Inspiration is obviously important in the creation of any work of art, but for Danish composer and songwriter Emil Friis, inspiration seems like a necessity rather than a guide. Friis’s new album, the sonic alt-country Sand in Your Eyes, was not planned but it instead grew out of his work composing the score to a French gangster film back in 2010. Friis was not only inspired by the subject matter, but he decided to run with the idea, aiming to make the album sound as if it could fit within the framework of a film soundtrack. Though he undoubtedly succeeded in his quest for thematic cohesiveness, this may have deterred from what could have been a more interesting album.
There are some standout tracks on the record which will likely propel Friis’s career further, at least in America, than even before. Singles like “No More Workmans Blues” and the title track are catchy and show the skill of a musician who has toiled for a long time on his craft. The issue with these two songs, and much of the album in general, is that they share many of the same basic characteristics, making the album, at times, frustratingly monotonous.