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Albums Music

Willie Basse – The Money Grind

{mosimage}After 8 long years since the release of his last studio album, this legendary American musician is back with some good old-school rock. 

Willie Basse is certainly a busy musician on and off stage. Apart from having played with the legendary band Black Sheep (that counted with infamous members like Slash or Paul Gilbert) he also enjoys the technical part of working as sound engineer. Now, Willie is back again on the road and most possibly touring also around Europe in the next few months. What you have here with this Money Grind is a collection of classic rock tunes. Topics like pretty girls, sex, danger life… 

Everything looks back to the good feelings from early 80s in tracks like (Love so) Far Away or Danger Zone: double drums, sharp riff guitars, good vocal skills and nice lyrics, this album is all you can wish about if you are a fan of bands like Aerosmith, Van Halen or Deep Purple. But at the same time, this is also the weak point of the album, Willie does not offer anything new, and we have to take into account that we are already in 2008. Certainly is a great album if you are a lover of that kind of music (as it is my case), but there is still a bunch of great material in the same genre published in all these last decades. It is difficult to make a strong comeback after so many years, and although Willie will continue being considered as a cult name for good old-school rock lovers, it does not seem plausible that a greater success is now going to knock at his door, when was denied in the past.

In any case, not everything is about selling millions of albums, but just to be able to transmit a great feeling with agood doses of rock, something that our old friend Willie achieves once more. 

Rating 3/5.

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Albums Music

Jann Wilde and the Neon Comets – Neon City Rockers

{mosimage}With such a name for the album I was imaging that Jann Wilde and his band would come from NY. No, these punk rockers are directly from Tampere rock city! 

Jann Wilder is a musician born in Riihimäki who has been around for a few years in the punk-rock scene with his previous band Rose Avenue. I must admit I had not much reference about what to expect before listening to this Neon City Rockers, but I got instantly hooked by the quality of its sound. I must admit that this is probably one of the biggest and nicest surprises about Finnish bands singing in English of 2008 for me. The band has released the album with Hype Records, the same company that works for example with others like Negative, and you can notice that the production has been meticulously taken care of. The album itself is a great collection of soft punk-rock songs; I would highlight some like Baby Said Yeah, Screams at the Ballet or Neon City Rockers. The style is perfect for reaching at a wide audience, from the young female teenagers to the older rockers.

 

I wish the best of luck to Jann Wilde and the Neon Comets, and hopefully they will be able to make a name for themselves step by step with his good punk-glam-rock music. If you are hungry to discover new promising Finnish bands singing in English, this album is for you. 

Rating 5/5.

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Albums Music

The Dandy Warhols – …Earth to the Dandy Warhols…

{mosimage}13 tracks compose the new sixth studio album by a band that seems to be more and more on shape with every new released work. 

The band from Portland is back, after having built a solid career with their first albums in the 90s. What you have here is a solid album, almost flawless, that shows the musical evolution of a band that has got to play its cards brilliantly. The World the People Together is a blowing starting track for the record, the sound is catchy and vigorous, and it really makes you move your feet even without noticing. Although this is a rock album, The Dandy Warhols play with different approaches that make the songs sound funky and even electronic, a real effective remedy against boredom, so the record sounds dynamic all along every track. Taylor-Taylor´s vocal skills master the album offering different registers that can make his voice evolve you, or sound sexily dangerous like in Mission Control; and added to this, for placing the cherry on top of the cake, the album counts with the collaboration of Mr. Mark Knopfler and guitarist Mike Campbell in the delicious Love Song. 

A pretty recommendable album and a great step for the American guys. 

Rating 4/5.  

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Interviews Music

Iron daughter

Not all the pretty girls sing pop in MTV. Lauren Harris, the daughter of Iron Maiden legendary bass player Steve Harris, paid a visit to Finland this summer to open the gigs for her father’s band, introducing her new album Calm Before the Storm to the Finnish audience. Before her second gig in Tampere, we had some minutes to chat with this English beauty in the backstage about the amazing experience of touring the world together with Maiden and what people can expect from her debut album.

