ALBUM REVIEW: Mersmak – LÜT

Mersmak is a Norwegian word with no direct translation into English. Essentially, it refers to the feeling one gets when something tastes so good that you want more. When you hear the second full-length from Norwegian quintet LÜT, that title definitely makes sense. The record comprises ten tracks perhaps best summed up by the band themselves as “a mosh-and-dance-friendly whirlwind of joy.” Following on from their 2017 debut Pandion, it pretty much picks up exactly where they left off. The PARAMORE-esque catchiness and sense of fun is still there. So too are the wilder tendencies which evoke the likes of their similarly raucous compatriots in KVELERTAK or BLOOD COMMAND. Most of all though, Mersmak is an album which overflows with the kind of youthful energy one can only expect from a band whose members are barely into their twenties.

The record gets off to a solid start with its opening title track. It’s a melodic, summery song, with simple driving drums and warm indie-rock style guitar parts. However, it’s the album’s second track Strictly Business that provides the first, and perhaps the strongest, of a few highlights. After its slightly more mid-paced predecessor, this one practically explodes into life. It’s a wild, catchy, feel-good anthem with a big gang vocal chorus which makes for a whole lot of fun. LÜTetro and Ingenting A Angre Pa follow along in a similar vein. Both maintain a high-level of energy, and both feature memorable hooks of their own.

Arguably the stand-out performer on Mersmak, as on Pandion before it, is the band’s vocalist Markus Danielsen Danjord. His harsh, shouted vocals inject the record with a punky ferocity which ensure that, as catchy as this album is, nobody mistakes LÜT for a pop band. He makes for a captivating presence pretty much everywhere, with prime examples on the album’s fifth and sixth tracks. These two make for back to back highlights on the record. The first, Bangkok Nonstop, is another joy-filled, bouncy track, with Danjord’s shouts playing off the rest of the band’s more melodic gang vocals. We Will Save Scandirock which follows is a no-less catchy rager which sees him give perhaps his most raucous performance of all.

This isn’t just a one-man show though. Ørjan Nyborg Myrland and new recruit Mads Erlend Ystmark provide plenty of catchy lead guitar parts without ever overcomplicating matters. Ystmark‘s addition is a welcome one, as he plays around with pedals for genuinely interesting results. Bassist Marius James Platt also plays a key role, keeping things grounded as the guitars soar and bounce off one another. He slots in comfortably with drummer Sveinung Engvik, who in turn ensures everything moves along nicely from start to finish.

It’s hard to fault the first six tracks of Mersmak, but the quality does drop a touch in the album’s second half. Seventh and eighth tracks Homme Fatale and VIEPÅ are both fine, if not a bit forgettable. Both are very much in keeping with the sound of those that came before, but at this point a little more variation would’ve been welcome. The album’s instrumental ninth track Krei. shows more promise, evoking an ANGELS & AIRWAVES-esque atmospheric grandeur, but feels as though it’s cut short before it really gets a chance to go anywhere.

Fortunately, LÜT end Mersmak on a high, and with easily the most significant departure from the rest of the album. INDIÄ makes for a swaggering final track, with a darker, more ominous and more epic vibe than anything else heard on the record. Most importantly, it proves LÜT are capable of more than the one thing they do so well on Mersmak. This is an exciting prospect – and one listeners will surely be hoping the band pursue further going forward.

All in all, you’d be hard pushed to listen to Mersmak without it leaving a smile on your face. There’s definitely a sense that LÜT are enjoying themselves too. Clocking in at 35 minutes, the band manage to avoid outstaying their welcome. Instead, they maintain a near-constant level of energy and bounce, married to tonnes of catchy, joy-filled hooks. While the record could benefit from a few more surprises, there’s no denying that it’s a whole lot of fun. It’s also important to remember that LÜT are a young band, and to look to the moments where they do stretch themselves as indicators of even better things to come.

Rating: 7/10

Mersmak is out now via Indie Recordings.

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