SIMPUKKA-AMPPELI

I don't know how much it makes sense to review an album by an obscure West Siberian (ok, I mean Finnish) band who are not much known even in their own country and who are often not that much prog either. Here goes anyways.

Their third album sees Absoluuttinen Nollapiste slightly more straightforward that their first two that were filled with curveballs to say the least. It's also less proggy that some of their later material, but still very interesting pop/rock with progressive rock elements thrown in. They've often been compared to to their compatriot pioneers Wigwam, especially their poppier side and that rings true here as well.

Lyrics are an especially important part of this band and especially how they work together with vocal melodies and song structures. For example the slight variation used in the chorus of the opening track "Silti". Of course you have to know the language to be able to fully appreciate it. Most of the tracks are very good oddball offbeat pop songs, but there are a couple of weaker ones towards the end, such as the country pastiche "Heitto-ovet". 10-minute closing track "Viittä vaille sadetta" is a beautiful melancholic epic.

Three stars. Finns can add half a star.