Lucky Lips describe themselves as "a rootsy acoustic band, consisting of four guys and a songbird". They play roots and Americana inspired music, in what Norwegian broadcaster NRK calls "the borderlands between country, bluegrass and pop".
Their most recent album, Mountain Dust, published in 2012, certainly strays closer to the bluegrass and country end of that sphere than the pop, their music full of tight harmonies with banjo and mandolin featuring heavily in the arrangements. Those who don't speak Norwegian will be happy to learn that they sing almost exclusively in English, thankfully with barely the trace of an accent - indeed, Dagbladet describes lead singer Malin Pettersen as "realising she was born in the wrong place", and she announces as such in the title track from the album:
Oh, how I wish I was a mountain girl (...)Pettersen is the main songwriter of the band, having written nine of the album's thirteen tracks. She certainly shows a keen understanding of the bluegrass genre, with a surprising lyrical finesse that fits right into the scene and belies her background - she first came to fame finishing 9th on the third season of Norwegian Idol.
But I guess I was born where my soul belongs
Not high up in the mountains
But I'll sing those mountain songs.
In 2011, the band had the honour of being presented with the prestigious #1 European Bluegrass Band 2011 Award at the European World of Bluegrass Festival (EWOB) in the Netherlands, the first time a Norwegian act has received the award. In February they will play two dates in Oslo as part of the by:Larm festival, followed by two further dates at the end of March in Austin, Texas.
If you have Spotify you can listen to their album Mountain Dust below (check out in particular 'A Man Like You', 'Daddys Lament' and the title track), or you can see some of their performances on their Youtube channel. Their MGP song, 'Sweet and Heavy', is also on Spotify.
Official website
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