Norway’s Ole Kirkeng returns with an impressive collection, no lies.
Recorded at the Rockbonden Studio in the snow-covered forests of Sweden, Norway’s Ole Kirkeng stands trial under the Cowboy Lie Detector Machine. Kirkeng was a touring member of AUK favourite Courtney Marie Andres’ band, and has performed alongside Molly Tuttle, Bonny Light Horseman and S.G Goodman. The album is produced by Kirkeng with input from Dominic Billett and Bendik Brænne. It is lyrically clever, heartfelt and at times laugh-out-loud funny.
The first single released from the set, Bare Minimum, sets the tone. Initially, it feels like you have walked into the middle of something you shouldn’t have, and you are wrong for finding it amusing. Kirkeng is giving relationship advice in reverse. The lilting pedal steel throughout is almost crying as Kirkeng gives 100% of the Bare Minimum. “I’ll get you a heart-shaped necklace with your name / I know your name’s Carol, but they’ll only cut Caroline / But from where I am sitting, it’ll look just fine“. Lyrically wonderful and will have you questioning your own efforts in relationships.
The second single to be released, Foreign Country Singer Blues is a driving country tune. Line dancing fans will love this one, as it will get you out on the floor holding onto your oversized belt buckle. The title track, Cowboy Lie Detector Machine, features more superb pedal steel as our wannabe cowboy is found out at every turn. Again, the writing is slick and clever. “She saw it in my step / It was my first pair of boots“, this may remind you of Sam Outlaw’s work, and the phrasing is very similar.
The band on the record features Sander Eriksen Nordahl, Martin Morland, Øyvind Kløve Kjernlie, and Torjus Gisnås Nevland. They are all allowed to fully show off their talents, holding everything together so that Kirkeng’s vision is realised. The playing is exemplary.
Roadside Flowers channels Jeff Tweedy and early Wilco and is a stereophonic delight, using different effects in the production across the stereo channels. The song Gap Year lightens the mood, lamenting that all the dangerous and near-death experiences would improve your overall well-being. “I’m going to sail around the world / Without knowing how to sail / Get stopped by customs / Spend the night in jail.” There is even a Bob Dylan impression halfway through, followed by some heavy guitar. The change of pace is welcome after the previous four introspective songs.
Ain’t So Bad includes the splendid lines “My bank account is a haunted house / I go in it freaks me out / Today I saw the ghost of last week’s pay”, before going on to describe all things to be thankful for.
As mentioned previously, Kirkeng’s writing is impressive. There are moments of reflection, a host of interesting subjects and ideas, and a number of amusing anecdotes. He may not be the real cowboy deal, but he’s pretty close, putting together a remarkable selection of tunes, which, although recorded far away from Nashville, he could spin the lie that he had been there all his career. Could he pass the lie detector test? On the strength of this outing, he would have no problem.
