Music Review – Erik Odsell – ‘Unapology’
During the last year I’ve spent freelancing as a professional independent music critic, there are two things I’ve definitely learned. One, Swedes have a tendency to use the letter ‘K’ where we Americans would use the letter ‘C.’ Two, they have a darn fine independent music scene chock-full of incredible talent. In this review, I take a peek at an artist that fulfills both those realizations – Erik Odsell.
Odsell released his debut studio effort in October, entitled ‘Searching for Lost Boys Island.’ The youthful collection has been met with some modest success, charting on some Danish stations and finding its way to English radio as well. His third single release from the album, ‘Unapology,’ is a wonderful effort that combines a tactful pop persona with superb vocals. It isn’t perfect, but it is an admirable piece, one of the better pop ones I’ve seen this fall/winter music scene.
Odsell’s got a great set of pipes; he sounds a bit like a Disney vocalist. That’s a compliment, and his sense of wonder is akin to Aladdin ‘showing you the world’ on his magic carpet. ‘Unapology’ is unapologetic about its lukewarm lyrical content. Nothing here is particularly original or inventive, and typically, I’d lay into a track for that. Here’s the thing. Sometimes pop music has to be… this. It has to be uplifting, well sung, well produced, and lyrically basic. Lyrically basic often equates to relatable, which is marketable, which is pop . I can appreciate Odsell’s ability to harness his skill to create a good, fun pop song.
So, the stand out of ‘Unapology’ is definitely not the songwriting. Thus, it’s the vocals. Odsell’s vocals are stellar, which in sooth, is why I’m lauding him in this review. Without that voice, this would be a rather mundane jaunt through pop. That voice makes it worthwhile, however, and it’s Odsell’s bread and butter. (Especially since the instrumentation is pretty much just industry standard electronic pop.)
I don’t usually create a call to action for artists I review, but in the interest of the indie music scene, I will here. Odsell – Break your sound down. Focus on songwriting, get rid of the kitschy electronic instrumentation, and get yourself a fantastic pianist and a string section. (A real one, not a Korg.) I promise, that’ll be magic. ‘Unapology’ is a glimmer of that potential. It’s a very good pop song, but it isn’t fully deserving of the voice Odsell has.
By Brett Stewart
I’m a professional writer and editor, a journalism major, and I have extensive experience in musical review. I worked for two years as the Editor & Chief of an arts magazine, Strike Magazine, where I worked closely with writers and musicians. Through this, I was able to interact with dozens of acts including Heart, Holly Williams, Robert Cray, John Hiatt, and more. The magazine printed thousands of issues and was even recognized by Rolling Stone’s founder, Jann Wenner.
