Finland's 22-Pistepirkko is currently hard at work on the following:
01. 22-Pistepirkko re-releases with extra material
02. "Off Road Manual" DVD with loads of stuff
03. 22-Pistepirkko live album
If you have any live material (audio or video), the band would like to get a copy. Contact info is posted on their website: http://www.22-pistepirkko.net/
If Society has posted a track from the upcoming Black Audio record: http://www.ifsociety.com/files/Black%20Audio-Video%20Store.mp3
Reminds me a bit of 22-Pistepirkko.
Check out the video for "I knew" from 22-Pistepirkko: http://www.22-pistepirkko.net/videos/iknew.html
Originally from Utajärvi and now based in Helsinki, Finland, 22-Pistepirkko (22-spotted ladybug) has been around for almost a quarter of a century. Far from sounding like a record made by some old guys just going through the motions, "Drops & kicks" shows off an adventurous spirit captured ably by producer Kalle Gustafsson (best known as the bassist for The Soundtrack of Our Lives). Shifting with ease from epics with big choruses (opener "Mr. Twister") to sleepy acoustic ballads ("X-(wo)men") to fuzzed-out garage stomps ("Space riding"), the Finns continue with the eclecticism that's been a career hallmark. Asko Keränen and Espe Haverinen provide a suitable instrumental backdrop for the quirky, high-pitched vocals of P.K. Keränen. Sounding unique most of the time, Keränen does bring to mind Supergrass vocalist Gaz Coombes on the rave-up "Not so good at school". "Rat king" wouldn't be out of place on a Sparklehorse record, with its crunchy guitars and animal imagery. And don't miss the Suede-esque "Soul free" and the tempo-shifting "Sister May", with TSOOL's Ebbot Lundberg on backing vocals.
- Matthew W. Smith
Bone Voyage Recording Company, the self-run label of cult Finnish garage rockers 22-Pistepirkko, has announced that they have bought back the rights for a number of 22PP's early releases and will reissuing them in new, expanded editions on both CD and vinyl. They have also decided to branch out and sign a few new and up-and-coming artists to the label as well as all 22PP-related sideprojects and art activities. Here's the updated release schedule:
November:
"Sleep good rock well" - 22PP documentary film by Andreas Haaning Christiansen
Goodnight Monsters - "The brain that couldn't die" - "quirky lo-fi guitar-pop-songs with irrestible melodies"
January:
Kytäjä - s/t - "colourful, warm and groovy instrumental music, modern collages from a finish mid-seventies mid-summer"
Spring '06:
22-Pistepirkko - "Big Lupu" (extended re-issue)
22-Pistepirkko - "Rumble City LaLa Land" (extended re-issue)
Finland's 22-Pistepirkko has posted two new remixes of "D-day": http://www.22-pistepirkko.net/remix.html
22-Pistepirkko has posted the video for "X-(Wo)men" online for streaming and download: http://www.22-pistepirkko.net/hankstvset.html
The latest 22-Pistepirkko album "Drops and kicks" will be released in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland and Belgium on May 30 via Bone Voyage Recording Company. It will also come out in France at the end of August via Vicious Circle/Discograph distribution.
Updated tourdates for 22-Pistepirkko:
05/04 - Johnny Dee, Oslo (NOR)
05/05 - Hulen, Bergen (NOR)
05/07 - Fugl Foeniks, Etne (NOR)
05/08 - Folken, Stavanger (NOR)
05/12 - Klub Republik & Guskelov Norrköping (SWE)
05/13 - Pipeline, Sundsvall (SWE)
05/14 - Debaser, Stockholm (SWE)
05/15 - Café De Luxe, Växjö (SWE)
05/17 - Voxhall, Århus (DK)
05/18 - Sticky Fingers, Göteborg (SWE)
05/19 - KB, Malmö (SWE)
05/20 - Lille Vega, Köpenhamn (DK)
05/21 - Rytmeposten, Odense (DK)
05/22 - Studenterhuset, Ålborg (DK)
06/09 - On The Rocks, Helsinki (FIN)
06/11 - Rabarock 2005, Järvakandi (EST)
06/18 - Provinssirock, Seinäjoki (FIN)
06/24 - Raumanmeren Juhannus 2005, Rauma (FIN)
06/25 - Himos Festivals, Jämsä (FIN)
07/09 - Ruisrock Festival, Turku (FIN)
07/15 - Tammerfest, Pakkahuone, Tampere (FIN)
07/17 - Ilosaarirock, Joensuu (FIN)
07/28 - Keitelejazz, Äänekoski (FIN)
07/30 - Qstock, Oulu (FIN)
Splendid reviews 22-Pistepirkko: http://www.splendidmagazine.com/review.html?reviewid=1110885888199693
The new 22-Pistepirkko album "Drops & kicks" has finally been confirmed for release on March 30 in their native Finland, April 6 elsewhere in Scandinavia. The 22-Pistepirkko book also comes out on March 30 and, assuming you can read Suomi, more can be found here: http://www.likekustannus.fi/kirjakeko/tiedot.php?id=734
Check out the video for the brand new 22-Pistepirkko single "Rat king" right here: http://www.22-pistepirkko.net/hankstvset.html