The second golden apple from the “debut album” tree of English-Norwegian indie-poppers Absent Elk falls with the title “Change My World” engraved upon its ever-shiny and juicy surface. Visibly carved into the tree’s bark sit the names Coldplay, Cast and The Doves; a most accurate citation of influences since Noel Gallagher uttered the words “I'd be a good George Harrison”.

This offering from the band’s full 12-track release Caught In The Headlights adopts a much mellower tone; a wistful dream of searing melodies and thoughtful progressions, conjuring images of summer meadows, long sunlit evenings, and bloomed orchards to great success.

Everything from the intro’s overuse of short-tailed reverb to a powerful-yet-subdued middle-eight, via the measured transition from “an audience with James Blunt” to “Elbow at Reading” all do their bit towards the composition’s eventual stadium-bound culmination of anthemically memorable chorus, seamlessly-EQ’d strings, and musically-sensed close. Although perhaps this gradual developmental plod of drip-fed anticipation extends just that little bit too far with a total length of only three minutes twenty-one seconds, and bringing with it a vaguely internal sense of unfulfilment by the end.

Vocally comparable to the likes of Chris Martin and Richard Ashcroft, with the occasional hint at The Coral’s James Skelly, singer Kjetil Morland underscores a distinct appeal to fans of the current surge in UK-born contemporary adult pop rock.

Not the greatest indication of the band’s work as a whole, though certainly listen-able in its own special way.