is putting together a 22-Pistepirkko boxset called "The singles" featuring exactly that, spread over 5CDs and 1 DVD -- 3 discs of the singles themselves and b-sides, 2 discs of live material and a DVD containing a new and expanded version of the "Off road manual" VHS. More here: http://www.bonevoyagerecordings.com/component/content/article/108-its-a-box-baby-22-pistepirkko-the-singles-plus
It has now been confirmed that the European release of Mirel Wagner's self-titled album will happen on October 21 via .
has signed Finnish folk/blues artist Mirel Wagner and will be taking her self-titled album, previously released inside Scandinavia via , and releasing it across Europe this coming fall. Listen: http://soundcloud.com/bone-voyage/mirel-wagner-no-death
has announced that they'll be going back through 22-Pistepirkko's extensive back-catalog to do a number of limited vinyl reissues: http://www.bonevoyagerecordings.com/component/content/article/87
Goodnight MonstersIf you're into such bands as The Ladybug Transistor, Essex Green and The Lucksmiths, Finland's Goodnight Monsters could well be worth investigating. Their first album came out in late 2005 and it was quite decent, with a handful of memorable tunes on it. "Summer challenge" is a more professional album that feels like a real follow-up and improvement from their previous offering (unlike a lot of second albums). The songs can come across a bit cheesy now and then, and Goodnight Monsters don't really manage to carry off their happy go lucky twee schtick for 13 songs, but it's an enjoyable album and by listening to it in the freezing cold outside, I can go back to one of those teenage delusions and pretend I'm walking down some Californian beach, eating a corn dog and drinking a cherry Coke (smiling, not retching!).
- Simon Tagestam
If you've heard and liked The Boy Least Likely To, I urge you to seek this album out as soon as you can. It's breezy summer pop with perfect melodies that deserves to outsell James Blunt. The album begins with a trio of magnificent songs, "Girl", "Big jet", and "20 fingers 20 toes"; which is one of the strongest album openings I've heard in a long time. Two of these tracks can be found on GM's myspace page, so go and listen to them. Since I'm no fan of instrumental music, I would have preferred if the short instrumental interludes wouldn't have featured on the album (I could also have done without the 10 minute boring jam session that "Demonstrator" is), but all in all this is an exceptional album to kick start the summer.
- Simon Tagestam
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
