About Sondre Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet

Sondre Lerche (born September 5, 1982, in Bergen, Norway) is a Norwegian singer, guitarist and songwriter who plays music in a folk/pop style. Sondre Lerche was weaned on the 80's pop that emanated from his older siblings' rooms. Compelled by a defining fascination for bands such as A-ha, the Beach Boys, and Prefab Sprout, Lerche began formal guitar instruction at age eight. Not satisfied with the lessons at school, Lerche experimented with original tunes on his own, eventually penning his first song, "Locust Girl" at fourteen. Lerche performed acoustic gigs at the club where his sister worked while he was still under age, and was 'discovered' by Norwegian producer H.P. Gundersen. Under Gundersen's mentorship, Lerche was exposed to diverse music genres, including psychedelia, 60's pop, and mainstream Brazilian music, broadening his appreciation for eclectic music styles. Around this time Lerche also met up with Oslo-based manager Tatiana Penzo, leading up to a deal with Virgin Norway. His popularity in his home country increased steadily, and in 2000 he recorded his debut album, Faces Down. Faces Down was a hit in Norway and received critical praise in Europe and The United States -- Rolling Stone Magazine placed it in their top 50 albums of 2002. He toured in America and Europe. The songs from Faces Down had been completed before winter 2000 but postponed for release until Lerche fulfilled several academic requirements. In the interim, he was named Best New Act at the Norwegian Grammys (Spellemannprisen) and performed locally in support of major acts such as Beth Orton.