Organization is a bit chaotic outside Tampere Ratina stadium, but we finally manage to enter the backstage area and chat with Laurent a few hours before her gig. After the interview is over, there is time to launch an attack on the free backstage beers while waiting to see if we can take a glance of Bruce Dickinson and his fellows passing by. No good luck, but at least to be able to interview and take some pictures with one of the hottest female rock singers nowadays pays off. And after the interview, the delirium with a good evening of heavy metal!

Thanks for attending us Lauren! You have released recently your new album but you have been in music business for a while. Can you explain us a bit more about your beginnings?

Yeah, I used to sing in pubs and stuff like that. Famous producer Russ Ballard happened to be in a pub during one of my shows and after he asked me if I would be interested in recording a demo for him. So of course I said yes. Later I talked to my dad about it and he asked “what was his name” and I said Russ Ballard and of course he knew him, I did not have a clue.

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Coming from a family with musicians, were you listening to heavy metal and hard rock since you were a child, or which were your influences?

I was listening to more classic rock, bands like Gun, Golden Earring, and then I started listening to harder stuff like ACDC, Guns and Roses and so on.

So now with your new album, what can people expect from this Calm before the Storm?

I would kind of describe it as classic rock. Some songs talk about relationships, some about feeling good and stuff like that. I think there is quite a lot of different stuff there.

The title of the album is also kind of “classic” in English rock history, Saxon had a song with that name and also in the last album of Judas Priest there is one track titled Calm before the Storm.

Oh really? I did not even know that!

You also have a cover of UFO, Natural Thing, as extra track in your album. Who had the idea to include it?

It was my dad’s decision actually. He is a big fan of UFO. It is a band that I kind of started to listen to because of him, so he advised me that I could try that song, so we did.

You were yesterday singing at your first gig in Finland at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. How was it?

It was really good actually, really good. Very good response from the Finnish audience so I was really glad! Finland is a metal loving country.

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I suppose that maybe in this World tour you are visiting places you have never been before. Any special venue you remember?

Well, playing in the Madison Square Garden, being such a historic place where so many good bands played before, in front of thousands of people, was very special. Also when we were in South America we did a lot of outdoors shows with Maiden, with thousands of people there, so the atmosphere was incredible. South American fans are very passionate!

You have been working hard in your career as a singer for 3-4 years already but now this is your biggest world tour with Maiden. What do you think of the comments that people can make about that you are into this because you are “the daughter of” Steve Harris, etc and they do not pay attention to all what you did before?

Well, I try not to pay attention really. I have toured with Within Temptation; I have toured with The Answer, with Thunder before. With Maiden I have been given the opportunity because of my dad, I am not going to deny that to the people, it is very obvious. For the people who could criticize that I would say that well, if they would have a daughter in the same situation, they would do exactly the same thing. I have been touring now for 18 months, so I suppose that if things would have gone bad, then we had stop the tour ages ago.

I have curiosity, being touring with your father, how is the relation? Do you go to have beers together after the shows, or do you try to keep a bit independent from him?

Well, we do not have time to spend so much time together actually. I travel with my band and he travels with his band, flying everywhere and stuff like that. Well, sometimes we are in pubs together which is cool, I do not feel embarrassed like “oh god my father is here!” nothing like that, hehehe It is really cool with him.

After the tour with Maiden, what plans do you have, because you have not stopped much for 2-3 years? No time for holidays?

No, not right now. After the tour with Maiden we will have some weeks off in September and then we are going to continue on tour, headlining some smaller gigs.

Anything you want to add for our readers?

Thanks a lot to the Finnish audience for come to watch and support me. I hope it won’t be the last time here!

Photos by Eduardo Alonso.

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Albums Music

Sonic Syndicate – Love and Other Disasters

{mosimage}From Sweden comes Sonic Syndicate, a band that maybe rings a bell for many of you having opened the American tour for Nightwish in the past. 

