Pocketknife, the debut LP by Norwegian indie pop songstress Monica Birkenes (working under the name
Mr. Little Jeans), isn't quite as quirky as her Wes Anderson-inspired moniker would suggest. Having found her initial success the new-fashioned way by recording covers of popular songs like
Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" (which also appears here on
Pocketknife) and
Beyoncé's "Single Ladies," both of which racked up the plays on YouTube and SoundCloud, Birkenes used these as a launching pad for her own material, landing tracks on several high-profile movie soundtracks and television shows. Making her full-length debut on Harvest Records, she unveils a set of melodic electro-pop songs that are as frosty as they are sunny. After a stint in London, Birkenes relocated to Los Angeles to write and record
Pocketknife, where the Scandinavian cool of tracks like "Haunted" and "Far from Home" were paired with the more temperate indie approach of songs like "Lady Luck" and the cheery youth chorus-infused single "Oh Sailor." Her voice whispers and coos dreamily throughout the album's moodier tracks like "Heaven Sent" and the 11-minute closer, "Valentine." Birkenes is at her best with the album's more diverse arrangements, like on the charming opener, "Rescue's Song," with its buoyant piano and staggered, multi-layered harmonies. There are certainly some strong tracks here and it will be interesting to see how
Mr. Little Jeans develops on future releases. ~ Timothy Monger