”I really like Bjorklof’s vocals throughout and blended with Leppanen, Nuolikoski, Lindroos and Railio, this is a tough combo to beat. This is an excellent release!”

I just received the newest release, Ain’t Bad Yet, from Micke Bjorklof (pronounced Be-York-Loaf)& Blue Strip and it’s an excellent blues rocker. Opening with Last Train To Memphis, a driving rocker with great blues riff. Vocalist Micke Bjorklof leads the way and guitarist Lefty Leppanen chases on slide guitar backed by Teemu Vuorela on drums and Seppo Nuolikoski on bass. On Sweet Troublemaker, the band picks up a serious rock beat heavily reinforced by Vuorela on drums and Nuolikoski on bass. Tim Lewis joins on keys with Micke on lead vocal, Lena Lindroos and Veera Railio on backing vocal and Lefty on slide. Excellent rocker! Lefty opens Rain In Jerusalem with really rich, thick slide tones reinforced by Lewis on keys. With Timo Roiko-Jokela on percussion and Vuorela on drums, this track has a super rhythm. Super track! Offbeat funky, Get Ya In Da Mood has it’s own sound and Bjorklof adds blues harp to his lead vocals. Lefty lays down a really nice guitar solo with trem bends and stinging blues riffs, heavily reinforced by TRJ and Vuorela. Very nice! Slinky, Hold Your Fire Baby is one of my favorite tracks on the relese. It puts me in mind of a super track/remake by Al Green and Savoy Brown of an old Temptations track. It just has a super groove and I really like the hooded vocals with harp over the mix. Excellent track! On title track It Ain’t Bad Yet, Lefty digs in on resonator accompanying Micke for a somber ballad. With it’s island jazz mix, Rat Chase, the band shows it’s real versatility, creating a totally Caribbean feel. With heavy snare/cymbal beat and bass reinforcement, pushed along byLewis on keys, Micke really ramps up on this track vocally filling the air with smoke on harp. Excellent! Sweet Dream’s A Sweet Dream is the purest radio track on the release but even with it’s super hook and contained vocals, Lefty screams out great guitar riffs and Nuolikoski drives a great bass rhythm. Today has a ramblin’ country blues feel with finger picked banjo like guitar and light percussion. Two stepping, Blame It On The Bright Lights, has just a tint of 60’s beach music with easy vocal harmonizing. Vuorela maintains the tracks steadiness with tight drums and Lefty steps in with a flashy stylistic guitar solo. Wrapping the release is In Chains, an excellent primitive style blues with crisp with New Orleans style stumble drumming, warm slide work and perfectly thought out harp trimming. I really like Bjorklof’s vocals throughout and blended with Leppanen, Nuolikoski, Lindroos and Railio, this is a tough combo to beat. This is an excellent release!

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Tehty kestämään
Micke Björklöf & Blue Stripin uusin levy ”Ain’t Bad Yet” tihkuu osaamista ja tervettä itseluottamusta – ja niiden ensiluokkaista toteuttamista.

Micke Björklöf & Blue Stripin ”Ain’t Bad Yet” on vuoden 2015 näkyvimpiä ja tärkeimpiä kotimaisia levyjä. Se on Björklöfin isomman bändin toinen laajamittainen kansainvälinen
levyprojekti. Edellinen levy ”After the Flood” äänitettiin runsaat kaksi vuotta sitten New Orleansissa. Levyttämistä ulkomailla treenailtiin vuonna 2007, kun Lontoossa syntyi
”Whole ’Nutha Thang”. Siihen nähden, kuinka suuren työn Björklöf joukkoineen teki New Orleans –levyn eteen, on aika yllättävää, että seuraaja ilmestyi jo puolitoista vuotta myöhemmin. ”Ain’t Bad Yet” ei ole todellakaan mikään hätäisesti tekaistu menestyslevyn jatko-osa, vaan teos, jonka ilmeisenä tavoitteena on korkea tasalaatuisuus. Albumin tuottajaksi saatiin moninkertainen Grammy-voittaja John Porter, ja äänityspaikaksi valikoitui kuuluisa Rockfield Studios. Walesiin orkesteri matkusti viime vuoden lokakuussa. Uutuuskiekko pitää sisällään yksitoista kappaletta. Määrä on ihanteellinen: se kertoo bändin luottamuksesta biisimateriaaliin. Määrällä ei yritetä korvata laatua, toisin kuin lukemattomilla muilla nykyajan albumeilla. Leijonanosa sävelteoksista pulppuaa jälleen kerran kitaristi-hovisäveltäjä Ville ”Lefty” Leppäsen kynästä. Levy on monipuolinen. Sen lokeroiminen tiettyyn genreen on vaikeaa ja turhaa. Riittänee, kun todetaan, että se on varmasti monien bluesin ja sen sukuisen musiikin ystävien makuun. ’Rehellisin’ blues taitaa olla ”Hold Your Fire Baby”, jolla Björklöf heittää lauluosuuksien lisäksi mojovat huuliharput. Jatkumon toisesta päästä löytyy ”Today”. Se kallistuu countryn ja vähän popinkin territoriolle.

