Category: Albums

Third studio album for the Finnish band from Jyväskyla.

If there is something that Finland does not lack of, it is young rock bands. It seems that every time you kick one stone in any Finnish city or town, twenty new bands show off.  That has its good and bad sides: the circuit is big, the people have great appreciation for rock and metal and there are always musicians to jam with. But on the other hand, if a band wants to break through, it has to show “something” extra than the others.

I do not find that extra in Järjestyshäiriö. Certainly they sound compact and professional, but basically like many other dozens of rock bands that sing in Finnish with softer rhythms easier to like also for the female audience. When the band goes a bit more experimental, like in the third track Koneet, the quality boost up. But for most of the album, it just sounds like another average Finnish pop-rock band. If you like bands like Liekki, you can enjoy this one. But for an over saturated Finnish market, being a third album, I would say that this is not enough.

Rating 2/5

With Ari Koivunen, the young former winner of Finnish Idols replacing Niko Kalliojärvi, no doubt this is one of the most awaited and polemic Finnish metal albums of the year.

After the introductory instrumental track Random Words, the first sentence that comes out of Ari´s mouth in the album is “There is going to be some changes” in the second track Release. Certainly if there is something you can say about this Show your Colors, is that it is an album full of changes. Starting from the change of vocalist and basically continuing with the change in the style of the band. Because if Amoral was before well known as one of the most promising Finnish bands in death metal, here they approach closely power metal.  Basically, they have adapted their style to Koivunen´s vocal skills (and he really has them, Idols or not Idols in the middle). Is the result bad? Well, that depends on your point of view. I understand that for many fans of the “old” Amoral, this can be a change that they did not deserve. They could have basically ended up with Amoral´s name and started a new and fresh band. On the other hand, for fans of power metal and for those open minded metal followers, this album is good. The orchestration is great and some tracks like Year of the Suckerpunch sound like instant classics.

If you want to forget about Amoral´s previous works and welcome a new great metal band, you will enjoy this. If you are a hardcore Amoral´s fan, probably you can feel betrayed with the turn of style. My advice:  be open minded and enjoy with the great quality of the new album. The old Amoral´s works will be always there for you if you feel nostalgic.

Rating 4/5

Stereochemistry is a young new band from Tartu that has just released their debut studio album Märka! after having played together for about 4 years.

Following their musical dream and taking advantage of having reached the finals of Eesti Laul 2009, the Estonian foursome formed by  Holger and Siim on the vocals/guitar, Indrek on the bass and Keio on the drums deliver 11 shots of good rock in a notable first effort to break through the Estonian music scene.

The first couple of tracks, Ainult armastus on ju päriselt meie and Öösiti kõndides, give a good sample of what you are going to find in the rest of the CD: smart lyrics, edgy riffs and pop-rock rhythms easy to follow and dance to. Holger vocal skills suit perfectly on the songs, although maybe it would be nice to notice a bit more of experimentation on his notes, because most of the songs are sung at the same vocal levels, not putting his throat at risk. The orchestration sounds fluent and compact, highlighting the excellent skills of Keio, the drummer, who really pushes the songs higher and higher with his effort, something you can really notice when the band plays on live. I had the chance to see them during the presentation of their album at PlinkPlonk Club in Tartu, where you could really notice that the tracks work perfectly well on stage, with the audience having a good time and getting warmer and warmer song after song.  The fourth  track Märka!, homonymous of the album title, marks a perfect inflection in the album, sounding slower and a bit sadder at the beginning to explode later in a hooky chorus, being impossible not to feel moved by it.

On the other hand, the most melancholic moment of the album comes maybe by Eile, although the band never let themselves fall into the dark and more twisted side of pop, and add in every song a colorful note of hope and fun. Different to the style of many similar styled Finnish pop-rock bands that choose a darker and more melancholic style, Stereochemistry bets for the lighter side of rock, songs to enjoy at a gig or a party with good friends and a beer in a hand, while moving your feet.

If I have to put a “but” to the album, I would say that the artwork of the CD and booklet feel a little bit too amateurish, but being this the debut work, is a detail totally forgivable. The question to decide is if the band will be able to break through from playing in small venues and pubs to bigger audiences. Their style, a bit similar to other Estonian bands that were able to become mainstream like The Smilers, is perfect to catch the attention of the masses wherever they play, and luckily there are venues enough in Estonia to welcome them on stage around the country, but if they just do not want to be labeled as just one more Estonian pop-rock band, maybe they would need to go a bit more experimental and risky in follow-up works. For the moment, Märka! represents a very good promising debut for the young guys!

Rating 4/5

After their debut album in 2007 and a few changes, AK is back with a follow up album that seems to kick ass!

The Turku based trio is back after a couple of years, with a new drummer from Florida, Jake McMullen; the new addition of the band maybe has a lot to do with the American essence that this Head + Heart exhales. Far from typical Finnish rock or metal albums with always the same riffs and the same melancholic lyrics, Agent Kooper does really sound fresh and full of experimentation, it can sound like a military whining march like in Let It Slide or it can sound closer to bands like Kings of Lion in the track Alive & New.