Sonic Syndicate belong to the same label than Nighwish and that certainly opened them a couple of doors to tour together. Apart from that, they also counted with the help in the mixing of this new album of Roberto Laghi, a real value when facing the composition of a new studio album. Roberto has also recently worked with their compatriots In Flames, and actually both bands are hitting the road together in this 2008. What you have here is a good collection of guttural voices, killing guitar riffs and powerful drums. Love and Other Disasters sounds hammering and consistent, with the Sjunnesson brothers taking good control of the band. Fans of bands like Crematory will really enjoy them, but for some other most classic metal fans, maybe it can ending up being a bit too brutal. 

Rating 3/5.

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Albums Music

Black Stone Cherry – Folklore and Superstition

{mosimage}The foursome from Kentucky strikes back with their second studio album. 

As I said in previous reviews, I am not a person very fond of mixing religious views and rock. A Black Stone Cherry´s component repeatedly thanks God for their album, but I suppose there must be some enlightenment there, when they were able to create such a little masterpiece. It is difficult to catalogue the style of the guys from Kentucky, but it is at the same time easy to see many influences in their music: Black Crowes, AC/DC, Nickebalck… 

From the first track (and one of the best in the albums) Blind Man, you can notice that this album is not the one meticulously planned in the studio. The guitar riffs sound raw and natural, and I personally like that feeling of little improvisation around the 12 songs that compose this Folklore and Superstition. With no song equal to the previous one, but at the same time with a common spirit of good rock with roots, Black Stone Cherry have been able to gladly shock me with this album; one of the nicest surprises of 2008 so far. 

Rating 5/5.

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Interviews Music

These dolls are on fire!!!

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They are young, pretty, and spicy… and they also know how to rock! In FREE! Magazine we have always paid special attention to the hottest female rock bands, like in our previous interviews with The Donnas or Stalingrad Cowgirls. Now, straight from Hell-sinki, Kaisa, the guitarist of Barbe-Q-Barbies, kindly talks about her band and their last awesome experiences, like opening for legendary W.A.S.P. this summer.

Hello Kaisa. thanks for your answers. Can you explain a bit how did you get to know each other and started with the band?

I first got to know our drummer Niina when we worked at the same video rental store in 2000. Niina and I played in another band before Barbe-Q-Barbies but somehow that didn’t catch fire…  Niina, Ekkis and our former bassist Katriina had already formed the Barbies when I joined in 2002 (or was it 2003?).

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The name of the band is quite original, who has the idea?

The idea came from Niina, it originates from the Soundgarden-video Black Hole Sun, where a little girl barbeques a Barbie-doll.

Was it planned from the beginning that you wanted to form a “girls `band”? Why not male members in the formation?

I think so, one of the main points besides playing fierce rock’n’roll is the fact that we all are women.

How is Helsinki as a place for living and playing there? Are you all originally from Helsinki, or were your born somewhere else?

Helsinki is a good place for bands, there are quite many places for gigs here and it’s easy to find people with the same enthusiasm for rock as we have. I’m originally from Oulu (in northern Finland) though.

Is there any difference in Finland to play rock being women instead of men? I mean, do you consider that it is easier, the same or more difficult to reach the audience, promoters and book gigs? 

I guess it still is – and will be for a long time- an eccentric thing for women to play rock. However, the point isn’t that we try to do things like our male counterparts do, but our aim is to add some special flavor to the soup.  Of course it sometimes may be easier to get attention as a female band, just because there aren’t those many… But the fact remains, if people don’t like your stuff, they soon lose interest and stop coming to the gigs and buying your records, no matter what sex you are.

How would you define your music style for new people who want to get to know you? Do you have any/several bands that have influenced you directly?

Something old, something new…” In my opinion our music has that raunchy vibe of the r’n’r bands of the 70’s but there also is something from this millennium. Think of The Runaways, Blondie, AC/DC and Foo Fighters getting together. Hmm, how many members would that be…?

What do you think of other female rock bands in Finland, like Stalingrad Cowgirls?{mosimage}

I think they have a good thing going on. Still, in spite of the same sex, I think we have quite different style. There definitely is, and should be, room for many female bands in Finland and outside Finland too.

You were opening the concert for legendary WASP at the beginning of August. How was the experience? Did you have chance to meet them and talk to them?

