The Finnish band JIMBO'S GARAGE is the brainwave of Jimbo Mäkeläinen, the former drummer of bands like IRON CROSS and LORDI. He decided that he was going to change his musical direction and try and compete within the Melodic Metal and even AOR field of music. To achieve any success there you are going to need good vocalists, and he has found two that work. They are the male version Taage Laiho, whom you might know from bands like KILPI, ALTARIA or MAD HATTER'S DEN. The female parts are being sung by Maya Liittokivi, who you could be familiar with through the band DEATHLIKE SILENCE. On the other, like me, you could never had heard of them before.

The rest of the band hasn't got any credentials I could find, but don't sweat it, they are more than capable of competing their tasks on a very acceptable level. No, I shouldn't put it that way, as that is really selling them short. This band fits like the proverbial glove, and together they are capable of producing very good music on a high level of quality. "Jimbo's Garage" is a debut album that Jimbo himself can be very proud of.

Like I said, this is Melodic Metal, bordering on AOR, and it actually reminds me of AXE at some times , but with the rough edges still intact. This album hasn't been produced into a very smooth slab of sounds. No, this has stayed a little ragged on the edges, which allows the music to breathe and remain very organic. And it suits with the songs that JIMBO'S GARAGE are throwing at us. Yes, maybe the lyrics are a little simple at times, but on the other hand, that also makes them easy to follow. And it gives the vocalists the possibility to exert themselves in a very good way. Although I must say, when you hear them in a duet, their voices are quite similar. A minor minus point.

A very pleasant surprise is the cover of the LIONEL RICHIE classic "Hello". JIMBO'S GARAGE has really transformed the song in a way that they own this version, without being disrespectful to the original. It is emotional, but also becomes a regular rocker, whilst still keeping the subtle parts that identify the song. I am impressed. All together I can only conclude that JIMBO'S GARAGE have produced a very successful debut album, and that if you are a fan of the lighter stuff, you could do a lot worse than listening to "Jimbo's Garage".