GLORYDAZE Music - Articles: Poets Of The Fall

ARTIST: Poets Of The Fall
ALBUM: Carnival Of Rust
LABEL: Insomniac
SERIAL: POTF-05
YEAR: 2006

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

LINEUP: Marko - vocals * Ollie - guitars * Captain - keyboards

TRACK LISTING: 01 Fire * 02 Sorry Go Round * 03 Carnival Of Rust * 04 Locking Up The Sun * 05 Gravity * 06 King Of Fools * 07 Roses * 08 Desire * 09 All The Way 4U * 10 Delicious * 11 Maybe Tomorrow Is A Better Day * 12 Dawn

RATING:

WEBLINKS: www.poetsofthefall.com

Background
Just recently we threw the pen at the debut album from Finnish trio Poets Of The Fall. Their 2005 debut 'Signs Of Life' was a tremendous little CD which quite rightly drew praise for its multi-genre approach to radio oriented pop rock. Even AOR types would be interested in this lot considering their talent for writing tight melodic tunes with an edge. Well the POTF trio are back sooner rather than later with the second album 'Carnival Of Rust'. If you loved the first album, then you'll love this latest offering. There is hardly a weak moment here, and I guess the ultimate compliment you can pay to an album is where you can listen to it on repeat-play ad nauseum! Finnish fans obviously thought so too, the album, like the debut, went to the top of the charts after one week, and achived gold status after three weeks!

The Songs
Let's start out with a couple of the 'energy-max' songs. Opener 'Fire' is a firm statement of intent, the coarse guitar riffs melding well with intense vocals, while the understated keyboard layers kick in when the song drifts mid-stream. Intense (again) and edgy are the descriptors for 'Sorry Go Round' followed by the near-metal of 'Locking Up The Sun' which is an album highlight. 'Gravity' is one of those tracks that combines steely verses and melodic choruses, a POTF trademark it would appear. Keeping the harder edge happening are the pairing of 'Delicious' and 'Maybe Tomorrow Is A Better Day', though the latter also has some acoustic moments too, but that chorus is kinda special. OK, onto the less intense workout material, in other words the ballads and mid-tempo stuff. There are about four tracks mid-way through the album where POTF take the pedal off the metal. Starting with 'King Of Fools', the jangly uptempo surge wanders around a base of acoustic guitars and heartfelt vocals. Don't be fooled that 'Roses' is a delicate a composition as the name suggests. It does contain some sharp edges, unlike 'Desire' which soaks up melancholy like a drenched sponge. 'All The Way/4U' is a carefully constructed piece, that crescendos with a powerful finish of big drums and emotional vocals from Marko. The album finishes up with the atmospheric meanderings of 'Dawn'. It is a gentle wind-down to an album that has more variation than the England Cricket team's bowling lineup.

In Summary
Though I picked this album up late in the 2006 year, already it sits well-positioned in my top 10 for the year. The album has diversity, but the whole thing is listenable from start to finish, unlike the latest Robby Valentine CD which also had diversity but was ultimately too 'hot and cold' for my tastes, unlike these Finnish wonders. I doubt that European audiences need to be converted to Poets Of The Fall, but I think American audiences are missing out on something rather special. Sooner this is on a regular release Stateside the better. While you're at it, pick up 'Signs Of Life' as well.

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