Kristian Grostad - 'It's Always You'
Norwegian singer-songwriter, Kristian Grostad, propels his sound into pure indie-rock melodrama with his current single, ‘It’s Always You’.
Opening with an acoustic guitar and a confident, dry vocal, then introducing an electric guitar and a thunderous drum kit, this track is reminiscent of the best songs from bands like Death Cab For Cutie. The verses are sweet and understated, with no bells & whistles to distract from Kristian’s hearty vocals. But then the chorus kicks in at full force, and we’re given a spectacular showcase of musicianship on top of Kristian’s vulnerable song-writing. The soaring repetition of the lyrics, “It’s you, it’s always you,” is undeniably ear-grabbing; a melody so simple and powerful that you’ll be humming it for the rest of time.
There’s a strong sense of nostalgia present on this song too, with its instrumental palette calling back to music we love and know so well from the 2000s, like The OC theme, ‘California’ by the band Phantom Planet. Or even The Fray’s beloved track ‘You Found Me’. Kristian Grostad is proving something on this loved-up tune: sounds don’t die out, in fact, sometimes music works best when you’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but instead, adding to the wheelhouse of great songs and making us feel something we’ve been missing during these unfamiliar times- the warmth and comfort from those years we remember so well.
Words of Curtis Saunders