Jani Kaunis & The Puukot – Kohtalon Rummut
It’s only artists who are unsure of their abilities or their intentions who won’t admit where they get their ideas. It’s only artists who don’t know how to be giving that hide the pictures of the ones who inspired them in drawers when they have company.
Pablo Picasso admitted to stealing most of his great ideas. He claimed, however, that it’s not the act of taking that is important, but, specifically, what it is that you choose to take. Jani Kaunis & The Puukot seem to have heard the advice and taken it to heart.
Why not take advantage of all the great things that technology and, yes, let’s admit it, globalisation have brought us. Whereas musicians of the past could only learn through the songs played in their region, artists can now borrow tricks from others like them from all over the world. What a time to be alive!
This is why Jani Kaunis & The Puukots’ “Kohtalon Rummut” creates a fun, hilariously dramatic blend of styles. This is operatic surf-rock based primarily on the sort of musical elements that are most foreign to Swedish pop-rock. Why would Kaunis not have seen American surf movies or heard Italian operatic styles? And why wouldn’t a group possessing so much skill want to blend all of these things together?
They Say Stories – 49 Love
Managers and record label execs will hate me telling you this, but stadium gigs hardly ever affected anyone meaningfully. Sure, a lot of T-shirts got sold, and the band rolled out the hit. But as soon as those in attendance were in the parking lot and climbing into their cars, the magic had worn off. All of them went about their regular lives just as if they’d watched a soap opera on television. They Say Stories are wise enough to know this.
Then again, entire musical movements that ended up having a global reach were born out of mouldy old clubs. Some of the greatest rock bands were created, in concept, at least, by impressionable musicians who witnessed a life-changing small club gig. The greatest musical alliances were forged when people of similar interests walked into the same small place where music was being shared and where people’s voices were being included.
“49 Love” is an emotion-filled garage-rock love letter to the power of small gatherings, good energy and live music. In it, you’ll find the very spirit of rock n’ roll itself. In particular, the effortlessly poppy song talks about the ever-shrinking First Nation powwows. And while the good days may seem behind us at times, the things that made them good in the first place can always be accessed once more.
