A Song About How You Came Along

Nathalie Nordnes “Join Me In The Park” – Sometimes I am reminded of the high depression/suicide rate in Scandinavian countries, and it surprises me a little bit because in terms of the Scandinavian pop culture that I come in contact with, it always seems like that part of the world is some kind of twee wonderland. Is this tweeness a coping mechanism? Are the depressed people made to feel worse by the standard of joy and beauty in their popular culture? Are they just sad that they aren’t being invited out to the park with girls like Nathalie Nordnes? Do they not hear happy strings in their heads as they walk down the streets? On a scale of one to ten, how clueless am I about Scandinavian culture? (Probably a 4 if 10 is the most informed.) (Click here for the official Nathalie Nordnes site.)

33hz “Crazy All The Time” – I’d like to think that this is more Phoenix and less Jamiroquai, but I might just be kidding myself. Either way, this is a fine bit of smooth, super-clean white boy r+b. I think that these guys are going for more of a Hall & Oates kind of thing, but they end up sounding more like outtakes from that last Justin Timberlake album, which is good enough for me. Enjoy it now before it inevitably ends up in Target commercials or whatever. (Click here for the official 33hz site.)