Sondre Bratland - Syng meg heim (Sing me home)

Sondre Bratland’s country music record

“Sing me home” is the title of Sondre’s new CD. The greatest icon in Norwegian folk music has made a moving country-music CD. While some might think this is quite a switch, the truth is that American country and Norwegian folk music are close cousins. Some of Sondre’s earlier albums also show this close relationship. Many fans will remember “Luftslott i det blå” (Castles in the Air) on KKV’s tribute to Hank Williams, or the marvellous version of Lead, Kindly Light on the album “Atterklang” (Echoes). But what is new to this record is Sondre’s refined style where country music is his closest reference.

Sondre Bratland grew up in the back country of Telemark county, where Norwegian folk music still holds a special place in the hearts of the people, and where he was deeply influenced by family and folk traditions. But his idols when he was a teenager were Hank Williams and Elvis Presley and no doubt this has influenced his interpretations of Norwegian folk music.

For many years Sondre has also had a keen interest in Irish folk music. “Gje meg handa di” (Give me your hand) is a wonderful example of one of many tunes he has discovered in Ireland. the Norway-Ireland-US axis is easy to trace in country music and runs all the way through “Sing me home”.

The songs are from all three countries, and songwriters include such greats as Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and of course Sondre Bratland, in addition to Irish and Norwegian folk tunes. The backing band, fiddle (Einar Mjølsnes), flute (Hans Fredrik Jacobsen), dobro, lap steel, acoustic guitar and electric guitar (Knut Reiersrud), double bass and electric bass (Gjermund Silset) and drums (Jan Inge Nilsen), clearly reflects the country and pop connections between these three countries.

The following songs are on the CD:
• “Bryllaupstoner”
(Wedding bells – Hank Williams)
• “Lykkesmeden”
(The lucky one – Lee Castleman/Sondre Bratland)
• “Einsam”
(I still miss someone – Johnny Cash)
• “Kom ikkje med heile sanninga”
(Don’t tell me the whole truth – Olav H. Hauge/Sondre Bratland)
• “Koma til deg”
(Come to you – Marit Hjorthol/Sondre Bratland)
• “Liv eg banker på”
(Life is knocking – Olav H. Hauge/Sondre Bratland)
• “Kveldsbøn”
(Evening prayer – Anders Hovdenakk/Norwegian folk tune)
• “Pilegrim”
(I’m just a wary stranger – American traditional/Sondre Bratland)
• “Så lang en vei”
(The water is wide – American traditional/Sondre Bratland)
• “Syng meg heim”
(Sing me home – Irish traditional/ Sondre Bratland)
• “Til ei lita jente”
(To a little girl – Jakob Sande/Sondre Bratland)
• “I lag med deg”
(You raise me up – Rolv Løvland/Sondre Bratland)
• “Gje meg handa di”
(Give me your hand – Irish traditional/Sondre Bratland)