Dirty guitars, good background vocals and a mischievous attitude that can put them close to some dessert rock bands like their beloved Queens of the Stone Age. The album is a little jewel that you need to listen to for several times to fully appreciate all its layers. Good one!

Rating 4/5

Recorded in November 2008 during Pictures World Tour, here you can find a good collection of the best Melua´s tracks since she released her first work in 2003.

19 songs composed this live album that gives a good sample of what you can expect in a Katie Melua´s performance.  The quality of her voice and the sound in general is excellent, starting with the moving Piece by Piece and flourishing it with the cover of Janis Joplin’s Kosmic Blues. An outstanding female voice, as she shows singing alone in tracks like Lilac Wine or I Cried For You.

If you want an album to enjoy some intimate moments surrounded by the fading light of some candles, this album is for you; Sweet and touching.

Rating 4/5

The veteran Finnish rockers are back on the road with a superb new album!

It seems that there is something that boost up the quality of Finnish bands when they take Spanish names. We saw it with the amazing Los Bastardos Finlandeses, and here once more with Gringos Locos. These crazy Finnish are veteran musicians who have been around for more than 2 decades, also in bands like the legendary Leningrad Cowboys. After a period of separation, they gathered again in 2007, and what you have here is the result of their new incoming: a collection of superb rock songs with attitude! Titles like I ´m a mover, the slow Plane to Eden and Dreamer or Don´t Cry For me give a good sample of what you will find here: rock of many good degrees, but also great mid-tempo ballads.

Finnish music scene must be glad to see Gringos back again. The long awaiting was worthy if they continue releasing albums of such a great quality like this one! Long life to Gringos! 

Rating 4/5

It seems that it was yesterday when these American punk rockers set a little revolution with their agile music… and now we can enjoy already their 8th studio album!

Greenday was quite important in my teenage years. Together with Offspring, they opened me the doors to punk music and many other classic bands during the nineties. But while Offspring are lost in combat, Greenday resist in an excellent shape (even appearing in The Simpsons movie last year).

The album is conceived in a kind of rock-opera mode, divided into 3 different parts, but not, this is not exactly an Ayreon album, so do not expect very long symphonic tracks, most of the songs remain fast and powerful, although I miss a bit of the fierce spirit of their first albums. Greenday, with the past of years, have gained in composing better lyrics and sounding more compact and clean, but have lost in spontaneity.  Nowadays is just another good rock band that appears often on MTV, but although still acid, not a reference for younger audiences anymore.

Do not misunderstand me, the album has a great quality, with excellent tracks like Last Night on Earth or Know your Enemy, but you would expect Greenday moving in a bit different league than Nickelback… and that is not the case…

Rating 3/5

The Finnish band led by Oskar Nyman and Joel Isaksson features their promising debut album. See the life green like a pear!

The band is composed by Oskar Nyman on the vocals, Joel Isaksson  on the guitar, piano, banjo and vocals, Egon Veevo on the bass and Anders Salim on the drums. As they explain at their official MySpace site, most of the work for their first studio album was done while enjoying some nice time in a summer cottage. We don’t know if that cottage had a third floor, or if the Finnish guys had stairs available to reach a third degree of inspiration, but what is certain is that their debut album is a more than notable work.

With folky pop-rock style, they have quite a nice and interesting American sound, which can remind you to bands like The Jayhawks or even The Rolling Stones themselves in some parts of the record. As some highlighted tracks, I would recommend All is Well, I ´ll be Fine or the relaxing acoustic parts of Home as well as the romantic ballad Hold Me.

As you can see, the Finns have quite a positive vibe in their songs (and their titles), quite refreshing in a scene that usually reaches from the most depressing side of the music.

A great work, pretty enjoyable. If I can put a “but”, I would complain that there are only 8 tracks to listen to!

Rating 4/5

After a couple of years of awaiting, here you have the new album from the Kings of Finnish Iskelmä.

Simo Silmu and his fellows from Yölintu are some of the biggest representatives of Iskelmä sound nowadays in Finland.

For those of you who have lived in Finland, probably Iskelmä is not unfamiliar (even if you do not want to, you will listen to it in some radio station while taking a ride in a public bus). For those of you who do not know it, we could resume it as a kind of melancholic pop, but also very danceable.

Although Iskelmä is not my favorite genre, and it is probably more aimed at an audience of over 30 years old, the songs are actually quite catchy. Tracks like the first single Anteeksi, Pimeästä Valoon or Ihana Sinä can be part of the perfect soundtrack for the next Juhannus, while enjoying the company of friends in a cottage having beer, sausages and sauna.

Quite a good work, if you think about it inside the Iskelmä genre. For those of you who want to come closer to the Finnish spirit, and discover an important side of its musical scene, this is worthy a try!

