Another Day

(September 22, 2003)

Album Review 

Introduction

The overall impression of Another Day is that of a darker Lene this time around, but with all the things that made her debut album Playing My Game great still intact. I feel that she has written a bundle of songs that are vivid, catchy and incredibly beautiful, all at the same time. The variations go from can't sit still, have to dance to sitting down in pure listening enjoyment, catching every detail of the well developed sound picture.

About the sound, it's very different from the debut album, we'd have to say. For one thing, this time Lene has a band playing with her. There are real drums, real guitars and real bass guitars accompanying her soft, strong voice, which she uses in a very self-confident manner throughout the whole album. The consistent sound and voice utilization gives the album a very completed feel, and this totality borders on the limit of a more purely theme album. Another Day is produced by Mike Hedges, and the British influence may be heard throughout this work.

In many ways, this is Lene's theme album, an album that explores the serious matters in everyone's life. It's an album about personal loss (Another Day, You Weren't There), lost love (Sorry, Fight Against the Hours, Enough), life's darker side (Disguise, Story), crying and caring for your loved ones (Whatever It Takes, My Love), but also about the lighter side of friendship and finding someone to share everything with (Faces, From This Day). Including Enough, the album is a little over 47 minutes in length (about 43 minutes for the standard version).

Another Day

A beautiful, catchy mid-tempo title track, that opens the album, setting an incredible high standard for it to follow. Immediately, you feel at home the second the song begins, and you feel the joy run through you as Lene starts singing, in her totally unique way. Lie to me, say that you need me, That's what I wanna hear. At the end of each of the two main verses, there is a smaller bridge passage, leading to the chorus itself. Also, later in the song, there is another bridge, which Lene sings so beautifully, and raises the song to an upper class status: Always have to move on, To leave it all behind, Go along with time. The chorus is wonderful to listen to, and this song is simply an instant Lene classic. Also, the great U2-inspired guitars at the end, concluding the track, have to be mentioned. It's brilliant, it reminds me of the opening of Where The Streets Have No Name by U2, from The Joshua Tree (1987). It's not a secret that Lene is a big fan of U2, and especially of Bono.

Faces 

A lighthearted melody filled with melancholic lyrics, that's what this song is. Again, Lene sings with great confidence about being surrounded by friends, having a laugh and drinking some wine. This is a short, catchy song, with a great twist on the chorus part: Like I know you'd do for me too, like I know You'd do for me too. The wonderful melody line is underscored by a subtle piano sound following Lene's voice throughout the piece, and this song's only fault is that is too short, it ends way too abruptly. It's a compliment to a song, when it's only flaw is it's short length. I wanted more of this song, it's what I like to call a pearl; songs that are short and beautiful, sweet and vivid, and you just want to play it over again as soon as it ends. Faces is this album's pearl, in my opinion.

You Weren't There

The now well-known first single, in an unaltered state from the released CD-single. It's still as great as it ever was, and fits well in the context of the entire album. It's a great song, and a well-chosen first single, although it's easy to see why they also considered Another Day as a candidate at first. The song is still the record-holder at the Norwegian Hit 40 radio chart with 13 consecutive weeks in the No. 1 spot. The freshness of this song never seems to cease. A fabulous piece that Lene chose as her return single, and a song that must be very dear to her. With You Weren't There as track number 3 on the album, they have given the album an inconceivably great start.

From This Day

This song is very different than the three before it. It is dressed in what must be described as a very unique sound, and it's a slow, peaceful song that wonderfully captures the essence of Lene's melancholic songwriting. It's very easy to draw a parallell to Flown Away from the debut album, as this song just grows on you in much the same manner as Flown Away did back in 1999. It's a beautiful track, and the way Lene hums throughout the verses of this song makes you want to hum along with her. Of course, I usually close my eyes instead, absorbing Lene's soft sensitive voice at the fullest. And, in some ways, the lines Maybe I didn't think we'd come this far, Well, here we are ... here we are, could they be Lene's way of saying I'm sorry to Norway's Crown Prince Haakon? These are almost the exact words Haakon used in his speech at the wedding reception with Mette-Marit in August of 2001, Lene was invited to the exclusive dinner reception, but as we all know, she didn't attend. You may wonder about this, it may be nothing, of course, but it's still fascinating (and allowed) to speculate.

