We’ve observed previously that the four-piece art rock band from Helsinki, Spotless Souls, seem to have a thing about oddball romances.
And they continue that tradition with their latest single release, ‘Long lost love’, which they bill as a brooding tale of broken love; one that has fallen into ruin, with it’s hopeless twists and turns, and it’s unfair power games.
I guessed initially that ‘power games’ might mean, or at least suggests, the wielding of such power more often by a ‘celebrity’ male over one or more females and associated gaslighting. We have many examples of such activity here in the UK right now. Indeed I do believe that we have become world champions at it, supplanting the Americans.
I don’t know about Finland in that respect though so it is more plausible that the song is representative instead of the strength of the lingering threads that connect lovers at a higher level of passion after they have parted company and how it is impossible to break them.
The exact opposite of the sentiment behind the phrase ‘there’s plenty of fish in the sea.’
It could equally be a song with this recent period of war remembrances in mind, prompting our recognition of how many millions of young people never returned to be reunited.
Musically, the song didn’t catch my attention initially unlike, say, a previous one, ‘Rosemary’, with its soul and gospel undertones. But it’s a burner that quickly catches up, a sort of jangly guitar American Indie soft rock one that might have been played on a side stage at Woodstock while Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Creedence Clearwater Revival looked on approvingly.
And capping it all (all of Spotless Souls are excellent musicians I have to say) is vocalist and lyricist Alina Kolehmainen. We pointed her out previously for the most intense and striking brown eyes.
Here (and without a video, yet – hopefully we will get one), her voice takes centre stage. It’s a ‘come to bed’ one for the most part. “Long lost love, why don’t you come home?” she wails relentlessly, belting it out like her life depends on it, until suddenly ending on a note that sounds like a cat being strangled.
Hey! I’m no vocal coach. What matters to me is that it sounds like she means it and she does. Implicitly.
(Continues after the Spotify link).
Band Members
• Alina Kolehmainen (Vocals)
• Aarni Artemjeff (Guitars)
• Onerva Rantanen (Bass, backing vocals)
• Luukas Niskanen (Drums)
Find them on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573284929057
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spotless.souls/
Bandcamp: https://spotlesssouls.bandcamp.com/
Photo: Ilari Laitinen
If you’re in the Helsinki area they play Olarin Panimo, in Konepaja, with Thelma’s Dream and Akvaario on Friday 13th November