”Rain in Jerusalem” lienee suunniteltu levyn ydinkappaleeksi. Lefty on ideoinut suoranaisen ihmeriffin, jonka ympärille biisin kasvava luonne rakentuu. Sotaa ja yleistä vihanpitoa vastaan taisteleva sanoitus on sanarikkaudessaan melkein rap-tyyliä, ja tuskin aivan ihanteellinen Björklöfin lauluilmaisulle. Orkestrointi on verrattain iso, mutta kasvava rakenne ei tule täysin hyödynnetyksi. Yleisesti hyvä riffi on biisille mahdollistaja; nyt kappale jää riffin vangiksi, ja alun tyyntä ennen myrskyä –tunnelman antamat lupaukset jäävät lunastamatta.
”Get Ya in Da Mood” –biisin valinta ”Jerusalemin” perään on täydellinen veto. Nyt vedetään simppelillä groovella ja tarinoidaan reissuista Yhdysvaltain etelään. Tällä ryhmällä on siihen papua, ovathan takana muun muassa New Orleans –matka sekä Björklöfin trion, Micke & Lefty feat. Chefin, kisamatka International Blues Challenge –karkeloihin Memphisiin. Lefty heittää (hänen mittakaavallaan) yksinkertaisen kitarasoolon, joka iskee napakymppiin. Björklöf puristaa laulussa vähän turhaan. Kevyemmällä laululla kappale olisi vielä viekoittelevampi, seksikkäämpi pala. Voimallinen ja kiireinen laulutapa sen sijaan sopii avausbiisille ”Last Train to Memphis” oivallisesti. Kappaleella kärsimätön kertoja odottaa junan lähtöä ehtiäkseen Memphisiin kuulemaan muun muassa Carl Perkinsiä ja Howlin’ Wolfia. Taidetaan elää 50-lukua. Parilla kappaleella Micke onneksi osoittaa, ettei hän ole yhden tyylin mies. Nimikappaleella ilmaisu on rauhallinen, samoin hitaalla blues-rockilla ”Sweet Dream’s a Sweet Dream”. Jälkimmäinen tuo mieleen Michael Burksin slovarit. Sen leijaileva tunnelma imaisee kuulijan pehmoisen uneliaalle matkalle.

Mainio basisti Seppo Nuolikoski on häärinyt parin kappaleen tekijänä. Rento rokki ”Troublemaker” palauttaa mieleen raidan ”Jungle Cat”, joka oli yksi ”Whole ’Nutha Thang” –kiekon kohokohdista. ”Blame It on the Bright Lights” nousee levyn yllättäjäksi. Ilmaisultaan se on ”Troublemakerin” tapaan rento, ja muutakin mielenkiintoista löytyy kuin hauska
kertosäe. Kappaleen kertojalla on näet mennyt illanvietto pitkäksi, ja hän anoo mielitietyltään armoa lukitun ulko-oven takana. Tarina ei kerro, kuinka miespolon kävi, mutta hauska stoori on näinkin… Lefty Leppäsen mielikuvituksella ei tunnu olevan rajoja. Sävellyksiin, sanoituksiin ja kitaraosuuksiin tuntuu löytyvän uutta ideaa aina vaan. Sanoituksissa riittää
teemoja ja kielikuvia; osa teksteistä tosin jää fiilistelyn tasolle. Myös rumpali Teemu Vuorela on levyn ehdoton supertähti. Tätä on odotettu: Blue Strip on saanut vihdoin sen ison, täyteläisen ja persoonallisen rumpusoundin, johon on ollut rahkeet jo pitkään. ”Last Train to Memphis” –avauksen lisäksi soundi on parhaimmillaan kappaleilla ”In Chains” ja ”Rat Chase”; jälkimmäisellä Vuorela saa yhdessä Timo Roiko-Jokelan kanssa aikaiseksi melkoisen lattarityylisen tulituksen. Tim Lewisin koskettimet ja laulukaksikon (Lena Lindroos ja Veera Railio) vierailut ripottelevat kivaa maustetta. Pääosassa on silti viisimiehinen Micke Björklöf & Blue Strip.