It was a great experience, opening for them and playing in a big stage like Teatria in Oulu. Somehow you suddenly feel like 3 meters tall when rocking in a huge stage like that. We actually had a chance to meet with the guys after their gig, they all seemed very nice and easy-going fellas. We didn’t meet Blackie though which was a pity!

Do you dedicate completely to music, or do you have other activities (jobs, hobbies)?

It’s a shame that we can’t pay your rent just by playing rock… yet. But who knows, maybe someday… At the moment I also work full time at the university, other than that, I like to go to gigs and movies. I like traveling too, if only I had the time and money to do that more often… 

Do men find it “sexy” when you comment that you play in a rock band?

Well, the better if it tickles your pickle… 

What are your future plans during this year?

Writing songs, doing gigs, searching for the right record label and doing a little trip in November.

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Albums Music

Downstairs – Oh Father

{mosimage}Exploring different aspects of indie rock Downstairs have crafted the perfect serenade for noise-punk lovers.

Fugazi, At The Drive-In, …Trail Of Dead. Three main influences that have influenced tons of group playing noise-post-punk, the references that clearly emerge from the debut of Downstairs. Mixing the best of each band the Finnish quartet has crafted a very good album that travels at light-speed.Ten tracks for nearly 40 minutes, a killing cocktail of noise and melody assembled according to a not so canonical but very intriguing sonic scheme. Violent and abrasive without going over the top, Downstairs trap a primitive energy ready to explode at every moment.

Blending electronics, sharp riffs, desperate vocals and powerful drums, the four Finnish musicians prefer variegating the attacking front: there is a lot going on with sudden rhythm changes Shudder Shudder, derailing hits Pale Cannibals and crazy rides Peephole City.    An extremely solid effort for a group with clear potential and strong personality.

Rating 4/5.

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Albums Music

Anathema – Hindsights

{mosimage}Anathema offers in their new album an excellent collection of acoustic cover-compilation.

 

Vincent and Danny Cavanagh offer some old songs from Anathema, except the previously unreleased Unchained, this time played with an acoustic guitar. So basically what is offered here is nothing really new in their discography, but a new approach to their work. And the result is pretty fascinating. Great performances in every one of them, as an example take Leave No Trace, Angelica or A Natural Disaster. Background vocals are perfectly seized, and the inclusion of cello puts an emotive tone to the compositions.

Basically a must have for old and new fans of Anathema, although maybe some people who liked the old and more hardcore material from the British can feel disappointed here. In any case, this work sounds sophisticated and it really works as an acoustic project. A beautiful album.  

 

Rating 4/5.

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Albums Music

Iced Earth – The Crucible of Man

{mosimage}The long-awaited second part of Something Wicked Part 1 is out in the market.  

The long-awaited second part of Something Wicked Part 1 is out in the market.  

The American metal heads Iced Earth, that enjoys almost the status of gods in countries like Greece, or what is the same, Jon Schaffer and his boys, are back, This album was kind of special because of the returning of Matt Barlow on the vocals (it seems that the life as policeman did not totally satisfy him) instead of Tim Owens.

 

Many foresaw this as a return to the old sound that encumbered the band at the end of the 90s, like with the super album Something Wicked This Way Comes, but truly said, this new Crucible of Man has more to do with the last 2 albums, meaning that is Schaffer who decides the destiny of Iced Earth, and what side to take when facing a new project. Long epic songs, that start with a promising intro, full of beautiful background voices: In Sacred Flames, but becomes more and more predictable and a bit boring. There are a couple of good shots that will remind you of the old Iced Earth sound, like the marvelous I walk Alone where Barlow´s voice is at his best, or Sacrificial Kingdoms with a great instrumental work by the whole band, but in general, the album can be received with a bit of disappointment after the high expectations that had rose.

 

The same that the sad sound of the Epilogue that closes the album, Iced Earth needs to find his way in future works if they do not want that their die-hard fans live just on their older albums.

 

Rating 3/5.

 

 

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Albums Music

Laura Vuotilainen – Palaa

{mosimage}New album by the well-known Finnish artist from Jyväskylä.

