Finnish indie pop band koriakittenriot fronted by Antti Reikko brings well-crafted pop songs with ambitious instrumentation. It puts together the intimacy of the songwriter and grandiose arrangements in a manner that reminds us of Bright Eyes.
Thematically the project intertwines hope and science, ideas brought on by a tumultuous 2016. They’re looking for new horizons with this album.
KKR’s lead single ‘The Earth Will Spin Around’ is an anthemic blend of piano and guitar. It embodies Reikko’s personal journey in 2016 where he struggled with betrayal and the idea of keeping the world spinning.
There’s a touch of The Flaming Lips, Elliott Smith and early Weezer in the band’s sound. But there’s also a lot of folk tones, and a good dose of Americana.
Their newest release, ich Men Poor Men Good Men is a surprisingly satisfying addition to the bands body of work. The quintet’s first LP to feature a full band, it has a melancholic melange of songwriting that takes in long-gone happy times.
The music is rich with instrumentation – the band plays all instruments themselves, and Reikko uses GarageBand and a Behringer mixer to record the album’s tracks. Johnny Superhero drummer Tuomas Lankinen contributed drum tracks and bassist Matti Vasanen provided trombone work on some songs.
The band’s music is an amalgamation of singer/songwriter influences with a happy blend of alternative rock and indie pop. Their latest album ’Rich Men Poor Men Good Men’ is a pleasure to listen to, a joyous sonic delight for those who enjoy happy, instrument-stuffed indie-pop.