TIME ALONE WITH YOU / OBSOLETE MACHINE

This Finnish prog pioneer released their aponymous debut album in 1969. It's a strong but slightly uneven mix of ballsy jazz-rock, jazz, blues, psychedelia and also some art music influences, featuring top musicians like the guitarist Jukka Tolonen and sax/flute player Juhani Aaltonen. The vocals are by British- born Frank Robson, who has a thick, bluesy voice, a bit reminding of Procol Harum's Gary Brooker (and Traffic's Steve Winwood, though not as much as Wigwam's Jukka Gustavson did).

So, into this unrated, coverless single. The A-side 'Time Alone With You' doesn't much interest me. It's written by Robson and his vocals sort of push into the centre more than would be needed. The much repeated "naa naa naa naa naa naa" could have been replaced by some instrument. The song is quite fast and straightforward blues-rock.

'Obsolete Machine' was taken from the album, and for me it's among its highlights. It is rooted in blues- rock too, but it has so much more to offer. Aaltonen's flute is fantastic and can be heard almost through the whole track. The rhythm pattern is very nice and lively (I can't say what it is, I have no such musical knowledge). Vesa Aaltonen does excellent work on drums. This song, credited to the whole band, has a perfect balance between sung parts and instrumental sections. It goes forward very determinantly and yet it has a fascinating, psychedelic atmosphere to it. If that was a non-album track I might give one star more, but in my opinion this single is not very notable. 'Time Alone With You' is included as a bonus on the debut album's CD edition.