KORPIKLAANI „Karkelo”

Music: Folk metal


Website: http://www.korpiklaani.com
Country: Finland
Duration: 51:23
Reviewer's Picks: Isku Pitkästä Ilosta, Könnin Kuokkamies

After releasing the relatively alcohol-free album Korven Kuningas in 2008, the guys of Korpiklaani have returned to writing about what they love most. About a third of the album concerns booze in one form or another. Korpiklaani’s best songs tend to be party songs (“Beer Beer,” “Midsummer Night,”etc.), so I have no real issue with all the alcohol references. However, listening to Karkelo closely enough to review it, I get the sense that lead singer Jonne Järvelä is alternately crying out for help and reveling in addictive destruction. For example, the lyrics of “Vodka” seem somewhat ironic (“Vodka, you are the real man…drinking is good for you, not anymore lonesome”), but “Bring Us Pints of Beer” has an angry, almost hostile pro-alcohol undertone. We get it, Korpiklaani. You like alcohol, and so do a large number of people who like your music. Now please don’t end up like Amy Winehouse, singing songs about not wanting to go to rehab and then canceling all your shows because of “exhaustion.”

At least Korpiklaani seem to have cut back on consuming whatever it is that makes them think writing songs in English is a good idea. Distracting pronunciation and clumsy grammar notwithstanding, the English-language songs on Karkelo feel dull and uninspired, like they were thrown together solely for the purpose of appealing to American teenagers who still think that drinking all the time is the coolest thing anyone can do. “Huppiaan Aarre” (English: “The Treasure of Huppias”), despite being the slowest-going song on the album, is much more musically engaging than either English-language track. More than anything, the Finnish-language songs feel more creative and thoughtful than the English ones, which is true of almost every album Korpiklaani has ever released.

Ultimately, it’s hard to enjoy any Korpiklaani album fully without seeing the band live first. Sitting in your living room listening to them on cheap earbuds, you’ll never get the full experience. These songs are designed to get you up off your feet and into a circlepit. Karkelo is a decent album if you don’t think too hard about it, and a great soundtrack to a drinking party. If you’re looking for something more cerebral, you should be looking elsewhere.

note: 6/10

Tracklist

Vodka
Erämaan Ärjyt (Men of the Wild)
Isku Pitkästä Ilosta (Rising High, Falling Down)
Mettänpeiton Valtiaalle (Hidden by the Spirit of the Forest)
Juodan Viinaa (Let's Drink Booze) (Hector cover)
Uniaika (Dreamtime)
Bring Us Pints of Beer (If You Don't Drink, You Can Leave)
Huppiaan Aarre (The Treasure of Huppias)
Könnin Kuokkamies (Könni Ploughman) (Digipak bonus track)
Vesaisen Sota (Vesainen's War)
Sulasilmä (Sweet Eyes)
Kohmelo (Hangover)

Line-up

Jonne Järvelä – Vocals, Guitar
Kalle “Cane” Savijärvi – Guitar
Jarkko Aaltonen – Bass
Matti “Matson” Johansson – Drums
Jaakko “Hittavainen” Lemmetty – Violin, Jouhikko, Woodwinds
Juho Kaupinen – Accordion