KEESOJEN LEHTO (AKA MATHEMATICIAN'S AIR DISPLAY, THE CONSEQUENCES OF INDECISIONS)

The four earliest PEKKA POHJOLA albums have recently been re-released on gatefold sleeve vinyl by Svart Records. This is the third one, probably the best known internationally because it's a collaboration with MIKE OLDFIELD (producer, guitars). All music is composed by Pohjola however. Relistening to it now made me think that it's musically not as strong as the other three albums. Sadly so, since Oldfield is among my favourites from the 70's. Maybe this once-in-a-lifetime collaboration of two musical geniuses wasn't so harmonic musically as one would have hoped it to be. Of course Pekka did participate in Mike's concerts a couple of years later (double live album Exposed, 1979), but no more studio collaborations followed.

'Oivallettu matkalyhty' (The Perceived Journey Lantern) features Pohjola's bandmates Georg Wadenius (g), Wlodek Gulkowsi (synth) and Vesa Aaaltonen (dr) from MADE IN SWEDEN, curiously not Oldfield, even if it wasn't among the pieces that were initially recorded in Stockholm before the invitation to make an album in Mike's countryside home studio. It is an interesting, guitar-centred piece, but relatively hard-edged and cold, missing the certain Pohjola magic -- which comes very much alive in the second track 'Kädet suoristavat veden' (Hands Straighten the Water). In it Pohjola's bass, piano, harpsichord and string-syntheziser is accompanied by Mike on guitar and his sister Sally Oldfield on ethereal background vocalising. The harpsichord-led intro circulates the heartfelt melody familiar from WIGWAM's 'Pride of the Biosphere' (on Being, 1974). The slightly too dominant electric guitar in the end adds the Oldfield flavour.

Side A is finished by 'Matemaatikon lentonäytös' (The Mathematician's Air Display, also the album title of the Virgin release; the original release was naturally from Love Records). Pekka on bass and keyboards, Mike on guitars, plus Pierre Moerlen (GONG) on drums. In Pekka Pohjola's biography it's said that the recording of drums isn't very succesful, and if you pay attention to them you'll probably agree; they do sound quite blurred. The crescendo composition itself is an outstanding Pohjola classic.

The majority of the B side is nearly 16-minute, two-part 'Pääntaivuttelun seuraukset' (The Consequences of Head Bending). By the way, the titles were invited by the Finnish singer-songwriter Hector, whereas on earlier Pohjola albums it had been Mats Huldén, ex-Wigwam. There's interesting progression in this piece, but here and there, especially in the beginning, it feels rather lifeless and academically dry. Gulkowski's synth solo is nice. Both guitarists appear on this track but their styles are easily identified; the Oldfield solo backed also by Moerlen's bells is a highlight.

The 2-minute closer 'Varjojen varaslähtö' (False Start of the Shadows) is a humourous little piece, again featuring Sally's voice. Mike plays mandolin and whistle -- the latter makes me a bit annoyed. As usual, the musical jokes are not so interesting on repeated listening. The cover art by Risto Kurkinen is great. This is a classic album I'd really want to enjoy more, but it's not completely succesful in my opinion, and it's only 35 minutes long. Therefor only three stars.