KAARMELAUTAKUNTA

The second Alamaailman Vasarat album diversifies their style a bit. Their core business is still jagged gypsy folk with a punk-energy shot, but the intensity and tempos vary a bit more then on the debut. Strangely enough, the variation doesn't remove the impression that this band remains a one-trick stop.

The great thing about the album, and this type of Kletzmer folk music in general, is how immediate and catchy it is. Alamaailman Vasarat adds a (very) light RIO avant-garde touch to the music, adding some dissonance, sonic experimentations, interesting harmonic arrangements and of course their 'saxophone-metal' trick as evident on the sweeping Astiatehdas and the heavy Jaa, Hyva Mieli, which are, due to the more original approach, the two highlights of the album. But generally I find their music less dynamic and adventurous then the original world music that they were inspired by.

On top of that, Alamaailman Vasarat also let go of an essential feature of this type of music, namely heartfelt intensity. A few vivacious moments not withstanding, this music bears none of the passion and emotional turmoil that usually defines Kletzmer music. I only have to play a couple of minutes from a Turkish artist like Selim Sesler to hear how cold and calculated Käärmelautakunta sounds.

A nice listen but there's little to discover behind the pleasant façade, not from a musical perspective, nor emotionally. Hardly 3 stars.