Tiikeri - Tee se itse E​.​P.

 

Tiikeri, a band from Turku, Finland, really hits my sweet spot with its Tee se itse E​.​P. This band plays '77-style punk rock with a pop influence, and it does it well. The formula is simple: three chords, two-minute songs, and lots of energy and enthusiasm. The production is minimalist and DIY but not necessarily lo-fi. If you had told me this EP was recorded in 1977 or '78, I would have totally believed you! Catchy, bouncy numbers like "Punkkari oon" and the title track reaffirm my belief that punk rock is still the greatest form of music ever created by humans. Physical copies of the EP are out there if you can manage to track one down. Otherwise it will be well worth your time to check out this free download from Bandcamp!

-L.R.

https://tiikeri.bandcamp.com/album/tee-se-itse-e-p

Culture Trap - self titled

Helsinki-based Culture Trap has followed a few promising singles with a terrific debut album. If you dig bands that blur the lines between garage punk and power pop while still creating a contemporary sound, this ten-track platter will be right up your alley. These songs are punchy and melody-driven and were produced with the perfect blend of polish and grit. Style-wise, the band nicely mixes up faster, punkier tunes with some more outside-the-box, modern-sounding pop numbers ("Rose," "Offline"). This is a really, really solid debut full-length. There are no sub-par tracks, and the album flies by in less than 21 minutes. If you're into bands like Outtacontroller or own a whole bunch of Dirtnap Records releases, Culture Trap is a band that ought to be on your radar.

-L.R.

https://culturetrap.bandcamp.com/album/culture-trap
https://open.spotify.com/album/1SnG9RLYbfJNPtFaqn5zhy
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr4mGRpLwbROTvV0LlIEsrg

Angry Adults - Lust for Punk

The Helsinki-based trio Angry Adults is back with another 7" record that brings to mind the heyday of Mutant Pop Records. The front cover of Lust for Punk is a clear homage to the original version of Moral Crux's Victim of Hype EP. Musically, the most obvious Mutant Pop comparison is The Automatics. With their raw, snotty, and stripped-down approach to pop-punk, Angry Adults bring back an aesthetic that just screams later '90s DIY. With cheap gear and zero regard for proper production values, they blast through four buzzsaw punk tunes in less than six minutes. If you've generally dismissed pop-punk as too wimpy or polished for your tastes, let Angry Adults turn you to the dark side. 

-L.R.

https://angryadults.bandcamp.com/album/lust-for-punk
https://open.spotify.com/album/7g8WVyzYEx3VBsZfUZEgzC
https://www.facebook.com/angryadultsband/
https://www.instagram.com/angryadultsband/

Angry Adults - Dust and Weight

Helsinki-based trio Angry Adults take me back to the roots of my life in punk rock. On their latest 7" Dust and Weight, Miku, Rami, and Hepis power through six tracks of fast & snotty pop-punk that wear a love for Lookout! and Mutant Pop Records on their sleeves. This is nothing original, and that is exactly what I like about it. I love the raw, tough sound and simple three-chord songs. These guys have taken a well-worn style of music and injected it with a fuck ton of energy and an infectious spirit. If this record had shown up in my mailbox in 1996, I would have started screaming in delight the instant I dropped the needle on the vinyl. This, my friends, is how pop-punk is done. Highest recommendation! 

-L.R.

https://angryadults.bandcamp.com/album/dust-and-weight
https://open.spotify.com/album/65fCsRe99XLPdXXyogMDf5
https://www.instagram.com/angryadultsband/

Van Dammes - Finally There

Three years ago, I reviewed Van Dammes' wonderful EP Risky Business. I was immediately drawn to the Helsinki foursome's catchy, energetic, and super fun brand of garage punk. Last year, Van Dammes released a digital EP titled Finally There in tribute to Finland's national football team qualifying for its first-ever major championship (Euro 2020). This was a huge deal to the entire nation of Finland -- which had literally waited over 100 years for this moment. Clearly this event merited a proper celebration! And now Finally There is finally out on vinyl! It's the newest release from Madrid's ever-reliable Jarama 45RPM Recs. This label always knows good music, and Van Dammes make a perfect addition to the roster. Given that punk rock and sports are two of my favorite things ever, I am always delighted to come across a marriage of the two. In typical Van Dammes fashion, these songs bring the energy along with ample opportunities to sing along. While the anthemic title track specifically celebrates the achievement of Finland's national team, the lyrics have a universal sentiment. This is the sound of a nation rejoicing! Equally rousing is "(It's Time For) Rivelution," a song dedicated to Markku "Rive" Kanerva, manager of the Finnish national team. If I were Rive, I would be so pleased with this song! One final sing-along number, "Test the Best," rounds out this celebration in style. Even if you're not Finnish or have no interest in football, you'll have a hard time resisting these blistering garage-punk anthems from one of the coolest bands in Europe. Jarama 45RPM Recs. does it again!

