TUVALU

Even seconds into the self-titled third album by this Finnish band, and I could tell I was going to become a fan of Tuvalu. Here is a contemporary progressive rock band that achieves the balance I look for in prog; that is, a balance between modern and classic sounds. Like The Mars Volta and Porcupine Tree, Tuvalu is a band that takes some vintage prog rock sounds and thrusts it into the fresh end of the scene. Descriptions as 'The Mars Volta with female vocals' are inevitable, but Tuvalu stands out in the Finnish prog realm.

'Tulevien aikojen luurangot' is a perfect reason for new listeners to think of The Mars Volta when hearing Tuvalu. Tuvalu have a modern psychedelic edge to their sound, although they are possibly most defined by their 'out of control' feeling that's brought on by the guitars and viciously precise drumwork. Rounding off the comparison is vocalist Annina Antinranta, whom virtually all reviewers (including myself!) seem to feel the need to mention is a female. After all, what man could have hoped to sing as high as Cedric! Regardless, her voice is powerful and melodic, although the music on 'Tuvalu' is rarely catchy. Antinranta's vocal style is influenced greatly by the phonetics of the Finnish language, which is quite distinctive. For an English-speaking listener who admittedly cannot understand what is being sung, there is still plenty of room to admire the way the words sound; Finnish is not an immediately musical language, but it works very well for Tuvalu. To counter the often weird and noisy guitar work, Antinranta's voice is sometimes teched out with a vocorder, the effect of which gives her a robotic tone to her vocals. Although there are quite a lot of ideas to take in without the comfort of many 'singalong' melodies, Tuvalu are instantly enjoyable in lieu of their fresh sound, regardless of their similarity to The Mars Volta.

Tuvalu are a dark, atmospheric band with a nice vintage touch. The psychedelic flourishes on 'Tuvalu' add to the enjoyment and identity, although Tuvalu did have a tendency to get lost in some of the more brooding sections of the album, occasionally to the point where the enjoyment and excitement began to wane, if only a little bit. Regardless, 'Tuvalu' is a near- masterpiece from an excellent Finnish progressive act, and if listeners can reach past the language barrier, they should find a wealth of enjoyment to behold here.

awesome drumming

mars volta but with female finnish vocals (another man could not hope to sing hat high!)

very nice vocals, not catchy at all but good melodies

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