Last time is was about his Dylan translations, primarily the album “Blood On The Tracks”, that in his rendition became “Blod på spora”. Since then, he’s become a radio favourite, hailed by critics and fans for his own songs. This year’s tour covers the material from his newest album “Rapport frå eit grensehotell”, four Dylan interpretations and a hauntingly beautiful song by John Prine, Dylan’s favourite songwriter.
Aadland, trained as a classical guitarist, performs solo with his acoustic and electric guitars. In that respect there is a big difference from the pop pearls of his that one hears on the radio, nicely produced with a riveting pop sound. And one is slightly unprepared for what Aadland actually can achieve with “just” two guitars. How he accomplishes it, I suppose is a professional secret, but his playing, temperament and the details in the wealth of his ever-present guitar sound is a fully satisfactory replacement for a full band. Really a treat for guitar comrades of all ages!
He is sometimes compared to Bjørn Eidsvåg, only with more of a pop and rock feel. It’s not a bad comparison, although Aadland is more poetic and literary, with his delicate stories and bittersweet observations. As a Dylan interpreter, he transfers some of the dylanesque passion to his own songs, and when he sings Dylan, a remarkable transformation takes place. He adopts much of Dylan’s breathing technique and even the drawn-out vowels sound like the father of folk rock. It is utterly charming, because it’s hardly helpless copying, rather a sassy documentation of musical means fully in his command.
When he sings his own songs, he is thankfully himself. Those are songs about love – both the big one and the little one – and whatever else human emotional life offers of pitfalls and gifts. He is light years ahead of other sad men singing even sadder songs in his Western Norwegian tongue. The reason is that his songs are composed with irresistible choruses and that he is a first class storyteller. With one line, he has written a short story, one song constitutes a novel. When it’s all performed in a delicate and style conscious language, a lot of the other Norwegian P1 national radio pop seems quite poor.
He truly is our good friend on a bad day. The line is also the title of his 2012 radio hit, that made new listeners aware of him. In the radio boom of daily indifference, it was like a friend stopped you on your way, invited you in for a cup of coffee and a chat. You accepted and found it did you good. That’s a Tom Roger Aadland concert. Enjoy!
Jostein Pedersen, Helgelands Blad