Finnish Indie Pop Quintet
KKR are a five piece band from Helsinki, Finland made up of singer Antti Reikko (Johnny Superhero), bassist Teemu Vanska, drummer Olli Rahkonen and keyboardist Eino Anttila. Influenced by Elliott Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel and Wilco, KKR blend Americana, indie rock and psychedelia together to produce a very interesting musical experience.
A Prodigious Mix Of Dramatic Structure & Charm
The title track is the most impressive track on this debut solo album from Reikko, who also does everything else on the record including singing, acoustic guitar, keyboards, glockenspiel, mandolin, piano and trombone. He recorded the album himself using GarageBand and a Behringer mixer connected to a MacBook. Reikko had to work on a shoe-string budget and it shows in this music.
A Giddy Instrument Stuffed Pop Masterpiece
The mid-’00s was a good time for indie-pop, as bands like Annuals, Decemberists, Grandaddy and the Shins poured out giddy, instrument-stuffed pop music that wasn’t getting much airplay on mainstream radio. Koria Kitten Riot, the newest band from Reikko and his fellow Johnny Superhero members, picks up on this torch with Rich Men Poor Men Good Men, which is an absolutely delightful album.
It is a fine example of what happens when a songwriter takes the brave step to transmute into a band, and KKR are a band to watch out for in the future. They have a witty sense of humour and an ability to prod humanity in its ribs with a big stick while at the same time being very gentle, delivering some beautiful songs along the way.