”Ain’t Bad Yet” –levyllä on niin paljon tuotannollisia, musiikillisia ja merkityksiin liittyviä arvoja, että sen täydellinen ymmärtäminen vaatii toistuvaa ja pitkäjänteistä kuuntelua. Mitä paremmin sanoman ymmärtää, sitä antoisampi on vastaanottajan kokemus. Tämä albumi tulee kestämään aikaa. Siksi se kannattaakin hankkia levyhyllyyn.
-Pasi Tuominen, Blues.Finland.com
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Osta nyt

” I really like Bjorklof’s vocals throughout and blended with Leppanen, Nuolikoski, Lindroos and Railio, this is a tough combo to beat. This is an excellent release!”

I just received the newest release, Ain’t Bad Yet, from Micke Bjorklof (pronounced Be-York-Loaf)& Blue Strip and it’s an excellent blues rocker. Opening with Last Train To Memphis, a driving rocker with great blues riff. Vocalist Micke Bjorklof leads the way and guitarist Lefty Leppanen chases on slide guitar backed by Teemu Vuorela on drums and Seppo Nuolikoski on bass. On Sweet Troublemaker, the band picks up a serious rock beat heavily reinforced by Vuorela on drums and Nuolikoski on bass. Tim Lewis joins on keys with Micke on lead vocal, Lena Lindroos and Veera Railio on backing vocal and Lefty on slide. Excellent rocker! Lefty opens Rain In Jerusalem with really rich, thick slide tones reinforced by Lewis on keys. With Timo Roiko-Jokela on percussion and Vuorela on drums, this track has a super rhythm. Super track! Offbeat funky, Get Ya In Da Mood has it’s own sound and Bjorklof adds blues harp to his lead vocals. Lefty lays down a really nice guitar solo with trem bends and stinging blues riffs, heavily reinforced by TRJ and Vuorela. Very nice! Slinky, Hold Your Fire Baby is one of my favorite tracks on the relese. It puts me in mind of a super track/remake by Al Green and Savoy Brown of an old Temptations track. It just has a super groove and I really like the hooded vocals with harp over the mix. Excellent track! On title track It Ain’t Bad Yet, Lefty digs in on resonator accompanying Micke for a somber ballad. With it’s island jazz mix, Rat Chase, the band shows it’s real versatility, creating a totally Caribbean feel. With heavy snare/cymbal beat and bass reinforcement, pushed along byLewis on keys, Micke really ramps up on this track vocally filling the air with smoke on harp. Excellent! Sweet Dream’s A Sweet Dream is the purest radio track on the release but even with it’s super hook and contained vocals, Lefty screams out great guitar riffs and Nuolikoski drives a great bass rhythm. Today has a ramblin’ country blues feel with finger picked banjo like guitar and light percussion. Two stepping, Blame It On The Bright Lights, has just a tint of 60’s beach music with easy vocal harmonizing. Vuorela maintains the tracks steadiness with tight drums and Lefty steps in with a flashy stylistic guitar solo. Wrapping the release is In Chains, an excellent primitive style blues with crisp with New Orleans style stumble drumming, warm slide work and perfectly thought out harp trimming. I really like Bjorklof’s vocals throughout and blended with Leppanen, Nuolikoski, Lindroos and Railio, this is a tough combo to beat. This is an excellent release!
Read more

”Terrific songs and outstanding performances with a rich southern vibe are key to the allure of this album, which by the way is produced by legendary John Porter…Ain’t Bad Yet is a soulful blend of blues and country, making this eleven track album a refreshingly cool listen from start to end.  Micke Bjorklof and Blue Strip definitely hit this one out of the park.”

