As a kind of Scandinavian Coldplay, Norway’s Poor Rich Ones specialized in ethereal moments of transcendent pop. For his solo debut, Poor Rich Ones singer/guitarist William Hut takes a more low-key approach. The Thom Yorke-like wailing is here more akin to the hermetic grumblings of Michael Stipe. In fact, musically, Road Star Doolittle would make a good companion piece to any latter-day, post-Bill Berry R.E.M. album. That said, this is a highly diverse, if somber, collection. From the rugged folk chant of “Doolittle” to the nylon-string acoustic guitar flourish of “A Better View” and the layered, almost new waveish keyboard squiggles of “The Great Gospel,” there’s much to love on Road Star Doolittle. – Jason Nickey
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