 

Laura Vuotilainen is a well known singer in Finland, but probably outside her native boundaries, many people do not know much about her.

 

A former participant in Eurovision contest, in 2002 in Tallinn, she has hosted also her own TV show. She has a dilated career as musician, although maybe she can be a bit too “old fashioned” for the new generations of listeners who prefer to hail the incoming youngsters musicians from TV shows like Idols.

What you will find here is a collection of easy-listening songs, with the sensual voice of Laura featured all over the 10 tracks. If you want to have a soft approach to Finnish music, certainly songs like Monta Monta or Villiviini can be good options while holding a party at home with some friends. But the album does not take any risks, so here there is no place for surprises or improvisations.

Surely Laura will sell a good handful of albums among the adult Finnish audience, but there is not much left to excitement for young people who want to experiment new sensations in Finnish pop. Not a bad album, but just another album of Laura Vuotilainen, no more, no less.  

Rating 3/5.

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Albums Music

Kastor – Lost Station

{mosimage}Another Helsinki indie wonder? Kastor is ready to invade the alternative rock world with elegance and a bag full of nice tricks.  

In an indie slowly growing domestic panorama it is always intriguing to meet bands which are consciously aware of their sound, steering and shaping it instead of letting it control them. Kastor belong to this category and their latest offering Lost Station proves it. 

After the 2005 mini-album debut Invisible Triumph the Helsinki quintet returns with eleven tracks that explore the different angles of music with shades of pop and alternative rock fascinations. Soft music plots interweave bracing sonic diagonals, while the ethereal voice of Matias Koponen moves deftly between elegant instrumental nets and occasional shakes made by guitar and drums: the combination of these three basic elements gives life to the best track: Lost Station. Other outstanding tracks are the marriage between rock and electronic music of Melody I Hear in Your Heartbeat which reminds of Mew, the epic melancholy of Something Beautiful and the enjoyable nostalgia of Stop Stop.  

Kastor might be a surprise for those ones still new with the band, definitely a confirmation for those ones have witnessed their live performances. Something more than a simple hope. A very solid album indeed.

 

Rating 4/5.

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Interviews Music

The white wise lion is back

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Talking about White Lion is talking about one of the most influential bands during the golden era of the rock of the 80s. I remember when I was just a young teenager who listened to them compulsively, rewinding their cassette time after time. Now, the band is on tour and with a new album released, and we had the great luck to contact Mike Tramp, their singer and “alma mater”, who answered our questions between gig and gig.

Thanks for collaborating with us Mike. How is the European tour going so far?

My pleasure! The tour is going great as it is always nice to see and hear that White Lion is still alive and appreciated by the rock fans. But it is a shame that we didn't get to go to Finland as there are many White Lion fans there. We just never got an offer to play there and the fans should know that it's not us saying no.

Is there any gig or venue you specially liked or remembered?

You know, I really try not to make any country, city or venue more special than another. But of course every time we get play a new territory it is a great victory and it is special.

You have played and will play in most of the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden) and unfortunately the tour does not touch Finland. But you are these days in my native country, Spain. What can you say about your stay there?

Oh Spain has been wonderful to the return of White Lion, the fans are great and when I hear them sing along to every song, I know that they have been fans from the beginning. I love Spain very, very much.

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Some Scandinavian people say that Finland is a country different to the rest of the Scandinavian ones. What do you think, being you Danish? Have you visited Finland in the past?

Well people always say silly things and most don't know shit. Every country has their special thing. I have only played Finland/Helsinki once in 1993 with Freak of nature and hope to come back next year with White Lion, we have to play there.

How does it feel to be again recording a studio album for White Lion after 16 long years?

The thing that was interesting was writing the songs as I had not written those kind of songs for many years and I truly enjoyed it, I could feel I was hungry again and not tired and bored. Going into the studio is just routine; the real fun part is the pre rehearsals when the songs are get worked out to the final detail.

I was hungry to write songs for White Lion again" -Mike Tramp-

What can you tell us about this new Return of the Pride, what can the listener expect when having the CD in their hands?