Ain’t Bad Yet, the sixth album from Finnish blues-rock group Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip is an instant hit as far as I’m concerned.  The lineup of the band remains the same, featuring Bjorklof(vocals/harmonica/guitar), Lefty Leppänen(electric guitar/slide guitar), Teemu Vuorela(drums),  Seppo Nuolikoski(bass) and Timo Roiko-Jokela(percussion/malletkat).  Terrific songs and outstanding performances with a rich southern vibe are key to the allure of this album, which by the way is produced by legendary John Porter.
A saucy rhythm, joined with hot harmonica licks, spill all over “Rat Race”, a spectacular jammin’ favorite, reminiscent of one of my favorite bands, Phish.  I love the change of tempo when the band breaks into “Sweet Dream’s a Sweet Dream”, a slightly spacy Hendrix-influenced treat.  Leppänen’s swampy slide guitar sounds so good on “Last Train to Memphis”, and “Today”.
Catchy blues-filed hooks and a hard driving beat keep the anti-war anthem “Rain in Jerusalem” quite centered.  This is such a powerful song.  Bjorklof delivers funky vocals and sweet harmonica over a really cool little bass-line provided by Seppo on “Hold Your Fire Baby”.  Gritty blues sounds best with some cool harp.  I dig the twangy “Blame It On the Bright Lights”, with its catchy back-beat.  John Porter steps in with guitar in hand and is joined by singers Lena Lindroos and Veera Railio. This song reminds me a lot of southern twangsters, Southern Culture on the Skids. I can’t help but feel good all over when I hear it.

Ain’t Bad Yet is a soulful blend of blues and country, making this eleven track album a refreshingly cool listen from start to end.  Micke Bjorklof and Blue Strip definitely hit this one out of the park.

Read more

”Finland’s best kept secret, and possibly hottest commodity, Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip are a blues/rock band reminiscent of some of the earliest blues-rockers.”

Ain’t Bad Yet
Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip
HokaHey Records HHR 1501
I found myself going back to Macke Bjorklof & Blue Strip and giving them another listen.  It resulted in a rewrite of my review and an apology to the band.  These are all top-notch musicians…some of the best in the world.

Finland’s best kept secret, and possibly hottest commodity, Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip are a blues/rock band reminiscent of some of the earliest blues-rockers.  From hard-driving blues, deeply rooted in the oldest of blues traditions, to laid-back ballads, this band has their bases covered.  The musicianship on this album is solid, through and through, with great guitar work and a rhythm section that is right on the money.  As an added bonus, we have the fact that all the tunes are original, written by the band.  Micke Bjorklof on vocals, harmonica and electric guitar (cut 4), Lefty Leppanen on electric and slide guitars & backing vocals, Teemu Vourela on drums, Seppo Nuolikoski on bass & vocals, Timo Roiko-Jokela on percussion, Tim Lewis on assorted organs, John Porter on electric guitar (cut 10) and background vocals thanks to Lena Lindroos & Veera Railio make up the unit that is tight as the proverbial gnat’s backside.  They have obviously done their homework when it comes to blues and have not only a deep love for the genre but musical roots that run deep.  If I had to pick a single word to describe this band, it would be ”polished.”  They have been plying their trade throughout Finland and Scandinavia for more than 20 years…and it shows.  While I was not familiar with the band until just recently, you can bet I’ll not miss their next release.  This band shows elements of what appears to be a Cuban influence on a number or two, which I found not only interesting, but refreshing.  This band is diverse, moving from one style to another, seamlessly, and never drifting far from the root in blues in the process. While some purists might argue, it is hard to ignore the quality of the musicianship, the songwriting and the overall performance.  To put it bluntly, this is an ass-kicking band, and well worth a good listen, and then some. — Bill Wilson
Read more

”Finland’s best kept secret, and possibly hottest commodity, Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip are a blues/rock band reminiscent of some of the earliest blues-rockers.”

I found myself going back to Macke Bjorklof & Blue Strip and giving them another listen.  It resulted in a rewrite of my review and an apology to the band.  These are all top-notch musicians…some of the best in the world.

