Link to Living Tradition Homepage

REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

 


 

 

 
ESKO JÄRVELÄ EPIC MALE BAND - ESKO JÄRVELÄ EPIC MALE BAND

ESKO JÄRVELÄ EPIC MALE BAND - ESKO JÄRVELÄ EPIC MALE BAND
Sibelius Academy Folk Music Recordings EMB001

This is a new five-piece thrash-folk-cum-folk-rock combo based in Helsinki and fronted by fiddler/composer Esko Järvelä (of the bands Frigg and Tsuumi Sound System); the disc is a vehicle for realising Esko’s ambition of playing in a rock band, writing and performing what he terms “the only kind of music (he’s) never been told to play”, with a “cool, noisy band”! It is an aural onslaught of full-on rock – electric and acoustic guitars, drums and bass – with the central implant of folk attitude firmly entrenched within, in the guise of Esko’s demonic hard-driving fiddle and augmented by whistle and Highland bagpipe from guest musician Calum MacCrimmon. It’s a mighty sound, immediately arresting and commanding in the nature of the beast and its sense of keen thrusting attack will prove irresistible to addicts of quality folk-rock of the purely instrumental variety.

All ten tracks are Esko’s own compositions and he derives plenty of mileage from placing traditionally-inspired fiddle tunes into a suitably grand setting that explodes from your speakers. Just when you might think it’s all becoming a mite too relentless, though, Esko cunningly pulls the guitars back from the front line, relaxes a touch and introduces rhythm and textural changes, unexpected nuances (there’s a surprising degree of light and shade too) and other incidental delights (such as a wordless choir on three tracks, a mini-string-section on Wunderbaumgartner, even a Pinball Wizard riff on What Is The Drink Of Kings?). And central track Limburger, a kind of interlude, comes in the form of a raunchily atmospheric fiddle solo. And then the clattering irregular beats that form the persistent motif of the finale Epic Theme get right into your head (you almost don’t want them to Finnish!)…

Although I wouldn’t exactly agree on the accuracy of the band’s website tag (“imagine if Bill Monroe took a trip to Scandinavia and met AC/DC”), there’s much exciting and diverting music to be had from the Epic Male Band.

www.epicmaleband.com

David Kidman

Secure On-line mailorder service
Buy this CD online from The Listening Post
The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine.
This album was reviewed in Issue 99 of The Living Tradition magazine.