Kari Rueslåtten
Other People's Stories

Many years have passed. Kari Rueslåtten, lead singer of Third And The Mortal in the early '90s, achieves a complete musical metamorphosis with the release of her fourth album “Other People’s Stories” in 2005.

In her early records, the Scandinavian singer seemed to continue with more gothic sounds, while in “Pilot” from 2002, something began to change in the sound, leading to this album made of both melodic and catchy songs and tracks composed exclusively of keyboards and programmed drums, at times reminiscent of the most famous Depeche Mode. The most distinctive element of this record is Kari's voice, simply magnificent, rough, and gentle at the same time.
This release is made up of ten tracks. The first is the Title Track “Other People’s Stories,” perhaps the most immediate of the entire LP, but capable of creating the right impact with the listener for the songs that follow. Acoustic, melodic, and sweet, composed mainly of the sound of the acoustic guitar and the voice of the Norwegian. “Sorrow to my Door” alternates slow and hypnotic parts with melodic choruses and ends with great strength as the singer showcases her high-level vocalizations.

The third song “Cry” is a sort of electronic Nordic folk. Listen to believe it. In “Dogs Star,” the singer gives her best locally, especially in the second part, which contributes to raising the stature of the piece. “When Lillies Bloom on Winter Days” recalls the sounds of her band and is a magnificent piece with very soft melodic lines. Completely opposite is the next track “Push,” composed of much harder, rougher, and obsessive electronic sounds. Even “Ride” maintains that musical line, but the composition is better than the previous one, and some sounds strongly recall Depeche Mode with "Never Let Me Down Again" all the way to a sudden interruption midway through, where more Celtic sounds emerge, also reminiscent of the Icelandic Björk.
The following track “Fishing” was included in the LP exclusively to highlight Kari Rueslåtten's vocal capacity and range, adequately accompanied by a background synth sound, precisely so as not to overshadow the beauty of the Norwegian siren's voice. “Carved In Stone” is a catchy track that soothes the listener before the two final songs “Life” and “Orlando”. The former is intense and once again highlights the great voice, while the final track of the album is composed of double bass and voice, which also creates a particular atmosphere in its very brief duration. The song ends when one least expects it, bringing you back quickly to everyday reality.

An intimate and delicate record to listen to multiple times to capture all the nuances of Kari Rueslåtten's music. An LP for those who love sounds coming from northern Europe, capable of bringing a cold wind even to the hottest cities of the year.