SoundHawk kirjoitti noin 18 vuotta sitten (1 kommenttia)

"What A Rotter Of A Day" näki päivänvalon 18.06.2007.Tässä muutama ensiarvio:

Terrascope Online :

THE ELECTRIC CRAYON SET – WHAT A ROTTER OF A DAY

(CD from Soundhawk P.O.BOX 118 Pori, FINLAND)



Timo Pääkkö should be crowned “the patron saint of Finnish indie pop,” having been treading the boards for a quarter of a century since he fronted The Jam-inspired, Health A1 in Harjavalta back in the Summer of 1982! Stints in other 80’s bands, including Gora and Kinsky (sic) preceded his first venture into the studio, from whence emerged his debut recording, a 1986 single for the Euros label as lead singer with Revitty Harso. A Kinsky single on Poko followed in ’87 before he formed the Penniless People of Bulgaria, who released a couple of albums and singles around the turn of the decade, also on Poko. I first came across his music via a single he recorded as leader of Jennie Tropik Dream in 1999. The Dream morphed into The Electric Crayon Set shortly thereafter, and we waxed poetically about their debut, ‘One Man’s Trash’ back in 2001.



Five years in the making, the second album from his latest project, named after volume five in the ‘Rubbles’ series of UK garage psychedelia, is another collection of breezy power psych. The current lineup includes bassist Seppo Tyni (former guitarist in Finnish progsters, Elonkorjuu and Pekka Pohjoloa) and his younger brother, pianist Pekka; Pääkkö’s co-worker, percussionist Timo Lilja (who’s been with Pääkkö since the early days) and the latest inductee, guitarist Juha Kormano, who also performs double duty in his own Bina Band. The galloping title track starts the album off on an upbeat note, with the autobiographical lyric that fitfully describes where the band have been for the last half-decade: “Too many days in a rut with these words/I wonder if I even wish to be heard/Sometimes I think I just can’t fill the bill…” A short progy organ break from Tyni the Younger adds a nice dimension to the otherwise biting rocker. The promotional single, ‘Good Girl’ reintroduced the band to its fans last year and it tips the scales over towards the band’s pop side, with a light and fluffy concoction that’s rather reminiscent of The Lucky Bishops and XTC.



‘Morning of Magicians’ is a tender, acoustic ballad, with Pääkkö’s soft delivery reminding me of vintage Ian Anderson, and the track definitely benefits from its folky, Jethro Tull vibe. Pääkkö then ups the ante by inserting a reading of ‘The Poet’ by that master magician, Aleister Crowley that adds to the track’s eerie, unsettling mystique. ‘Spacedust’ continues to shuffle along in a laidback acoustic mood, with Tyni the Elder’s electric sitar adding yet another colour to the band’s broad musical palette. You may also dig the definite 80’s trebly guitar attack on ‘Initiate,’ which reflects Pääkkö’s past and reminds me of the power pop efforts of The Motors, Bram Tchaikovsky and particularly, Scottish popsters, The Headboys (particularly, their 15 minute claim to fame, 1979’s ‘The Shape of Things To Come’). Elsewhere, ‘The Black Prince’ is pure Andy Partridge, presented as a loving tribute to XTC, rather than a revisionist rehashing of their greatest hits.



The album’s lone non-original, ‘The Otherside’ includes one of Pääkkö’s most anthemic guitar lines and is a rousing pop rocker that’ll take up residence in your head for days, while if your tastes run towards dreamy psychedelia, ‘The Angel of Mons,’ a gorgeous little guest vocal from Timo’s 20-year old daughter, Vilma will certainly appeal to Church fans. And for pure pop entertainment, it doesn’t get any better than the bouncing ear candy of ‘Key To The Sacred Pattern,’ which combines hooks that’d make Difford & Tilbrook green with envy with a punchy sonic attack similar to the work of our old friend, Mick Crossley and his Flyte Reaction. It’s a power popper’s delight, and quite simply my favorite track on the album. So plop this on and I guarantee your darkest hours will yield to the brightest sunshine. So if you like your 21st century rock with a tinge of 80’s pop sensibilities, you’re definitely encouraged to check out this wonderful confectioner’s delight! (Jeff Penczak)

Torpedo Pop Online

They wish it could 1967 again!!! ... But don’t we all?

They even refer to XTC and Martin Newell as to their future, and therefore at the moment (of the imaginary 1967) non-existing influences, and as for their own “contemporary” ones, for an observer that’s in the know, the name of the band inspired by the fifth (dimension?) one of the Rubble series, featuring The (pre-Creation) Mark Four, The Poets, The Game, The Attack, Fire and the like, makes it all clear enough.


