Babe I'm gonna get you back, gonna show you what I'm made of

Though it's been officially fall for a few days now, today was the first day that it really felt like it--the unseasonable 90-plus degree heat of the past few days was replaced with rain, falling leaves, and a grayness that seemed to seep into everywhere and erase all vestiges of the sun. With the weather like that, my plan to post this song was truly set; it's very much an end of summer song.

Yes, you thought we'd be taking a break from songs involving Espen Lind for a while, didn't you? Well, not quite yet, though today it's not just about him--it's also about Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes, and Askil Holm. All four are Norwegian and are signed to the same record label, I think, which led to them going on tour together in 2006, singing a mix of classics and their own hits, but all together. They do make sort of an odd-looking group, but who cares when they sound as good together as they do? The tour and album (a recording of it) found incredible popularity, as did the lead single from it, their version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." The song I'm posting, though, isn't that one; instead, it's a song that I love hearing just about any version of, so long as it stays "pretty." Actually, I take that back--browsing through iTunes, there's an awful lot of bad covers of it. Why so many trance and punk covers? Maybe this is a better way to put it: if someone sang it on Idol and did at least a passable job, I'd love it; in my eyes, the song is just that strong.

Boys of Summer--the Don Henley song loses about a minute or so in this cover, which is fine with me. The four guys' voices really do sound fantastic together, and this song suits them perfectly they can do wistfulness well. Why someone so paranoid about birthdays should love listening to a song emphasizing getting older, I have no idea (the Don Henley video does my head in--the bit with the guy looking miserable in the office?). I know this isn't the sort of song you'd call "poptastic" by any stretch and I imagine if there was any sort of ideological basis to my love for pop beyond "I enjoy it," this is the sort of song I should hate, but I love it. It's just such a hypnotic and well-written song.

To buy the album Hallelujah Live, go here (physical).

Edit: I forgot to mention that Jonathan Fagerlund's next single will be the excellent "Playing Me," which I'm really excited about--I hope it does well. And I hope it's available for purchase on iTunes worldwide and from Klicktrade regardless of region again.

Next up: maybe an American singer.