Rating 3/5

The young band from Helsinki offers an excellent album full of great rock and Amazing lyrics!

Although being young, the Finnish band has already a wide experience. They have played more than 300 live gigs and released a few albums before this current Sucker for Love, apart from touring with names like The Rasmus. Actually, if you like The Rasmus, probably you will enjoy them too, although Deep Insight goes a bit less “darker” and more oriented into an American rock sound. And I like it.

The vocals of Jukka are awesome, very well backed up by the rest of the band that offers a great orchestration in every track. Songs like Let me Go! , Rock with my Band, Dangerous or Sucker for Love would perfectly be number 1 hits with a bit more of promotion.

The record is all in all a very nice surprise indeed and a great rock album. They will be touring intensively all over Finland this summer, so I advice you not to meet them on stage!

Rating 4/5

A greatest hits album that gathers all the best of the famous Finnish artists during the last years.

After 12 years of career and being part of the soundtrack of several Aki Kaurismäki´s movies, it was about time for Marko and company to release a greatest hits. In this Land of 1000 Longings you will find a good collection of no less than 20 tracks with a great rock & roll touch, but also adding the unavoidable Finnish folky experience there.

Melancholic songs to be listened with a mix of happiness and sadness, looking backwards and forwards to what life brings. Marko is accompanied by Samuli Halonen on the drums and Jouni Saario and  Kai Järvinen on the guitars.

If you want to understand a bit more of Finnish music and its particular spirit, this album is a must have; very touchy, even if you do not understand Finnish language.

Rating 4/5

Debut album for the rock band coming from Helsinki, the Finnish capital. And I dare to say that an excellent first step in their career!

The Finnish band has recently released their first album just by themselves after been a few years trying to get a deal with a record company. But they have also counted with two heavyweights names of the pop/rock Finnish scene, Jukka Backlund and Samu Haber from Sunrise Avenue, who gave them advice in the production of some tracks.

Actually, the result is pretty good, and the young band has nothing to envy to the newest release by Sunrise Avenue. What you find here is a sound a bit more harder and rock oriented than in Sunrise Avenue, closer to other Finnish bands like The Rasmus. Drums keep pushing in the songs, from which I would highlight the introductory I.W.T.C.Y. or Across the Sea.

Sounding clean, with cohesion and singing the lyrics in English (which is always nicer facing future international projection), Clark Kent delivers a solid rock album. Recommendable!

Rating 4/5

The Finnish musician from Tampere features his second studio album.

After building up a solid name in the rock Finnish scene with his previous band Bloodpit, Matthau started his solo career in 2008, and not long time ago here you have his follow-up album. The lyrics are notable, with good tracks like Mania for life, Chasing ghosts or Slow Down. Although with a little touch of melancholy, in general the album is light-hearted and easy to listen to and dance. It is also a “plus” that Matthau not only plays many instruments, but also composes all the songs.

Apart from different venues in Finland, he will be also touring in other European countries like Russia or Germany during the summer. If he happens to play close to you, do not miss the chance to see him on stage. A good effort by the Tamperelainen!

Rating 3/5

Herra Ylppö, one of the most charismatic Finnish frontman, is back with his band and a new studio album.

After releasing his solo album Sata Vuotta in 2008, Mr. Ylppö is back with Maj Karma, one of the most successful Finnish rock bands of the last years. The new work counts with 10 tracks that, from my point of view, the fans will dig immediately. Maybe the sound is not as raw and powerful as in previous albums, but the essence is still there: the magnetic voice and lyrics of Ylppö, the poetry with a note of desperation…

If you do not understand Finnish, then it is a bit more difficult to enjoy for the foreign listener, which is a pity, because it will narrow the projection of the band now and in future years. But well, they will always have their faithful Finnish followers. Not a bad effort, although do not expect much new.

Rating 3/5

Follow up album for the Finnish pop/rock band that is not going to let fans down!

When a formula works, why to change it? That must have thought the guys of Sunrise Avenue after the huge success of their debut On the Way to Wonderland that led them to tour around Europe and have a great success, overall in Germany.  Here they repeat more or less with the same, catchy pop-rock tunes, the same producer Jukka Backlund and similar lyrics about love, relations, etc.

Well, maybe I miss a bit more of mischief in the lyrics. I prefer bands with a more clear “rock” attitude, but all in Sunrise Avenue seems to be aimed to comfort the teenage female fans, portraying the guys as the good ones that the parents would accept for a date with their daughters (listen if not to the ninth track Kiss N Run, which is on the other hand one of the best of the album).

Even though, the album sounds convincingly good and catchy, and Samu Haber reaffirms that he is one of the most charismatic Finnish singers nowadays. If you liked the previous album, you will dig this one. But if you do not like to be surrounded by hysteric fifteen years old girls in the concerts, maybe this will not be your cup of tea.

Rating 4/5