OLOS

My boss recommended listening to this album, as he knew I was interested of progressive rock, and this band has been considered as a prog group at least here in Finland. The album intro revealed some post rock tones, and there were quite nice peaceful soundscapes on it. Sadly this starter was quite short, as I think it could have evolved further, and the rest of the tracks revealed band's true style. This appeared to be slightly artistic pop rock, maybe a softer version of other Finnish bands CMX or Y.U.P. Finnish lyrics mean limitless of global understanding of their non-musical message, which could also be seen as a beneficial factor. Sometimes I get slightly frustrated by artsy rock lyrics in my own language, as I cannot escape their constant flood from the radio or local parties. Some of these jokes were funny though, like "throw thy dishwater on smoldering open-wire". A couple of these songs resembled distantly a happier and bit more humorous version of Landberk's approach on their "Indian Summer" album. I must admit though that I like that album really much more. I listened this peaceful, even radio friendly record through once, and believe won't return to it ever again. Maybe it could be recommended for Finnish audiences interested of artistic pop music. For a non-Finnish music collectors this could be an example of Finnish independent rock music or an exotic pop album for potential investigation.

I believe I'm not lying, if I mention, that since 2000 Absoluuttinen Nollapiste has bagun most of their live sets with the 3rd song of this ground-breaking album. Kotiinpaluu, Jotenkin is an important piece to me too. This record was the first album from Absoluuttinen Nollapiste that I ever heard, though I had heard of them several times. The album seemed very obscure and strange, yet naive and stupid after first listening.

Then after litening to it for a while I realised my mistake. Fans, that like them immediately are scarce, and this record required several listenings too. The band makes rock you have never heard before. Sometimes you feel like you're listening to a commercial, at times it's like a movie soundtrack, and then there are the lyrics.

There are people who don't like Liimatta's lyrics because they're not up to listening to them. He may not be the best singer, but as a lyrics-writer and an author he's one of the coutry's bests. Songs like Ja Jos, and Kotiinpaluu, Jotenkin are brilliant poetry and great classics of the band. However, you can't always nail it. It took me 3 years to start appreciating the lyrics on Käsitys Mummoloista.

The sound on the record is very original, though still much bound to the 90's wherther they like it or not. The next decade brought distortion to everything, and that was clear with Nollapiste too. This album has some melodic riffs, each song has its own, but mostly the music is pop-rock. It's light to the ear with a lot of clever and meaningful lyrics.

This album can be considered one of their best seeing as how a lot of the songs find their way to the live sets even after 10 years. These include the two mentioned and Neljä Ruukkua Neliössä, which is a lyrical riddle I still haven't, after all the years, solved. To start analyzing a poets work while doing a cd-review would not make sense, and probably would lead us astray.

We've already said, that the album is the one that begun an era in Finnish rock music and especally in Nollapiste's music. How about the ones before? I see the band going more and more popwise on this album and bringing the popculture with them to the 21st century, while during the 90's the guys were really young and still trying to find their own style.

I shall conclude this short review with a praise. This album is definately in the top 5 of the best Finnish rock albums ever made. Yet, for the prog-fans it still serves the expected quality. The album sounds better after each listen. Just don't judge before you really know the record, like i did once. I believe the album deserves a whole 4 out of 5 in the international scene. If you like art-rock the least bit, give this one a go.