Both of the tracks from last year’s promo CD single Don’t Make Me Squeeze Yar Balls, Man ... (reviewed elsewhere on these pages) are present, with the Blossom Toes kind of a Britsike quirk of Good Girl, now at least equalled if not bettered with the album’s opening title tune, put through an additional XTC filer, the same one that the popsike pair of Spacedust and Black Prince are being put through.


Likewise, the cockney-ish Britpop of the Small Faces-through-Modernlife-era-Blur kind, of the other single track These Nights Are Supernatural is being accompanied with Kitty Ruxpin, while there’s also some equally slightlydelic Drake-meets-Donovan-like folky stuff to be heard in Morning Of Magicians, as well as some upbeat blue-eyed soul in Key To The Sacred Pattern, with some “singing-bird-like” 12-string fills thrown in, just for the jangle of it.


.. and also, I’d like to think that they seem to have been paying attention to my previous review, and therefore giving a much more serious thought to the artwork, here displaying their West Ham United admiration in spite of the several seas between them.



GORAN OBRADOVIC
/POPISM




Levyn voi hankkia ainakin seuraavista aikaansa seuraavista levykaupoista :

- HELSINKI :
- Keltainen Jäänsärkijä
- Fennica
- Popparienkeli

- TAMPERE :
- Antikvariaatti Aikakone

- PORI
- Music Divari Green River
- Musiikki Belisa
- Moe´s Music

Tai suoraan SoundHawkilta :

timo.soundhawk@pp.inet.fi hintaan 15.00 euroa plus p&p.

T Timo
SoundHawk Records
PL 118
28101 Pori
045-6776518
www.soundhawkrecords.com

SoundHawk kirjoitti noin 18 vuotta sitten+/- saldo : 0
Hey Cosmic Kiddies and Electric Gypsies, let's get out our Electric Crayons
and colour!!

Any band which names themselves after the fantabulous Bam Caruso Rubble
series, (Rubble #5 to be exact), has my undivided attention.Lead
vocalist/guitarist/songwriter/mainman Timo Paakko, who is also a collector
of all things Bam Caruso, shares his love of mod, freakbeat,popsike,and
psychedelic music with us through The Electric Crayon Set, and does it quite
well.
There must be something in the water over in Finland, or perhaps the milk,
as The Electric(ECS) takes us on a varied trip into the musical landscape he
and fellow bandmates have conjured up, mixed and seen to fruituity. Along
with "normal" rock band instruments, ECS adds flute, sitar, and mellotron!
Top notch production as well as the haunting vocal of Vilma Paakko are
injected into this sugar cube, and wow! what a trip, on this their second cd
outing.
The whimiscal "Spacedust" wraps 'round your grey matter and you are
swallowed into the void with the help of sitar.The mellotron laden "Morning
Of Magicians" is another standout track which will leave you in awe.There's
the Beach Boys/Beatlesque "Good Girl" that will leave you humming, and then
we meet a mash up of Hello Kitty/Teddy Ruxpin(toys that I will admit I
bought my podlings oh so many years ago) that rhyme out the days of the week
so you won't forget where you've been.
One could get lost in interpretation of what Timo is writing about, but hey,
it's all open to one's mindframe.
Just get comfortable, or comfortably numb, put your mind in a jar, and leave
the driving to ECS. You'll meet the "Black Prince", "The Angel Of Mons", the
"Archduke Of rain" and journey into "The Nights Are Supernatural" as well as
find the "Keys To The Sacred Pattern" Just "Initiate" the play button on
your player and listen. You definatly won't have to worry about "What A
Rotter Of A Day" you're having.......and oh yes, a masterful rendition of
The Apples' "The Outside"
Essential listening and well worth adding to one's collection. And yes
Virginia, listening to this release proves that indeed, "there is a place to
hide away inside your mind". A very contented place.
Space man Stan of Adventures In Plasticland says........What A Rotter Of A
Day. is NOT a rotter of an album.
ps} think of this as the "lost" XTC's "Dukes Of The Stratosphere" lp. Enjoy!

Stan Hillborn


The Electric Crayon Set What a Rotter of a Day! (Soundhawk, www.soundhawkrecords.com)
This Finnish outfit deliver their most overtly poppy, brightly melodic, upbeat and
accessible release with their shining masterpiece What a Rotter of a Day!. Bringing
to mind later Motorpsycho, XTC, The Lucky Bishops, The Dipsomaniacs, Abbey Road-era Beatles,
and more late 60’s psychedelic popsters, from The Zombies, to Spirit. There have always been
poppy aspects to The Electric Crayon Set’s sound, but this feels like they got together to see
just how good they were really capable of being. Besides being accessible this also represents
the most mature and carefully crafted work of their career. Do not miss this one, this is
world-class great pop music of the highest order.


