Trusties - We Just Want To Rule The World

Year of Release: 2003
Label: Independent
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 59:16:00

This album's biggest strength also represents its biggest challenge. On the one hand there's something for everyone here, but on the other hand that variety makes it really tough for my description to do it any justice.

The record opens with a simple passage featuring piano over distorted guitar. A well crafted shift moves into delicate piano over a theme played on cello alternating with clarinet, then - abruptly - the distorted guitar is trading riffs with a trumpet, while the piano gets into a light jazzy piece held far back in the mix, and it all migrates into a piano and cello duet. And that all happens in the space of just three minutes of track 1, "Overture."

This new CD from Trusties is certainly unusual.

For some listeners, the vocals will take a bit of getting used to. The accent isn't too prominent and the folksy timbre is uncommon in this genre. It settles on you after several listens, though, and the melodies are particularly memorable. Guitar work is a particularly strong point on this CD, with long solos and numerous acoustic sections. To fully appreciate this album you'll need to concentrate on the instrumentation, the songwriting, and the wide variances from song to song. With all these contrasts, Finland's Trusties will keep you on your toes: Progressive sections with complex time signatures and restless tempo shifts alternate with simpler passages. Acoustic and electric instrumentation coexist in uncommon arrangements. Vocally oriented songs are spliced unpredictably with complex instrumentals.

Another standout track is "Your God." It starts with the bass and acoustic guitars playing a fast piece in perfect unison, then the vocals sung over acoustic guitar introduce a dramatic, operatic mood. It moves builds into the full rock set with a two-part chorus accompanied by aggressively distorted power chords. There's an abrupt shift back to the mellower acoustic theme, but now with the added drama of church organs. This shifts into an aggressive solo played over a head-nodding rhythm, which alternates with bass, organ and flamenco guitars, and that operatic vocal delivery. After another build up to hard rock, it ends with a plaintive cry - "Oh - my - Goooood." Dark and powerful - and more so if you read the lyrics, which explore, perhaps cynically, peoples' relationship with their God.

The lyrics are more intelligent than most in prog, and often refer to spiritual issues - sometimes questioning, sometimes philosophical.

The variety in the tracks isn't just in the musical style. See how the song titles add to those contrasts: "Nothing" is followed by "Everything," "A Different White" is a 5-minute song, followed by the 2-minute classical / Celtic inspired instrumental "The Usual Black," folk-prog "In The Forest" is followed by the dark traditional sounding ballad "In The Valley."

We Just Want To Rule The World covers the spectrum - from hard-edged prog to neo to Celtic and Nordic progressive folk. It is song-oriented music with interesting variety that manages to remain reasonably cohesive. But their unconventional style defies comparison with other bands, so you'll just have to hear it!

Tracklisting:
Overture (2:59) / Universe's End (6:14) / Back To The Womb (2:43) / Your God (6:13) / Messages (3:44) / Looking For Keith (1:37) / The Ultimate Decision (4:02) / A Different White (5:43) / The Usual Black (1:59) / In The Forest (3:05) / In The Valley (5:00) / Nothing (5:01) / Everything (10:42)

Musicians:
The Trusties line-up varies between 3-5 persons, and also the instrumentation is subject to change. It may contain, but is not limited to some combination of the following:

Matti Ylilauri - lead vocals, percussion
Marko Oikarinen - electric & acoustic guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, percussion, drums
Ville Veijalainen- bass, keyboards, backing vocals, clarinet
Ari Sutinen - electric guitar
Janne Ervelius - drums

Guests:

Anntti Karhu -trumpet
Simo Laitakari - cello
Topi Silata, Mika Kamula and "Matsin the Djembe" all playing djembes

Discography:
Growing Smaller (1997)
We Just Want To Rule The World (2003)
Human Wheel (2009)

Genre: Various Genres

Origin FI

Added: November 7th 2004
Reviewer: Duncan N Glenday
Score:
Artist website: www.nic.fi/~trusties/
Hits: 2046
Language: english