Tavat
Tavat

Besides having a Facebook page with only 250 likes, it was hard to find any solid information on the band. Svart Records did have some, but it was all in Finnish. The line-up above is listed as the "live line-up," so I am not sure if they were involved in the recording or not. In any case, the album has ten songs.
"Puolimieli" is the first. It's an instrumental with an old school Progressive Rock sound. The vocals don't come in until half-way through, and they are sung in Finnish, and slightly pitchy to boot. The instrumental section is pretty tight, like a YES or GENESIS back in the day. "Vaarat ja virrat" is a groovy offering, especially in the bass notes, and all of the sudden I feel like putting on a flowered shirt and strolling into the den with bellbottoms on. This is some trippy music for sure. "Oljenkorsi" is another short song with throwback sounds. It might be the English speaker in me, but the songs don't sound quite as good in Finnish.
"Oleskelun ytimessä" features smoother, and more pleasant tones, but this is some trippy stuff. I picture the band recording in small studio, all packed in half-naked with doobies in hand and some other treats to help "expand their minds." "Pohjoinen" is the longest on the album. Take a handful of mushrooms and stroll through the glen, making sure you stop to smell the flowers along the way. This time, it's female vocals leading the way. They are more in key. This is an odd album so far. "Kutsu toisaalle" is another sunny song without a care in the world. This song has a harder edge to it and a groove that you can tap your feel along with. "Valeharhautus" is a bit of a darker offering with some minor chords here and there, and the occasional major chord coming through. "Äreä aamunkoitto" closes the album. Beginning with what sounds like xylophone notes, it's another odd offering, with funky keys and some strange background elements.
The band has excellent musicians who play very tightly together. What they offer you however is not something the casual fan of Rock might be into. I think this has a very narrow audience, especially with the throw-back sound. I feel like I am on a long journey with no destination. The compositions are solid, but I am just not sure the band knows who their audience is.
5 / 10
Mediocre
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production

"Tavat" Track-listing:
1. Puolimieli
2. Vaarat ja virrat
3. Oljenkorsi
4. Oleskelun ytimessä
5. Pohjoinen
6. Sanat sakenee
7. Kutsu toisaalle
8. Kehdon koettelemus
9. Valeharhautus
10. Äreä aamunkoitto
Tavat Lineup:
Juhani Laine
Jan-Erik Kiviniemi
Taneli Manninen
Ami Kajan
Teemu Mononen
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