Review: Kurt Nilsen

This year’s World Idol title went to Kurt Nilsen from Norway, finishing ahead of million selling US’ Kelly Clarkson and British Will Young. So what to do if this Norwegian album falls in your lap ? Well, try not to let his “A Beautiful Day” performance that won him the (pretty much meaningless) World Idol title (a one-time show to attract some extra money for the show’s creators) influence me. But, since his voice resembles U2’s Bono a lot, and he wrote a few songs that also resembles U2 older material too, I couldn’t help myself. The whole album falls between soft rock and easy listening, with only 2 or 3 songs I could use to persuade any random person. The up-tempo rhythm with simple lyrics alone is enough to satisfy the choice unconscience people. The more picky ones (like me) will find it too generic (especially since 2 of the 12 tracks are covers, Ordinary World and She’s So High, a step I wouldn’t recommend anyone winning any contest that started out with covers anyway). Nonetheless, no one can deny this album fits very well in the background of a store or office environment, or in a phone queue. For that alone, it deserve a grade somewhere around average.7-