Vibeke Saugestad used to be in the band Weld, who won awards in Norway. She later moved to the US after meeting her husband Ken Fox (drummer in The Fleshtones).
Now she’s back with the Vibeke Saugestad Band and this four-tracker.
The name “The Sun Sessions” conjures up plenty of images, not least warmth – and “Hey Now Sunshine” is about as warm and welcoming as it gets. In fact, it’s hard to imagine listening to it without smiling, and that’s even before the handclaps kick in. Can a song ever be miserable if it includes handclaps? Someone should do a PhD on that.
“Another Light” hides its melancholy beneath gorgeous harmonies and a crackling energy. If you’re looking for a comparison – and I know people always do with these things – then think of the late, great Kirsty MacColl.
This doesn’t sound like it came out in 2025. The jangle of “2nd Avenue” is as good as pop music gets.
And if “Last Days of Summer” feels like it was recorded during the summer of love, with flowers laced into Saugestad’s hair while Joni Mitchell looked on, then that’s probably exactly the intention.
A gorgeous EP, brilliantly played and sung, let “The Sun Sessions” wash over you and help you escape the present for a while.
Rating: 8.5/10