George Parsons
Dream Magazine #8
www.dreamgeo.com

THE ELECTRIC CRAYON SET - What a rotter of a day! (SoundHawk; 2007)

They wish it could 1967 again !!! ... but don't we all? They even refer to XTC and Martin Newell
as to their future, and therefore at the moment (of the imaginary 1967) non-existing influences,
and as for their own "contemporary ones, for an observer that?s in the know, the name of the band
inspired by the fifth (dimesion?) one of the Rubble series, featuring The (pre-Creation) Mark Four,
The Poets, The Game, The Attack, Fire and the like, makes it all clear enough. Both of the tracks
from last year?s promo CD single "Don't make me squeeze yar balls, man ... (reviewed elsewhere on
these oages) are present, with the Blossom Toes kind of a Britsike quirk of "Good girl", now at
least equalled if not bettered with the album's opening title tune, put through an additional XTC
filter, the same one that the popsike pair of "Spacedust" and "Black prince" are being put through.
Likewise, the cockney-ish Britpop of the Small Faces-through-Modernlife-era-Blur kind, of the other
single track "These nights are supernatural" is being accompanied with "Kitty Ruxpin", while there's
also some equally slightlydelic Drake-meets-Donovan-like folky stuff to be heard in "Morning of magicians",
as well as some upbeat blue-eyed soul in "Key to the sacred pattern", with some "singing-bird-like
12-string fills thrown in, just for the jangle of it.
.. and also, I'd like to think that they seem to have been paying attention to my previous review,
and therefore giving a much more serious tought to the artwork, here displaying their West Ham United
admiration in spite of the several seas between them.

The Electric Crayon Set: What a Rotter of a Day!
Soundhawk Records (HORUSCD-111)

This is the second album by Pori-based The Electric Crayon Set led by the Soundhawk Records
label boss Timo Pääkkö. In addition to music, Timo also seems to be a soccer fanatic, which
might explain the cover art etc. All the band members are long-time musicians and the playing
is very fluent. The music is pretty much influenced by the 60’s psychedelic pop and you can
hear influences by The Beatles and The Creation, for example. There are also some more modern
indie influences in there. One of the best tracks is “Good Girl” that was already released on
a promotional single. The harmony vocals remind me of The Beatles. My favourite still is the folky,
magical “Morning of Magicians” that I guess is based on the teachings of Alistair Crowley and also
includes some narration by the wizard himself. This is a really good, varied and captivating track.
Another winner is the exciting “Spacedust” that includes electric sitar and is a very enjoyable number.
The faster “Initiate” brings to mind The Lucky Bishops from the UK and also includes some psychedelic
effects and a really nice fuzz solo. The other faster track is “Key to the Sacred Pattern”. The last
track is a bit Beatlesque “These Nights Are Supernatural” that has a great chorus and was also previously
released on the promo single. The overall feel of the album is positive, often especially on the catchy,
melodic choruses. It’s still very nice that there is also some a bit darker and more mystical stuff in
there, since this usually goes down better with me. I don’t have anything positive to say about the soccer
theme, but otherwise this is a splendid album of high-quality, at times psychedelic rock-pop.

www.soundhawkrecords.com
14.08.07 by Dj Astro


THE ELECTRIC CRAYON SET

What A Rotter Of A Day (Soundhawk Records) Finland 2007

A strange collection of modern day, psychedelic-influenced pop/rock tunes from Finland s
The Electric Crayon Set. Theyve certainly set themselves a difficult task here by choosing a very (too)
clean studio sound. One cant help thinking that if the sessions had been conducted using a more basic
approach, then they wouldve had more success in achieving more of a vintage psychedelic feel. I dont
know, maybe that wasnt part of their plan anyway, who knows?


That said, What A Rotter Of A Day is quite an engaging experience
with its heady mix of modern drums, proggy keys and heavy fuzz.
They contrast this with some gently reflective, acoustic-led passages,
and there are little pastoral/mediaeval touches here and there with female
vox, flute, and electric sitar to add an exotic flavour. Lots of psych-inspired
lyrical content throughout, and they also cover The Unexplaineds wide-eyed
psych-wonder The Otherside.

The Electric Crayon Sets vision belongs to lead guitarist Timo P, who composes
the music, jointly with bassist Seppo T, and writes the lyrics. He is also responsible
for all lead and backing vocals, which he handles with great style and confidence.
Previous single Good Girl has a really great pop hook, a bit of fuzz and jangle,
and some groovy Hammond moves going for it. Sweden s The Sountrack Of Our Lives
comes to mind, and there's a whiff of XTC / Dukes Of Stratosphear style in evidence also.

