I Was A King is a Norwegian rock band led by Frode Strømstad on vocals/songwriting, Anne Lise Frøkedal (guitar/songwriting), Håvard Krogedal (bass), Kristoffer Solvang (drums), and Kjetil Ovesen (synth). While the fuzzed-out, psychedelic elements of their 2007 release Losing Something Good for Something Better are still present, 2009’s self-titled I Was A King offers up a powerful expansion upon their sound.

Anthemic opener “Still” leads smoothly into “Step Aside”, sharp-edged and catchy all the while. “Golden Years” is an immediate highlight, with a memorable riff and vocals that are longing, yet tinged with wryness. Songs like “A Name That Hurts to Say” and “Breathe” show a soft, indie-pop side of the band, with touches of glam rock inspiration. “California” is short and punchy, with “Interlude” being a small, quiet piano piece. “Hard Luck Bad News” is a curious Larry Norman cover, and “Stay Warm”, “Not Like This”, “It’s All You” serve as key examples of Strømstad and Frøkedal’s quirky, bittersweet story-telling songwriting style.

Summery “Weighing Anchor” is followed swiftly by “Extra Number”, a somber passage accompanied by string instruments. Album single “Norman Bleik” sums up the sound of the band: light and accessible, but crunchy enough and with enough dashes of the unexpected to be exciting and unforgettable. “Fading Summer” closes the LP with a groovy, mellow melody, ending as a well-rounded set. Highly recommended.

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