16/02/2024
Soil Senders – Voodoo Bop
Record Label: MOONDOG MUSIC www.moondogmusic.fi
12 Track C.D. Release.
Release Date: November 2023
Reviewed on 15th February 2024 by Dave Diamond
Promoter of The Boomerang Club-London.
https://www.facebook.com/TheBoomerangClub
The Band
Singer and drummer Petri Pylvänen
Guitar and Backing Vocals Kalevi Manninen
Bass and Backing Vocals Toni Välimäki
Guest musicians Henri Tanhuanpää (Acoustic Guitar)
Produced by Soil Senders and Mixed and Mastered by Petri Lapintie sound supreme Studio
Front cover artwork by:Juho Juntunen
Tracks written and performed by Soil Senders (all songs are our own material)
Let’s have a listen to the tracks:
Voodoo Bop – so here we have the title track from this 12 song C.D. and what a belter to kick off from the band… this is a real stompin’ rockin’ number that’s surely gonna get you going crazy and doing the voodoo bop! The track is a fantastic bass slapping, drum beating, guitar twanging tune with a marvellous rasping lead vocal and great backing vocals too.. Bop Kat Bop!! Marvellous!
Run By Run – What a fabulous guitar riff throughout, the drums cut through the mix just perfect, and the bass lines are spot on… top notch vocals and once again great backing vocals… nice breakdown sections with the drums and bass... “run run run boy run”… great instrumental section…. This moves along just perfectly and the chorus is very catchy indeed. Love it!
Why – This number has more of a jump blues groove feel to it and bounced along at a medium pace, I can see it being a well-played number on the jump jive scene… “Why did you leave me why o why?” At 2minutes 5 seconds this tune really moves and once again mixed to perfection.
Rebound Love – The bass and drums and t guitar are both higher on the mix, and the backing vocals are spot on… a softer lead vocal and really loving the backing woah’s. This has a sad yet happy vibe running though it… and really like the ingenious turn around at the end, I would love to see this one being played live, for sure it has an anthemic feel to it1
Tidal Wave – here we have a much slower paced number, another soft vocal tune, terrific guitar and bass playing, all held together by a steady beat. 3 minutes 33 seconds and a fab number indeed. Very ingenious self-penned lyrics on this track… “every night I will coming to your house like a tidal wave”
If I Gotta Go – mid tempo country rockin number, that has a jive pace running all the way through it, great varied lead vocals on this one with great shuffling drums and fab rhythm guitar and a lead guitar solo on the short break. This is a great track and I would have loved another long instrumental section… great stuff!
Devils By The Roadside – stomping drums start off this up tempo rocker, swiftly followed by guitar, bass and vocals. Once again fantastic original lyrics on this tune. Loving the change of tempo at 40 seconds that then explodes into a marvellous instrumental section… this one’s a real head shaking foot tapping track… I can see this one getting lots of air play… and with 2 instrumental break too… tremendous…Boom!
Everyman – One for the strollers, this is about falling in love when you are young but not knowing what true love is until it is too late..this number really will get you dancing along to it, with a swagger and a sway whilst the off-beat is hitting the back of your ears.. Another track that is over the 3-minute mark and once again mixing is just perfect, you can really hear how good the musicianship is!
Along The Tracks – Another very melodic number from Soil Senders, here we have a country rockin’ original song that shuffles along at a medium to fast speed. Another song that has an anthem vibe running through the chorus with fabulous backing vocals … come on everyone you will have to join in when you hear it!..
Dirty Tale – Here we have a swamp blues rockin’ number with an infectious guitar riff throughout and a very strong meaningful raw vocal. Nice use of cymbal crashes and bass pounding all the way through. The track has a great chorus and at just over 2 minutes is a winner for me… one of my favourites on this album.
Mud – ok so right from the start, this track will grab you and get you right down the front of the stage to see Soil Senders rockin’ it up to the maximum with chord strikes on the geetar on the verses… rock ‘n’ roll tastic with non-stop powerhouse rhythms all the way through and rocked up vocals. Has a 70’s revival feel to it. Huge track!!
Crash Course Of Love – the band tell me.. “Crash Course Of Love is actually a song with a story. Guitar Player wrote that song originally in Finnish as a wedding song to his best friend. Couple years later his friend passed away. We thought maybe we should re write the song for his memory. We named the song as crash course of love, cause that it really was. There is a blue mood and spirit in this slow song and you can really feel the emotion in the vocals, great lyrics.
In their own words –about the band when formed gigs etc and influences?
>> During our 15 years history, our line-up has varied a bit, but still two members from the three are from original line up (drummer and guitar player).
Voodoo Bop is our fourth album and it won’t be last!
About our music…
>> Simply…..If it feels good - then its good and if its good, then it is Rock n Roll …..and that’s what we do
Closing comments about the album:
This trio hail from Tampere, Finland and have a fabulous powerful full sound. Soil Senders' music combine a powerful guitar sound, rhythm, beat and catchy melodies with great lyrics that deal with the diversity of life and the range of emotions. The band has released several albums and this is their latest one. Here we have 12 great tracks Voodoo Bop, give it a play and listen to the bands magic!
You Tube clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0VSgDe6GkU
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https://www.slapthatbass.online/
Reviewed by Dave Diamond