Sorry

This song is just fabulous, it makes you want to dance along at its incredibly catchy refrain, supported with beautiful strings arrangements, with Lene's voice on top, making you going wild due to the sheer listening pleasure. I love this song. I adore it. It's another instant Lene classic, and I will probably cherish it forever, playing it forever. It would also most probably make one heck of a single release, if this wasn't made for being played on the radio, I don't know what is. This song is brilliantly arranged, brilliantly written, and most of all it is totally addictive. You'd want to hear Lene sing this one, everywhere, anywhere, anytime. I can't even find words strong enough to give it justice, it's one of Lene's most glorious moments.

My Love

Another brilliant moment, ladies and gentlemen. This song was the one Lene just had to get on the album during the recording in London, and I have no problems seeing why. It's a wonderful, atmospheric piece about loss, about longing for your loved one. It's so beautifully written: Please, come and find me, my love, I'm ready now, to come home, Please, come and find me, my love, Let's leave this place, let's leave no trace. It's very simply arranged, just Lene, guitars and some percussion, but the sound picture is still complex enough to make you want to really, really listen to what's going on. Lene's voice is again awesome, and this song is in its pure beauty the most lovely song on the album. It's not particularly catchy, but it shows off such a vulnerable Lene, singing these lyrics about hurting, wanting to be taken away, the longing for something better. A very moving song. Simply fantastic.

Whatever It Takes 

This song is also incredibly catchy; it's like a sister song of Sorry; but with a totally different arrangement, and there are no strings on this one. This track is also another potential single candidate, with an irresistible refrain, and a wonderful transition to it from the first verse, with the lines: (but) you see, I'm told that the place that you long for, Is where the shadows won't dance on your walls anymore, Where the nightmares will leave you alone. An impressive pop song, with many qualities, and you can easily dance to it as well. Another glorious moment by Lene.

Fight Against The Hours

An almost six and a half minute epic, with a wonderful edifying arrangement to it. Strong bass component, and Lene's voice starting out, kind of slowly. Then this fantastic piece just intensifies to the point of ecstasy, as Lene is almost shouting out the lines: Guess I'm holding on to treasures, To things that just aren't there, To people that I used to know, To words I wish to hear. String arrangements help her underscoring the brilliance of this wonderful track. If you read the lyrics carefully, you may also recognize the lines above as part of the mysterious one that Lene sang at the end of the Virgin interview video back in 1999. However, clearly the melody has been somewhat reconstructed since then. At least we can remove one mysterious song from the unknown Lene register. Another fantastic piece of Lene goodness.

Disguise

If Whatever It Takes is Sorry's sister, then this track is its cousin. Another wonderfully catchy song, with an equally irresistible refrain, making you wish you were out on a dance-floor somewhere. I like this song very much, indeed, and the lyrics are very unveiled, as there is little doubt that Lene is singing about herself. In that respect, it gets very moving, and combined with the very lighthearted melody, you get this contrast between the words and the music, that makes it even more appealing. The end of this song is a great climax of wonderful pop music at the upper A-level. I love it, I simply do.

Story

An absolute worthy finish to the standard 10-track album. A beautiful song, with very moving lyrics, starting out kind of naked, with only Lene's voice and drum beats. Then, in the chorus, strings arrangements start to underscore the song's beauty and utter soreness, all the while telling a story so tragic: I wrote a song that I wish for you to hear, It's about yourself and the life you couldn't bear. There is a small mid-section where the strings are allowed to really carry the song through to its next stage. Majestic. Wonderful. Brilliant.

Enough

The b-side of You Weren't There, as well as the stunning live performances which may be viewed from the DVD-version, makes it impossible to not include this wonderful piece. Enough is a beautiful Lene piece, which plays much of the same role as I Know did on the Playing My Game record. Lene's voice and lyrics, as well as the melody, makes Enough a highly memorable song. It is a slow tune, giving comfort to all those coping with hurt, the subtle lyrics are still leaving no doubt about their intention. Another unmissable Lene track from the Another Day era.

Dear Lene, on this album, You played the lead, and never once you failed.