-L.R.

https://jarama45rpmrecs.bandcamp.com/
https://vandammes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/jarama45rpmrecs
https://www.instagram.com/jarama_45rpm_recs/
https://www.facebook.com/vandammesmusic

Culture Trap - "Different Kind of Summer"

Now here's something right up my alley -- and likely yours as well! Culture Trap is a Helsinki-based foursome playing top-notch punk/powerpop. The band just released "Different Kind of Summer", its debut single, on Bandcamp. The A-side checks off all the boxes for punk-influenced power pop. If you like punchy guitars and big hooks with clean production and a whiff of melancholy, this song is bound to hit the spot. "League", the virtual B-side, is a faster, punkier track with an anthemic feel to it. Both tracks are excellent and complement each other perfectly. I'm left wanting more, which is exactly the way it ought to be. You could convince almost anyone that this is a long-lost Dirtnap Records single from 15 years ago. This may be your first time hearing of Culture Trap, but it sure won't be your last. What a killer debut!

-L.R.

https://culturetrap.bandcamp.com/album/different-kind-of-summer

Hard Action - "Yours Truly"

If you think you know what to expect from Hard Action's new single, you just might be surprised! The Helsinki-based foursome is closely associated with action rock, and you'll still hear punk and hard rock influences coming together on the brand-new 45 "Yours Truly". But this is by far Hard Action's most pop-oriented release to date. Both "Yours Truly" and the B-side "Walk Away" crank up thundering rock with massive FM radio hooks. Think less Hellacopters and more Thin Lizzy or Sammy Hagar! But even on this more consciously pop outing, Hard Action has never rocked harder. Those guitars absolutely blast! The band really benefits from the "bigger" production, and both tracks have me in air guitar heaven as I fondly recall late '70s/early '80s AOR. This is the sound of heavy rock flirting with power pop, and I dig it! "Yours Truly" is limited to 500 copies. Get it today from Open Up And Bleed Recordings!



-L.R.

https://hardaction.bandcamp.com/album/yours-truly
https://www.facebook.com/hardaction/
https://www.discogs.com/label/1652747-Open-Up-And-Bleed-Recordings

Van Dammes - Risky Business

Here's one I think regular readers of this blog will really dig. Van Dammes hail from Helsinki, Finland and fall towards the poppier end of the garage-punk spectrum. Out now on Germany's Rockstar Records, their latest EP dishes out the perfect mix of melody, rawness, and pure energy with a touch of organ to boot. It all makes for one highly infectious cocktail! This is super-catchy stuff, yet it's got a scruffiness to it that might appeal even to people who aren't ordinarily into power pop or pop-punk. The title track reminded me of The Kidnappers, and I was basically hooked from there. It's rare to hear a band play with this much speed and force and still keep all of that melody in tact. And the enthusiasm fueling these songs is palpable. These guys must be a blast to see live! Thankfully "I Don't Like Music Anymore" is just a song title and not a statement of intent. The six killer tracks on Risky Business have sure left me wanting more!

  
-L.R.

https://rockstarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/risky-business 
https://www.facebook.com/vandammesmusic/ 
https://www.facebook.com/rockstar.empire 

The Everybody Knows - Hello Hello

Behold my personal nomination for song of the summer! I absolutely flipped the first time I heard "Hello Hello" by The Everybody Knows, and it's been stuck in my head ever since. Based out of Joensuu, Finland, The Everybody Knows of course took their name from the song by The Incredible Kidda Band. That's really cool! The band has only been around a couple years but has now released two 7-inches. Hello Hello is the latest one, and it's available digitally from the group's Bandcamp for just €1. The title track is just so tuneful and infectious. It's truly a perfect power pop song.

The Everybody Knows recently completed a two-week tour of Finland and the Baltics with the mighty Fashionism. These guys are major up-and-comers in the power pop world, and I think we will be hearing a lot more from them going forward. In the meantime, be sure to acquire "Hello Hello" and play it on repeat! Hit up the band on Facebook if you want to order a physical copy. 



-L.R.

https://theeverybodyknows.bandcamp.com/album/hello-hello-ep 
https://www.facebook.com/everybodyknowsband/ 

Hunters: the debut album!

I'm always game for a really great pure rock n' roll record, so the debut album from Hunters is totally hitting the spot for me. With Hunters emerging from the streets of Helsinki and wearing the influence of early rock n' roll, '70s punk, and golden era glam rock on their sleeves, most people will be quick to make  a comparison to Hanoi Rocks. And while that's not off the mark at all, I'd say Hunters are more of a straight-ahead rock n' roll band with catchy, fist-pumping choruses. The album is called Dead End, and it was released earlier this year by the Finnish label Stupido Records. Glunk Records has just made it available from its web store, so this is a great opportunity for my friends in the U.K. to score a real belter of an LP!

