"3" is out in the stores now! Susanna And The Magical Orchestra Susanna And The Magical Orchestra is in fact a duo with keyboardplayer Morten Qvenild (born in 1978) and singer Susanna Karolina Wallumroed (born in 1979). Their debut-album was released in Norway in February 2004, and some time later in Europe and in Japan, and received very good critics around the world." List of lights and buoys" contains highly personal interpretations of Dolly Parton's Jolene and Leonard Bernstein's Who Am I as well as nine originals that show a suprising degree of maturity, especially considering the writers young age and the fact that they operate in a landscape that requires a good deal of songwriting skills to hold your attention. Susanna And The Magical Orchestra combines the availability of the traditional popmusic, the strictness of the electronica and the improvisation in the jazzmusic. After playing a lot of beautiful concerts in Europe and Japan during 2004 and 2005, the duo made their second album.
Melody Mountain
Singer Susanna Wallumrød has a unique way of making a song her own, and to fill the lyrics and melodies with the emotional content they require. This was made very clear with her stunning interpretation of Dolly Parton's classic Jolene, recorded for the duo's debut album "List Of Lights and Buoys" (2004). A song covered by many artists, but seldom with such heartfelt sincerity. With Melody Mountain they have chosen to do an album of only interpretations, some quite radical, of mostly well-known songs, all personal and moving performances with Morten Qvenild's naked and to the bone playing an important part in the overall soundscape.
Full track list includes "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen), "It's A Long Way To The Top" (AC/DC), "These Days" (Matt Burt) "Condition Of The Heart" (Prince), "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Joy Division), "Crazy, Crazy Nights" (Kiss), "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" (Bob Dylan), "It's Raining Today" (Scott Walker), "Enjoy The Silence" (Depeche Mode) and "Fotheringay" (Fairport Convention).
Dictionary definition of the word magical...
Boomcat US
Their astonishing, heartbreaking deconstruction of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" could keep you awake for days
Leeds Guide UK
For one thing, its fucking gorgeous.
Dustedmagazine.com US
If you thought the best had already come and gone, try this.
Independent UK
Their take on "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was voted to number 34 among "the top 50 greatest cover versions" in The Observer, and has together with Susanna's song "Believer" been used in the popular NBC TV-series "Grey's Anatomy".
The duo have performed at festivals and concerts in many big cities,
like Tokyo, Barcelona, Rome, London, Manchester, Cardiff, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Brüssels, always completely captivating the audience with their fragile soundscapes and Susanna..s intimate interpretations of originals and often surprising selection of cover songs.
New album in 2009 "3"
After their successful covers album ”Melody Mountain” from 2006, filled with intimate and highly personal takes on mostly well known songs, they return to their own songwriting skills of their debut album ”List of Lights and Buoys” (2004) and present us with eight new originals as well as two covers. The new songs are written deep in the Norwegian woods and by the sea, but the topics lay much further away.
The music has a retro-futuristic edge to it, is darker and more electronic, the arrangements more evolving and varied, the words reflecting such topics as inner conflicts, human relations, outer space, stars and planets, journeys to unknown galaxies and more. But there..s also room for an absolutely stunning interpretation of Roy Harper..s beautiful love song ”Another Day” while the album ends on an optimistic note with the gorgeous chorus of ”Someday”.
Said about Susanna and the Magical Orchestra
A true talent, she sings like a Norwegian mountain stream. - Pitchfork (US)
Beautiful, spare, hypnotic. Her voice is extraordinary.-Mojo (UK)
Wallumrød’s voice takes your breath away. -The Observer (UK)
A dolorous delight. -Uncut (UK)
A lovely new album of cover songs. -New York Times (US)
One of the strongest debuts heard in years.-The Milkfactory (UK)
After listening only once, I've been won over. -9/10.Foxy Digitalis (US)
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