Reviewed by Ian Thomson

Here is one of those albums that turns up out of the blue and is tough to tie down. Hakon Kalvenes was born in the western fjords of Norway; his lyrics combine a solid Scandinavian grasp of English idiom with an altruistic outlook that is uniquely European. Apart from that and the Gothic title, you couldn't really say that 'Ghost City' plays to any of the Scandinavian stereotypes. The music is loosely pop, with a rhythm section drawn from the rock scene and synthesizer sensitivities that would smoothly fit into a trance band. The message is both figurative and crystal-clear - from "Man In Front" to "He's Chasing You", Jesus is always on the scene, and the songs are peppered with imagery straight from the Gospels. The production is technically tight - very clean sounds as you might expect, but with real size and scope, and Haakon's voice is lent a mystical quality that suits the drawn-out vowels. This CD won't be for everyone, but if you can take it for what it is, it'll make you "Smile!"