Kicking off with the punky/glammy rockin' title track, Dead End wastes no time getting down to business. This is a band that's about the rock and the roll - with smokin' guitars and big hooks at every turn. For sure, Hunters have stacked this record with hits! "Radio" delivers a sing-along chorus worth its weight in gold, and "Tribute" is as exuberant and life-affirming as rock n' roll gets. "Before You" is infectious girl group pop sauntering through a New York Dolls back alley, while "Crackdown" has a grimy Dead Boys feel with just the right amount of saxophone. And while "Get Wrecked" will do nothing to discourage the "street rock" label often placed upon this band, the true spirit of Hunters is found in the '50s rock n' roll frenzy of anthemic album closer "We're Alright". Now that is a rousing number!

Every so often, we are treated to one of those records that reminds us that rock n' roll is still king. The debut album from Hunters is one such release. No advancements or innovations in modern music can ever replace the sheer glory of those triumphant, primitive sounds that implore us to dance around wildly, sing along at the tops of our lungs, and just have fun being alive. And while Hunters naturally impress in the attitude and taste departments, their talent for quality songwriting should not be underestimated either. They are major up-and-comers in the world of below-ground rock n' roll. In yet another stellar year for punk/glam/rock n' roll LPs, Dead End is one of the very best.



-L.R.

http://glunkrecords.bigcartel.com/product/hunters-dead-end
https://soundcloud.com/hunterstadi
https://www.facebook.com/huntersrockandroll/ 

Here are The Shangri Blahs!

In my 20-year music writing "career", I don't think I've ever reviewed a band that didn't sing in English. That changes today! Helsinki's Shangri Blahs (great band name, by the way!) actually have performed in the English language before. But on their new EP, Rankka Päivä, they sing in their native Finnish. Given the band's '77 punk/power pop/rock n' roll style, I'm quite surprised that I had not heard of The Shangri Blahs prior to discovering them on the Stream Or Die blog this month. They released a really good debut EP last year - which I managed to miss. But now they've given us Rankka Päivä, and I think this is by far the best music they've delivered to date.

I've always been a sucker for catchy three-chord rock n' roll, and The Shangri Blahs pull off the style with urgency and conviction. Opening track "Sä et Markku tiedä kaikkee" has that anthemic quality that I just love in punk music, and it had me pumping my fist before I even knew what that chorus was saying. I liked it even more when the band explained the concept of the record to me. The title of the EP is the Finnish title of the great Michael Douglas movie Falling Down - and the record is inspired by the themes of that film.Via three-chord rock n' roll songs, The Shangri Blahs address questions about what lengths a man might go to to reverse his private misfortunes - and what responsibilities a larger public might have to a person in need. These are very provocative questions - and the band isn't necessarily claiming to have all the answers. What they do have is a lot of heart, and these are songs that truly have something to say. And I like that I can hear the passion in the vocals even if I don't fully understand the words. This is a band that definitely knows how to pack a lot of power into a chorus. And stylistically, these guys are "old school" in the best sense of the term. "Tää on psykoosi" reminds me a little of "Groovy Times" era Clash, while "Laastariratkaisu" could have been slotted on one of my 1995 mixed tapes directly between The Beltones and Rancid. Perhaps it might help if you're fluent in Finnish. But even if you're not, you'll be hard-pressed not to sing along when that chorus to "Sä et Markku tiedä kaikkee" kicks in. When it comes to great rock n' roll, there's really no such thing as a language barrier.



-L.R.

http://theshangri-blahs.bandcamp.com/album/rankka-p-iv-ep
https://www.facebook.com/theshangriblahs

Feels like the First Times

You think Finnish punk, and probably Hanoi Rocks and Smack come to mind. What you don't think of is female-fronted punky powerpop a la Nikki and the Corvettes. But maybe that's about to change. Take away the Euro-accent in the vocals, and you might think Helsinki's First Times were from sunny California or the American Midwest! Seriously, "(I Don't Wanna) Party No More" sounds like something Bomp! Records would have released in 1980! And you damn well know that's my cup of tea! Wow, man, where did this band come from? Well, actually, I know where they came from: Finland. Is this the new Finnish sound? If so, I might have to move there! I've been searching for my ultimate summer record of 2012, and I do believe I've found it. First Times have posted two tracks from their forthcoming EP on their Bandcamp page for your listening pleasure. And I do mean pleasure. With its revved-up Chuck Berry backbeat, mega-catchy chorus, and spunky lead vocal, "(I Don't Wanna) Party No More" is the epitome of summertime fun! It's a stone cold hit. Dig, kids: this is gonna be your favorite song of the summer! And then you have "Girl On the Run", a hook-laden tale of heartbreak in the vein of the Paul Collins Beat. Nice! This, my friends, is what one calls a "teaser". You're gonna hear these two songs, and then you're gonna want the record. You'll get the record, and then you're gonna want a t-shirt, a tattoo, a cassette tape of all their demos, and the bobblehead doll collection! Yes, sir. First Times fever is upon us! This is my favorite new band of 2012 - and perhaps yours too!

-L.R.

http://firsttimes.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/firsttimesband