The Music and Planet Project

Norwegian Duo Todd & Karen create playful, Beatles-inspired indie pop songs and are making big strides toward reducing plastic waste as part of their affiliation with the Music and Planet Project. We’ll discuss both their newest album “Singles” as well as their sustainability actions as part of our continuing efforts to support musicians taking action for the planet.

Singles

The latest release from Todd & Karen, entitled “Singles”, is, in fact, a compilation album of previous tracks that come together in album form. When listened to as an album, in the sequence they have chosen, each of these character-driven songs expand and become something more than just the sum of their parts. 

To elaborate on this point, it’s worth looking at how Todd & Karen have wisely curated the transitions and flow between songs. Coming out of track 4, L12, for example, a fast-paced romp about the hectic commuter rail in Oslo, the band slows things down with the following song, Blackpool Lights, a slower ballad about taking a peaceful getaway from the mundane annoyances of everyday life. Then, the band changes pace again, taking us into an even slower, tranquil state of mind with the following track, Norwegian Summer, a soothing, almost mournful melody about the fleeting nature of summer in their northern European homeland. After wooing us into a state of relaxation, Todd & Karen change it up again in the next track with the cheerful and upbeat Juicy Gossip From The Mothership. Stacked together in this sequence, the songs take us on a ride through different moods and emotions, none that are too radically different from one another nor too tediously similar. The album, when presented in this way, is both cohesive, in the sense of having a united sound, and colorful in the sense that there is variety and intrigue in the contrasting textures and rhythms. 

In addition to the clever sequencing on songs, the album presents the listener with humorous, insightful, and emotional stories of characters from the lives of the artists. Track 1 Mr. Beardsley, for example, describes the “cheesy,” “sleazy,” and seductive mannerisms of the main character in a tongue and cheek sort of way, while track 2 Barbara, Barbara, Barbara more tenderly expresses love for the song’s namesake and her dazzling “floral dress.” Meanwhile, the album’s final song is a full character portrait of “Bougie Suzie”, a person they describe as having an “annoyant rage” and condescending disposition. The range of characters we experience in this album really takes us into the colorful world of Todd & Karen in the way that a good novel would transport one into another universe far away from one’s own. 

Music and Planet Involvement

The album aside, it’s no surprise that this Scandinavian pair have taken on sustainability practices and have gravitated toward the Music and Planet Project, given that their home country is known as a global leader in sustainability initiatives. In fact, Norway broke international headlines recently for being the first country to nearly adopt 100% electric vehicles, largely as the result of aggressive incentive policies. When asked why they have chosen to take part in the Music and Planet Project, the band stated that they wanted to “highlight the fact that if we all do our fair share – and just do some minor adjustments to our everyday lives – we can actually achieve some major changes. Many of us can do a little – and this program is a start for us, making us aware of what we actually can do. And in the bargain, we get to be part of a lovely indie music scene on top of it all.” 

So what is it that they are doing to be more sustainable? One need not look further than their Merch page to find a first hint. As of recently, they have begun selling eco-friendly merch, like organic cotton tote bags and hoodies and jackets made from recycled-polyester.  In doing so, they join a number of other artists that have inquired about more planet-friendly merch materials and begun selling items that tread lighter on the land (see our Sustainable Music Materials Guide if you are an artist with similar concerns). “Through the past couple of years we’ve become more and more conscious about the issue of plastic waste in particular,” Todd & Karen said. “Looking at how the world’s oceans, for example, are ruined by microplastic waste is a horrendous tragedy. So if we can do a little effort to to help combat it, that’s good. So in daily life we try our best to avoid purchasing plastic bags, try to avoid getting any unnecessary plastic whatsoever”.

When asked what they would say to others who are struggling to get started, Todd & Karen shared some wise advice: “Just start by doing the small things you can easily do. Buy a shopping net – or reuse your plastic bags – when you go grocery shopping, instead of buying new ones each time. If it’s easily available in your area and suits your needs, try to use public transport to get you places. We are lucky where we live, because it’s easy to walk or bike a lot of places we need to be, so we try to do that as well and limit the car usage. These are some ‘easy’ first steps to make.”

All in all, Todd & Karen are excelling in both the music and sustainability arenas, making charming 60s-70s-influenced pop rock tunes and reducing plastic use at every opportunity. A perfect fit for the Music and Planet Project, Todd & Karen are worthy of your next music exploration if you haven’t heard their charming tunes yet. Stream or buy their album Singles here, follow the band on Facebook, and peruse their website to stay up to date on their latest.