You get a load of old cockney on the bonkers Kitty Ruxpin, the groups latest
single, which is quite charming and highly amusing by turns. Cor blimey! There seems to be a
West Ham United FC / concept thing going on here, right down to the cover design which features
the Hammers vintage hero, Bobby Moore. In fact, long after the last track has been and gone,
we hear the story of Kitty Ruxpin being told, sans musical backing, by Keith Hall, who
also does the ongoing dialogue over the title track.

One of the records standout cuts for me is Initiate, which sounds like Eno jamming
with Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, if you can visualise such a meeting; nice backward guitar and vocal
effects too. Elsewhere Key To The Sacred Pattern just gets away with rhyming rainbows with
brainstorms, while ripping the lead break from The Beatles And Your Bird Can Sing.
And even old Aleister Crowley pops up reading The Poet during Morning Of Magicians.

Lenny Helsing

The Electric Crayon Set: What A Rotter Of A Day
Arvioija: Ilmari Ivaska
Arvio:


SoundHawk

The Electric Crayon Set tekee hyvin nopeasti ja yksiselitteisesti selväksi, minkä musiikkitradition
jatkumossa se pyrkii ja kokee olevansa osallisena. Kryptisestä nimestä alkaen halutaan olla – siinä
toki onnistuen – osa 1960-luvulla alkanutta psykedeelisen popin liikettä. 1990-luvun lopulla perustettu
yhtye osoittaakin tuntevansa kivijalkansa muotokielen ja keinot monella taholla. Mersey beatin sointi
on Timo Pääkön (laulu ja kitarat) materiaalissa läsnä vahvasti, mutta äänimaailmaltaan lähimpää liippaa
kenties ennemmin Jethro Tullin kaltaiset, rosoista folkia rock-soppaansa sekoittavat kokoonpanot.

Jos halutaan nostaa The Electric Crayon Setistä jokin yksittäinen tyyppipiirre, jonka kautta sitä
pitäisi alkaa luonnehtimaan, se olisi mitä luultavimmin sovituksellinen ja tuotannollinen koukuttavuus.
Melodiat ovat toki onnistuneita poppailuja, mutta se lienee ehdoton vähimmäisvaatimus, jos haluaa olla
millään lailla uskottava tällä musiikin saralla. Kuten mainittua, koukkuja on rakennettu levyllä niin
soitannollisin kuin tuotannollisinkin keinoin. Tässä mielessä tuntuukin jotenkin omituiselta, että
soundimaailman kokonaisilme on näinkin sielukkaassa musiikissa kuitenkin ikävän viilattu ja kliininen.
Erilaiset miksaustekniset korostukset ja efektit tuntuvat aavistuksen päällekäyviltä, kun perustilana
on hyvin sliipattu, vaikkakin vanhakantainen soundi.

Erinomaiset kappaleet kuitenkin kannattavat kokonaisuutta tyylikkäästi. Keski-ikäisten porilaisten
muusikkomiesten työläisaksentti-huumori ja kaikkinainen brittiläisyydellä leikittely tuntuu toki osin
mauttomalta, mutta avoimesti kieli poskessa meneminen on silti omalla tavallaan viehättävää ja sympaattista.
Levyn avauksena oleva nimiraita on malliesimerkki folk-hengen tyylikkäästä yhdistämisestä osin poikkiteloin
etenevään poljentoon, kun taas osuva Morning of Magicians yhdistää taiten herkän folk-näppäilyn groovaavaan
svengiin. Yksi levyn ehdottomista napakympeistä on kuitenkin Angel of Mons, jonka hauras viiltävyys Vilma
Pääkön tulkitsemine naisvokaaliosuuksineen on omaa luokkaansa. Laadukkaan materiaalin äärellä on kuitenkin
erityisen sääli, että Timo Pääkön tulkintakyky ei yllä kokonaisuuden tasolle. Laulanta on valitettavan
sävytöntä, eikä sen voi sanoa tekevän kunniaa pätevälle kokonaisuudelle. Kaikkine jekkuine ja koukkuineen
on kuitenkin niin, että tämän kaltainen musiikki seisoo ja kaatuu hyvin pitkälle laulajansa mukana.


Tämä levy voisi lähtökohtaisesti olla itselleni napakka täysosuma. Harvoin kuulee yhtä tyylikkäästi
vanhaan nojaavaa musiikkia, joka kuitenkin osaa ja uskaltaa kuulostaa tuoreelta. Levy ei silti pysty
irrottautumaan heikkouksistaan siten, että se todella iskisi.