If you love cheerful, instrument-stuffed indie-pop then you’ll probably enjoy Koria Kitten Riot. Featuring Antti Reikko, the Finnish indie-folk band’s third album is rich with songs that make your heart sing.
KKR’s influences include Elliott Smith, Neil Young, Bright Eyes and Nick Drake, among others. Their sound is rooted in the same indie-pop tradition as Annuals, Decemberists and Grandaddy.
The band
Koria Kitten Riot is a Finnish indie band that started out as Antti Reikko’s solo project. They’re now a five-piece and have toured their home country, as well as Germany. Their sound is a mixture of singer-songwriter Americana, indie rock and psychedelia.
The band’s music was initially influenced by artists such as Elliott Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel and Wilco. But their music also maintains an impulsiveness that makes them a unique act.
They are a band that is able to write songs that are not only funny, but that are also serious and deeply affecting. Their lyrics travel through different planets and are intertwined with hope and science, ideas that come from a tumultuous time in our world.
This album is full of sweet melodies and tender lyrics that are both heartfelt and thoughtful. It has a way of prodding the human ribs and highlighting all the weaknesses that humanity has – but it is also a positive record that encourages us to find hope, even when things seem at their darkest.
It is a very enjoyable listen, and I’m sure you will enjoy it too. You’ll want to listen to it again and again, as this is one of those albums that you can’t help but fall in love with.
It’s a great debut LP that deserves to be more widely known. If you’re a fan of acoustic-led, maximalist indie-pop that combines the intimate songwriting of Bright Eyes with the grandiose instrumentation of Annuals and the Shins, then this is the album for you! It’s the type of album that will make you smile, and the kind of album that will keep you happy for a long time to come.
The songs
Oddly named Finnish indie rock act koriakittenriot have released their fourth album, Songs of Hope and Science on the 27th January 2017. It features tie-dyed guitar pop with a 60s folk rock flavour and good old fashioned harmony singing. Lyrics travel across planets throughout the universe and the themes are intertwined with hope and science.
Despite their modest stature, koriakittenriot have produced a finely crafted album that is well worth checking out. For starters, they have an excellent songwriter in the shape of Antti Reikko and a very talented band behind him.
The album is chock full of fun songs with a variety of clever musical tricks up their sleeves. The best of the lot are “Suits & Evening Gowns,” “Cold Cold Arms,” and “The Lovers that You’ve Never Had.”
One of the most interesting things about the album is that it is a concept record. The band takes its name from a poem by the late Finnish poet Juuso Aitto, and the lyrics to all of the songs are written by Reikko.
As for the music, koriakittenriot have enlisted the help of Doug Van Sloan (Bright Eyes, She & Him) to produce the album and handle the sonic symphonies. The music is a mix of indie rock, singer songwriter Americana and psychedelia.
The album is a worthy addition to any indie rock fan’s collection and you can listen to it for free on Wynk Music. The app also lets you download and play your favorite songs offline. It’s the best way to discover new artists and albums while preserving your favorite tracks.
The music
Koria Kitten Riot are a Helsinki, Finland based band. They are led by singer Antti Reikko and have a sound that is somewhere between indie-pop and singer-songwriter Americana.
It sounds like they are influenced by Elliott Smith, Wilco, The Flaming Lips and early Weezer. Their music is a mix of well-crafted pop songs that are full of detail and ambitious instrumentation. They also have the ability to put together the intimacy of Reikko’s lyrics and grandiose arrangements in a way that reminds me of Bright Eyes or a Wes Anderson film.
Their music is full of wonder and sweetness, a reminder that hope is always around the corner. And on the new album, Songs of Hope and Science, they’ve taken it one step further – combining their guitar pop with a 60s folk rock flavour and good old fashioned harmony singing.
The songs on the new album are a mix of wry humour and gentle melody. It’s the kind of music that makes you feel like life is a wonderful ride, even when it seems hard and dark on the outside.
They’re a band that isn’t afraid to poke fun at the world, highlighting its weak points and its frailties, but they also have a great way of reminding us that we can still get through it all with our heads held high. On the new album, they’ve written songs that are full of purpose and confidence, making sure we can see that the bad times are a passing phase and that the future is brimming with promise.
It’s not often that a band can have this kind of positive outlook about the world, especially when things are looking grim. But that’s exactly what KKR have done.
“The Earth Will Spin Around” is the opening track on their new album, and it’s a song that you’ll definitely want to listen to again and again. It’s full of hooks and harmonies, and it has a lot of space for the band to explore.
“Bread Crumbs” is another fun song that features a wicked bass line and protoypical piano hooks. It’s a fun and infectious song that’ll make you smile all over again.
The lyrics
The latest from Helsinki indie-folk quintet koriakittenriot is the aptly titled ‘Songs of Hope and Science’. Recorded in Berlin, it has the ingredients to make it a classic: singer Antti Reikko’s songwriting acumen paired with an ensemble of musicians displaying equal parts talent and tenacity.
The band have a flair for the dramatic, which is certainly apparent on this record. It is the first for them to record as a full-time band, and it shows in every note. The album also features a few of the most interesting lyric to song pairings I’ve heard in years, not to mention some dazzling musical arrangements – there is something for everyone on ‘Songs of Hope and Science’.
There is a lot to be said for a good old-fashioned rock and roll songwriting – if it’s well put together then it will get a hearing from me. ‘Songs of Hope and Science’ may not be the best album of the year, but it is definitely the finest display of KKR’s mettle. The aforementioned top notch musical performances are the perfect compliment to Reikko’s lyric juggling, and the result is one of the best records you’ll hear this year.