Waiting for Life

Reviewing your own album is not something you get to do every day. I'll try to do it as if it was just some random CD off my shelf and see what I think about it as a listener :]

#1 Altamira 10

Good choice as the opening track with its beautiful guitar intro. Very progressive structure and enough changes in both the melodies and the beat. There are some clichés in the lyrics but also some innovative points, especially "Where only one night is dark and that's the night in my heart".

#2 Waste Meat 9½

Determined song with modulations in interesting places. Lots of melodies, some of which, however, belong to the category "Oh, this has a been a good song for so many decades already...".

#3 Waiting for Life 10

This is definitely my favourite. Just the right chords with an ABBA-influenced melody. A wise choice as the first single as well. The surprising part after the second verse is very refreshing. This is already the third song in a row to have a long instrumental ending - makes you think the artist has a special kind of affection for those. This album version is exactly five minutes long, maybe I prefer the new 3-minute single version.

#4 Little Kinds of Everything 8½

The first thing I paid attention to in this was the insectively buzzing percussive instrument that follows all the way through the piece. Somehow this lacks structure and is therefore hard to keep track of, especially in the second part where the parts variate and modulate in seemingly random ways.

#5 Yesterday's Waters 9

The first actually slow song, starting quite draggingly but atmospherically with electric guitars. Right at the beginning of the first verse, some water sounds come in to emphasize the theme. There are also two modulations (which so far has seemed to be pretty much like the standard amount) that are quite cunningly hidden. My favourite part has to be the moody part D.

#6 Double Shame 9

Right, action was just what we needed after the almost six minutes of drowning into the waters. This is a funny head-bangingly active Finnish schlager gone crazy.

#7 Timeless Life 9

Strange mishmash of classical influences and straight pop sounds with next to no consistency when it comes to the arrangement. The structure isn't a totally clear case, either.

#8 Muu.lypsä(); 8½

Speaking of structure... Starts off with some weird drumming and bassing that goes on for a good while, at times accompanied by a very sick cow, leading into developing melodies that then suddenly after three minutes stagnate into some kind of a chorus that then modulates all it can before the end.

#9 Insignificant Other 9½

Right from the beginning my mind is led onto AoB's Beautiful Life. The concept is very simple and the arrangement somewhat lopsided between a strongly rolling bass thingy and a sharp, discreet melody instrument. Oh no, past my window just walked a little dog right to the same rhythm.

#10 Gutxi Gutxi Bai Bai 9

A peaceful start promising a ballad but suddenly after the first verse the beat moves into double time and produces quite a naïve but unsurpassably cheery song including also a thoughtful, rather long D part.

#11 Dyania, City of Clouds 9

Now it's time for a breath-catching break furnished with very minimal arrangement and a solemn atmosphere. Maria, the person for whom UFOPOLI composed this, said hearing it makes her feel calm and safe. I quite agree.

#12 Existence Error (badness 10000) 7

What's this?!? Some random noises in the middle of the album? There must be some kind of an error... But then again, looking at the song title, maybe it's meant to be like this. In a way there's even some humppa-like swing to it. Not much but some. The snoring sounds at the very beginning create a strange effect with the feeling left from the previous track... This has maybe only one thing in common with the other songs and that's that it modulates as well - though here it's the drums that do that... Oh my.

#13 Precipitevolissimevolmente 8½

What a title. Also the only non-English lyrics. Quite forgettable and generic but still pretty nice.

#14 Stern Faith on Crete 8½

Another d'n'bish start that eventually evolves into a melody. I remember HRL describing this as "techno-heavy-eurovision". I think that's pretty accurate a description.

#15 nothing 9

Simple but beaufiful ballad to close the album.