Finnish indie pop act koriakittenriot, fronted by Antti Reikko, deliver a cheerful mix of instrument-stuffed indie-pop. Taking influence from bands like Annuals, Decemberists, Grandaddy and The Shins, their debut album Rich Men Poor Men Good Men is a joy to listen to.
The lead track ‘The Earth Will Spin Around’ is an anthemic blend of piano and guitar. It is an honest reflection of the songwriter’s personal experiences and an excellent example of what can be achieved when a remarkable singer-songwriter takes the leap into a band.
Songwriting
Songwriter Antti Reikko, who goes by the moniker koriakittenriot, has a knack for crafting soft and beautiful songs. But he can also master the art of guitar pop and indie rock as well, as evidenced by his band Johnny Superhero’s latest album Homes.
The band combines indie-pop and folk with a sense of wonder. It’s a sound that reminds listeners of the likes of Annuals, Decemberists, Grandaddy and the Shins, but it’s one that never takes itself too seriously.
As Reikko explains, his music is rooted in the experiences of him as a kid. So he uses those experiences as inspiration for his songs, which are full of charm and innocence.
He tries to make his songs feel personal and unique, so that people will enjoy listening to them. He also aims to keep his songs simple, so that people can connect with them easily.
It’s also important for a songwriter to have an idea for how she wants to structure her songs. If she doesn’t know how to do this, she can often end up writing songs that don’t fit together or that aren’t very effective.
Once she has an idea for a song, it’s important for her to keep working on it. This means writing new songs on a regular basis, so that she has a body of work and can improve her skills. It also means going back to previous songs and adjusting them to improve their performance.
Vocals
The vocals in this Finnish band are a treat. The harmonies are the stuff of dreams and the vocal percussion is on a par with anything we’ve heard from Europe in recent memory.
The album is a delight to listen to with its clever and thought provoking lyrics. The title track ‘Songs of Hope and Science’ is an uplifting ode to the human condition, and although the lyrics are a little cynical at times, the lyricists have crafted a winning combination of wit, wisdom and good old fashioned hard work.
One of the most exciting parts of koriakittenriot is their knack for the big idea, the juiciest of which has to do with melding together guitar pop with 60s style folk rock and a dash of good old fashioned harmony singing for good measure.
Getting the vocals to sing well can be a pain in the arse, which is why it is great to have a tool like iZotope’s Nectar’s Vocal Assistant on hand. This little gem will spit out a list of processing options based on a few broad characteristics you specify. This will make a big difference when it comes to tracking, repairing and mixing your vocals down the line. The best part about this technology is that it saves you time – the real way to measure the best of all possibilities in the biz – by allowing you to focus on the important things first.
Guitar
Antti Reikko, who goes by the moniker KKR (short for Koria Kitten Riot), is an indie rock musician from Helsinki. He cites Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes and Jon Auer as his main influences.
Reikko’s guitar technique has a lot of influence from his early days playing jazz and classical music. He says that learning scales and chord progressions is fundamental to his guitar education. But he likes to put these techniques into practice by playing songs from his favorite artists.
The first step in any guitar practice session is to warm up your fingers. By doing this, you’re more likely to remember and perform the chords and scales you learn during a practice session.
Another helpful tip is to set up an inviting, comfortable environment for yourself. Whether it’s a small table with plants or a poster of your favorite artist, creating an appealing environment can help you to stay focused during your practice sessions.
Having the right equipment and tools can also make a big difference in your musical development. Having a good quality guitar, a good set of strings and an in-tune tuner can all be essential to getting the most out of your practice sessions.
While learning to play, it’s important to keep in mind that every player has good days and bad ones. There will be times when you have no motivation to practice, so it’s important to make sure that you have a positive attitude and enjoy your time on the guitar.
Bass
Koria Kitten Riot, whose ‘Songs of Hope and Science’ album is one of the many delightful releases this year, are a band who have carved out a niche for themselves in the crowded indie-pop world. Their style is slightly whimsical, and they poke fun at the weak points of humanity rather than wallow in self-pity.
Their melodic songwriting, coupled with thoughtful lyrics, reminds me that ‘Hope does indeed lie just around the corner’ — a comforting thought for any artist to have in an uncertain world. It’s that theme that underpins ‘Songs of Hope and Science’, and the acoustic-led, maximalist indie-pop sound it purveys.
Bass is the instrument that brings all the low end to a mix, and it’s important to get it right. The key is to keep the frequency range of the bass part in a consistent space, and not let other parts compete for that space.
There are a few ways to achieve this – try changing the type of strings you’re using, or switching the bass’s pickup, or adjusting your mic position and gain automation to match. You can also try multi-band processing, which will help to pin down the bass tone more.
Once you’ve mastered the bass sound, you can use it to create more interest in your track by adding some reverb or delay. There are some plugins that can do this for you, and you may find they work better than using a compressor.
Drums
Drummers are the backbone of the band and add energy, movement, and rhythm to any song. They also help transition songs between sections, which is called a drum break.
There are many different types of drums that drummers can use to create a variety of sounds and beats. These include bass drums, snare drums, tom Toms, and more.
They can be played by hand, with a mallet, or by pedaling them. They can also be made of wood, metal, or plastic.
A snare drum is one of the most important types of drums for drummers to learn how to play. It is a very versatile drum that can be used in all styles of music and offers a great tone.
It is also very easy to learn how to play. It comes in a wide range of sizes, and can be tuned to different pitches.
Some other important drums that drummers should know how to play are snare drums, hi hats, and bass drums. All of these are very popular in all kinds of different types of music.
A bass drum is also a very important part of the drum set because it adds a lot of power to the beat and helps keep the tempo. It can be a large or small drum and can be played with a mallet, or by pedaling it. It can also be played with a drum throne, which is a stool that a drummer sits on to help them play their drums.
Lyrics
The songwriting team of Antti Reikko and Teemu Vanska have produced an album that has it all; hooks, witty lyrics and an impressively executed production. The album is a worthy addition to the Finnish band’s discography and the most memorable track, ‘Between A Pillow and A Soft Place’ is well worth a listen.
The band’s third effort, ‘Rich Men Poor Men Good Men’ is a rip roaring album of upbeat indie-pop goodness. It has a number of buzzed about tracks, and it’s a real treat for fans of the genre to listen to the full set. It is a very polished piece of work, brimming with the latest in sonic technology. The album was produced in Berlin with Doug Van Sloan (Bright Eyes, She & Him) at the helm. ‘Rich Men’ is the band’s most successful outing to date and a must have for indie rock buffs and those who like their music with an element of whimsy. The album’s best songs are a highlight of their live sets. They are a highly entertaining and impressive group of musicians, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.