I hope that the listener will recognize the trademarks of White Lion and at the same time hear the natural progression of 16 years have added to the band and with that find something fresh without stepping away from what the band stands for.

Any special favorite track in the album?

Sangre de Cristo and Battle at little big horn, both to giant epics. It is nice to be free to just let song be as long as it needs to be and have as many parts in it as what feels right. This is not American Top 40 anymore and this is not MTV. It's just rock'n'roll with no rules.

I got the CD of Crimes of Passion, the band opening for you during this tour, and I liked it a lot. What opinion do you have of the guys?

They are my friends first of all and that is why they are with us. At the same time they are a good band who is not afraid of hard work that is also why they are with us. I wish them all the best luck and anything I can do to help them I will.

{mosimage}What activities were you doing after White Lion was dissolved in the 90s until the comeback in 2007?

I recorded 3 albums with my new band Freak of nature and toured the world. Then I did 4 solo albums and a double live album. I have children and I moved from the USA to Australia. Oh yes I have been busy!

What things have changed and what things remain the same from the 80s in your life as musician?

Back then you were part of rock'n'roll evolution, things were changing before your eyes, life were moving fast, while you were the one changing it.Today I am very aware of everything I do, I am experienced and prepared for anything that comes at me, this is a place I know well, I have been here before, I have been here many times, I am an old wise Lion.

You are the only original member left in the band. Are you afraid people can consider this like Mike Tramp´s project instead of a White Lion´s project altogether?

No. But you can ask David Coverdale or Dave Mustaine what they think. We are rock'n'rollers and that is not a job, but a life style. Why should I not carry one with something that I built way before Vito came around? If people have a problem with it they can stay home and not buy the album it is that easy. There are hundreds of bands out there; some don't even have any original members in it.

Future plans? Anything you want to add for the readers and fans?

I play rock'n'roll, it is my life! We still have more White Lion touring this year and new White Lion DVD next year, and we are also working on a new album.

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Albums Music

I hate Kate – embrace the curse

{mosimage}We don’t know what Kate did to be hated like this, but sure we know that the Californian guys are able to provide some awesome lyrics.

 

From Huntington Beach in California comes this original band with a good load of power pop that turns to be in some songs pretty danceable. Listening to their new album, embrace the curse, during the first couple of songs I had the impression that they could share some features with the Australian the Wombats, but I hate Kate goes far beyond the simple formula of just offering easy listening songs to forget about worries, and are able to compose intelligent and wonderful pieces like the funny I´m in love with a sociopath or the romantic It’s you.

The band has been around for 3 years now, and it is comprised of Justin Mauriello (vocals/guitar), Scott Hayden (bass) and Jeremy Berghorst (guitar). Step by step, they have gained a reputation touring around USA and recently they also had the chance to play a visit to Japan.

We wish good luck to the Californian guys, and hope that in a near future they will be able to visit Europe and delight us with some kickin´pop-rock.  

Rating 4/5.

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Albums Music

Haloo Helsinki! – Haloo Helsinki!

{mosimage}The band from the Finnish capital features their debut album during this August, followed by an extensive tour around Finland.

Coming from the capital, there is no wonder that the introductory track of the album is named after the band: Haloo Helsinki!. A good representative track of what you can expect later: the voice of Elli singing lyrics for a youthful urban audience. At some point it feels a bit like the singer is a younger version of Maija Vilkkumaa, with the record company EMI making an effort to catch teenage audience around the country. The rest of the members of the band are Jere and Leo on the guitars and Jukka on the drums.

 

Do not misunderstand me. For being a debut album from a young band, Haloo Helsinki! sounds pretty cool. The production work is nice and some songs are really catchy like Yksinäiset or Perjantaina. It is just the feeling that the Finnish market is a bit overwhelmed with bands and female singers with similar style. Sure Haloo Helsinki! will leave a good feeling when appearing on live gigs and festivals together with the bunch of the other pop-rock Finnish bands aimed at youngsters, but it will be difficult that they can head out unless they are able to find a bit more personal style and “trademark”.  

Rating 3/5.