 |
|
|
| |
 |
| |
|
Positive Wave: S/T
|
Self-released CD
 Positive Wave is a Helsinki-based band that has been playing together for 12 years already. The band’s gentle, positive and also pretty progressive music has been influenced by ethnic and world music, psychedelia and even jazz. I have never heard the group’s previous releases, but I’ve seen them live many times and they have been getting better little by little. So after four demos now it was time to release a full-length CD album that has 11 tracks. The band’s vocals used to be sometimes in English too in the past, but now all the lyrics are in Finnish which is a good thing for unity’s sake. The singer Susan Karttunen has developed a lot during the years and her tuneful and strong voice at its best brings to mind a combination of Grace Slick and Janis Joplin without that much whiskey-burn in it. Also all the players do their job very well. The percussionist strengthens the already effective and groovy rhythm section in a nice way, the keyboardist and guitarist know what they are doing and the saxophonist/vibraphonist/violinist adds wonderfully adds more colours to the music. As the name suggests, Positive Wave has always concentrated in spreading out positive vibes and their sunny music is full of happy, good emotions and love in the hippie style. The going doesn’t get heavy or that wild at any point but there are some faster sections too. I personally usually prefer a bit gloomier and darker music, but this kind of stuff sure fits perfectly especially in some hippie summer festivals (Like Faces, where the band just played last friday).
One of the best pieces on the album is the poppy opener “Helmi” that could almost be by a band called Liekki but not just as catchy. The percussive jamming with the saxophone solo in the end sounds just great. “Huominen ei lopu koskaan” is another excellent, a more atmospheric piece and then follows a bit Latino-spirited “Utuinen”. “Sumuista metsää” is perhaps as close to 70’s prog rock as they get and also includes a bit harder guitar sound. A great song! The quite soft, a bit jazzy “Siniset laineet” is not bad either and also the following track “Valkoinen huone” plays with jazz. “Kauan” is nice pop with Latino rhythms, “Päivä kerrallaan” a little 60’s styled melodic pop. “Elämä” is mostly a really mellow and soft track but it also has some groovier going. I guess one of my favorites is “Yli niittyjen” that also has both slower, atmospheric stuff as well as quite progressive, jamming going with saxophone. The album is finished with the very serene and minimal “Viimeistä iltaa” that has a bit more melancholic mood.
www.positivewave.net |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
if you're interested in
getting your records reviewed and played at out club, please
contact:
psychotropiczone(at)gmail.com |
|
|
|
 |
