NORTHERN PORTRAIT : Napoleon Sweetheart EP

Stunning second single from new Matinée favorites Northern Portrait! Upon release of their debut ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ EP earlier this year, the accolades started pouring in for this new Danish band: “as perfect as jangling guitar pop can get”… “an instant classic”… “the bar has been set very high indeed”…“these songs are second to none”… “outstanding is an understatement”…“a modern pop classic”…“single of the year!” The EP has topped the Matinée best sellers chart every month since its release with good reason.

On the highly anticipated ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ EP, the band worked to expand its sound slightly while retaining the classic appeal of its debut. The brilliant lead track ‘I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me’ was the second song ever recorded by the band but has been completely remixed and remastered for this EP. Featuring jangling guitars, keyboards, superb vocals and bright melodies, the song is a three-minute classic inspired by the feeling of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

‘Sporting A Scar’ is the first of three additional tracks on the EP—thematically close but more self-reflective than the lead track, with especially superb lyrics and more breezy keyboards. It’s another gem! ‘In An Empty Hotel’ is a short and catchy tune about the clash between hopeful dreams and the practical problems that can occur, while the nearly epic ‘Our Lambrusco Days’ is a slightly sentimental and warm ballad with relatively simple instrumentation and open guitar tuning giving the song a special sound.

Reviewers of the first EP rightly questioned how Northern Portrait could possibly follow such a strong debut single. The band has responded in brilliant fashion, as ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ is another solid contender for single of the year. The bar has been set very high indeed. Limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket sleeve.