AJATUKSIA MAAILMAN LAIDALTA

When I first started listeneing to this it sounded like your typical Scandanavian Folk band with a female vocalist. The fact she sings in her own Finnish language is kind of cool but really i'm not big on Prog-Folk to begin with so...so after 3 minutes on the first track comes this electric guitar solo that has me begging for more, and guess what ? There's plenty more where that came from. Add to that the flute and sax and this album completely won me over.

"Leijonan Syksy" opens with rain and thunder before these female vocals with acoustic guitar take over. Synths flood in before 3 minutes. Nice. Then that guitar solo I like so much follows. Just gorgeous. Vocals are back before 5 1/2 minutes then another guitar solo before 6 minutes. "Ajatuksia Maailman Laidalta" opens with guitar then the female vocals take over with a pleasant melody. Piano after a minute. Guitar before 4 minutes. Synths late followed by vocals. Organ ends it. It sounds like church organ actuially,quite powerful.

"Ilmalaiva Italia" opens with relaxed sounds as reserved vocals join in. Check out the guitar after 2 1/2 minutes that comes out of nowhere and starts to light it up for a prolonged period of time. Nice. A calm after 4 1/2 minutes as the original soundscape returns. "Meri" opens with the sounds of waves as acoustic guitar and vocals join in. The electric guitar after 1 1/2 minutes is brief. Organ before 3 1/2 minutes. Flute 5 minutes in followed by more electric guitar. Vocals are back then the waves end it. "Luuttomat" features flute and acoustic guitar early as reserved vocals join in. Sax comes in before 2 minutes and later at 4 minutes. Good song. "Johdatus" is the longest track at 9 1/2 minutes. Drums and keyboards to start.It picks up some when the vocals join in. Piano before 5 minutes followed by the guitar that starts to solo. I like it. Piano is back 8 1/2 minutes in.

This is so well done from beginning to end, a well deserved 4 stars.