Finland’s best kept secret, and possibly hottest commodity, Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip are a blues/rock band reminiscent of some of the earliest blues-rockers.  From hard-driving blues, deeply rooted in the oldest of blues traditions, to laid-back ballads, this band has their bases covered.  The musicianship on this album is solid, through and through, with great guitar work and a rhythm section that is right on the money.  As an added bonus, we have the fact that all the tunes are original, written by the band.  Micke Bjorklof on vocals, harmonica and electric guitar (cut 4), Lefty Leppanen on electric and slide guitars & backing vocals, Teemu Vourela on drums, Seppo Nuolikoski on bass & vocals, Timo Roiko-Jokela on percussion, Tim Lewis on assorted organs, John Porter on electric guitar (cut 10) and background vocals thanks to Lena Lindroos & Veera Railio make up the unit that is tight as the proverbial gnat’s backside.  They have obviously done their homework when it comes to blues and have not only a deep love for the genre but musical roots that run deep.  If I had to pick a single word to describe this band, it would be ”polished.”  They have been plying their trade throughout Finland and Scandinavia for more than 20 years…and it shows.  While I was not familiar with the band until just recently, you can bet I’ll not miss their next release.  This band shows elements of what appears to be a Cuban influence on a number or two, which I found not only interesting, but refreshing.  The band is diverse, moving from one style to another, seamlessly, and never drifting far from the root in blues in the process. While some purists might argue, it is hard to ignore the quality of the musicianship, the songwriting and the overall performance.  To put it bluntly, this is an ass-kicking band, and well worth a good listen, and then some. — Bill Wilson
Lue lisää

”Terrific songs and outstanding performances with a rich southern vibe are key to the allure of this album, which by the way is produced by legendary John Porter…Ain’t Bad Yet is a soulful blend of blues and country, making this eleven track album a refreshingly cool listen from start to end.  Micke Bjorklof and Blue Strip definitely hit this one out of the park.”

Ain’t Bad Yet, the sixth album from Finnish blues-rock group Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip is an instant hit as far as I’m concerned.  The lineup of the band remains the same, featuring Bjorklof(vocals/harmonica/guitar), Lefty Leppänen(electric guitar/slide guitar), Teemu Vuorela(drums),  Seppo Nuolikoski(bass) and Timo Roiko-Jokela(percussion/malletkat).  Terrific songs and outstanding performances with a rich southern vibe are key to the allure of this album, which by the way is produced by legendary John Porter.
A saucy rhythm, joined with hot harmonica licks, spill all over “Rat Race”, a spectacular jammin’ favorite, reminiscent of one of my favorite bands, Phish.  I love the change of tempo when the band breaks into “Sweet Dream’s a Sweet Dream”, a slightly spacy Hendrix-influenced treat.  Leppänen’s swampy slide guitar sounds so good on “Last Train to Memphis”, and “Today”.
Catchy blues-filed hooks and a hard driving beat keep the anti-war anthem “Rain in Jerusalem” quite centered.  This is such a powerful song.  Bjorklof delivers funky vocals and sweet harmonica over a really cool little bass-line provided by Seppo on “Hold Your Fire Baby”.  Gritty blues sounds best with some cool harp.  I dig the twangy “Blame It On the Bright Lights”, with its catchy back-beat.  John Porter steps in with guitar in hand and is joined by singers Lena Lindroos and Veera Railio. This song reminds me a lot of southern twangsters, Southern Culture on the Skids. I can’t help but feel good all over when I hear it.

Ain’t Bad Yet is a soulful blend of blues and country, making this eleven track album a refreshingly cool listen from start to end.  Micke Bjorklof and Blue Strip definitely hit this one out of the park.

Read more

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”Tämä on kokonaisuudessaan niin muhkea ja päälle kaatuva musiikkipaketti, ettei tästä selviä kertakuuntelulla. Levyn sielu ja sanoma että itse musiikki tarvitsevat auetakseen useamman kuuntelukerran. Nyt mennään niin monitahokkaassa sinimusan maailmassa… joka ukkohan juo pullon kaljaa kertaimaisulla, mutta tämä onkin vaarinkaljapullo…”
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