reviews

For followers of Matinée Recordings and contemporary indie-pop as a whole, this is exciting news. Anyone who has listened to Northern Portrait’s debut album, turning eleven this year (!), will acknowledge it as one of the points of reference for the genre. Criminal Art Lovers is simply a collection of instant classics, such as very few are released. A gorgeous emotional overflowing of melodies – with clear Smithsian echoes, obviously. Please make yourself a favour and have a listen (not that easy unfortunately but doable with limited effort). Matinée has now announced the release of a new track by the Danish band, which precedes a new LP release (the second, eleven years after the first). The track is titled “At Attention” and features all that makes the band endearing (full, captivating melodies), even though with a less immediate and a “rockier” character. The new album is titled The Swiss Army and it’s scheduled for release in early 2021. --Backseat Mafia

Our favorite Danes, Northern Portrait, are back in our good graces with "At Attention," and it's like no time has passed at all. (Has it really been seven years since the "Pretty Decent Swimmers" 10" and 'Ta!' compilation? Sheesh.) This lovely bit of jangle is the walk-up single to the full-length long player 'The Swiss Army.' Expect that one in your hot little hands early next year. Can't wait. --Linear Tracking Lives

This week's earworm is this fantastic jangle-pop track from Danish indie-poppers Northern Portrait – this is the first single from their forthcoming new album, The Swiss Army due out early 2021 on the consistently wonderful Matinée Recordings. I’m looking forward to hearing more….. --Beat Surrender

Matinée Recordings is wrapping up the end of this shitty year by trying to brighten the horizon, offering you some singles to look forward to in 2021. Northern Portrait give you a heavy jangle feel, packaged in really neatly woven melodies; they’ve added some great layers on this song, giving you a bit of punch with your pop cocktail. They’ll have a brand new LP coming your way next year! Be sure to visit Matinée frequently as the news seems pretty constant (and great) right now! --Austin Town Hall

2020 has been a dump of a year all round but the return of Danish band Northern Portrait brings a smile to my face. The band will be releasing their first material since 2013’s Pretty Decent Swimmers ‎EP in the shape of new album The Swiss Army. It has been preceded by the lead single At Attention and it’s like they have never been away. Stefan’s soaring vocals are catchier than ever has whilst the heavy sounding jangling guitars are just as effective as layer after layer builds. Whether the band are new or old to you seek them out. Welcome back fellas! At Attention is available digitally from the label. --Records I Like

Rather lovely Lennon lilt to the vocals here. All in all quite terrific. Jangly and cheering. Top job all round. --It Starts With A Birthstone (Song of the Day)

Perhaps the best news in a while is that the Danish combo will be back with an album called “The Swiss Army” soon. To promote the comeback of the band, Northern Portrait and their label, Matinée Recordings, have unveiled a song to become a classic, “At Attention”. Amazing! Can’t wait to hear their new album! --Cloudberry blog

Otra jugosa novedad para los amantes del jangle pop de la mano de uno de nuestros sellos discográficos preferidos, el californiano Matinée Recordings que, una vez más, da en el clavo presentando el regreso de la recomendable banda danesa Northern Portrait, ahora que se cumplen once años de su imprescindible debut, Criminal Art Lovers (2009). El cuarteto procedente de Copenhague acaba de anunciar su esperado segundo álbum, The Swiss Army (2021), previsto para principios del año que viene, con la edición de un maravilloso single dotado de una cautivadora melodía, además de la calidez y la elegancia que saben imprimir a sus canciones. At Attention, nuestra canción de la semana, es otra gema pop de los daneses con otra melodía para enmarcar, un sugerente trabajo vocal y agradables ecos de pop guitarrero británico de los ochenta, una perfecta fusión entre los Smiths y los Housemartins. Con unas impecables capas de guitarras jangly y bellos arreglos de armónica los de Copenhague nos proporcionan tres minutos de felicidad en un año especialmente oscuro. Deseando escuchar sus diez nuevas canciones al completo. Disfruten. --Velvety (Song of the Week)

At Attention è la prima anticipazione di The Swiss Army, album che i Northern Portrait pubblicheranno l'anno prossimo, e mi sembra anche una delle loro migliori canzoni di sempre, con un'armonica a dare colore alle scintillanti chitarre che conosciamo bene, e con un ritornello che non vuole spegnersi mai, dove la forza della voce di Stefan Larsen sembra voler trascinare tutti con sé. La band di Copenhagen ci mancava dal 2013 (!) e un singolo come questo sembra davvero una dichiarazione inequivocabile. --Polaroid blog

Les Danois indie-pop de Northern Portrait font un come-back presque inespéré avec un nouveau single, 'At Attention', qui préfigure la sortie d’un deuxième album, 'The Swiss Army', au début de l’année prochaine. Formé à Copenhague en 2007, le groupe n’avait jusqu’ici qu’un seul LP à son actif ('Criminal Art Lovers', 2009) mais il a également signé une belle série de EP et singles dont la compilation 'Ta!' (2013) propose un excellent résumé. On arrête tout pour 'At Attention', disponible en version numérique dès maintenant via le label Matinée Recordings. --Fanfare

La nostra giornata inizia nel migliore dei modi, con una doppietta clamorosa targata Matinee Recordings che sul piatto mettono il nuovo singolo dei danesi Northern Portrait, che finalmente tornano in pista (il loro album “Ta!” è del 2013) con la deliziosa “At Attention” che si colora dei loro classici riverberi ma, vi confessiamo che ci troviamo quasi una punta di brit-pop anni ’90, un sogno ad occhi aperti! “The Swiss Army” è il nuovo album, atteso nel 2021…se queste sono le premesse ne sentiremo delle belle! --Indie For Bunnies

I danesi Northern Portrait pubblicano oggi il primo singolo "At Attention". Si tratta della prima anticipazione dell'album ‘The Swiss Army’, la cui uscita è prevista agli inizi del 2021per Matinée Recordings. "At Attention" è una pop song perfetta: tre minuti, chitarre jingle-jangle, voce cristallina e armoniche. Una meraviglia. --Loudd.it