Until only a week ago, I’d never heard of Norman Palm. Some of you may be familiar with this Berlin-based designer-turned-folk-artist-through his first album, released in 2008 entitled Songs.

A large art-book with 11 scattered album tracks within, Songs was an indie success but, unsurprisingly, such an expensive and time consuming idea wasn’t as enticing to record labels as it was to him. As a result, Palm self-released by joining forces with Ratio Records and it’s a bloody good thing that he did. Critical acclaim rolled in, with even Perez Hilton voicing his appreciation for the project. Then there were the two Youtube video successes, namely cover versions of The Cure’s ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, both of which were well-received and have accumulated over 260,000 views between them.

Soon, Norman Palm and his “crazy Finnish band” will be gracing the SxSW Festival in Austin, Texas before embarking on his European tour, which touches down in Paris, Brussels, Berlin and London. This coincides with the release of his second album Shore to Shore via City Slang, a label which is synonymous with fresh and exciting musical talent and boasts artists such as Wye Oak, Nada Surf, Caribou, Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene on their books. The album, comprising of 10 tracks with an overall play-time of just over 40 minutes, is shorter than his debut release, but what Shore to Shore lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

The first track, ‘Start/Stop’ is a euphonious, fast-paced track with a clear nod to a more confident electronic sound-a clear departure from Songs. Throughout the record, Palm’s writing skills are evident and poetic lyricisms are brought to life by his distinctive and powerful voice. The added female backing vocals on some of the softer tracks balance Palm’s gritty vocals, and provide a greater balance over the album.

Shore to Shore could have potentially benefited from less distortion and electronic effects, but considering the motto of Palm and his co-producer Janne Lounatvuori when recording was “nothing may stay as it was”, they have succeeded in this quest. Nothing on this album can be described as plain or boring. Likewise, any negatives are far outweighed by the positives.

Highlights of the album are ‘Landslide’, ‘Easy’, and ‘Phantom Lover’. But there are room splitters in the mix too; second track ‘Smile’ is a serious bone of contention and Palm’s vocals grate heavy on this track.

Shore to Shore is released today-  check out cover track, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, which we’re sure you’ll agree is seriously addictive. A truly brilliant adaptation of a classic from The Cure, just what you need on a Monday morning…

RATING: 3/5 – Took some getting used to but once you’ve become accustomed to Palm’s distinctive voice, it’s difficult to switch off. Some tracks are over-produced so there’s room for improvement, but a stellar effort from our German friend.
BEST TRACK(s): Start/Stop, Easy & Phantom Lover.
LISTEN TO: If you’re into electro-folk with a twist.

Catch Norman Palm at The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3ES on March 30th, 2011.