much of the album. Her soft jazz is complimented by atmospheric sounds, making the album a little moodier than contemporaries like Norah Jones. Still, A Temporary Dive doesn’t venture too far from the coffeehouse vibe throughout its 10 songs.
The real failing of the album is the comically bad lyrics. On the title track, she coos, "I fell down in that hole again / I am a lump of jelly I am a dead fish." Of course, all can be forgiven with the truly great lyric, "I can’t believe I’m writing a song / where friend rhymes with end." Only this and a guest appearance by Ron Sexsmith prevent the album from immediately escaping your short term memory.
On the surface, the album is a pleasant experiment in melody and careful musicianship. It makes nice background music, but if you pay too close attention, A Temporary Dive will wear on you quickly.
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