What is good music?
Is it a trend that is made to seep into every fabric of our being by incessantly obvious media? Is it a weird hairdo and an addiction to the limelight that makes the artist appear in every frame of every picture? Is it just being obtuse and “alternate”? Is it a much needed change from whatever is holding our fickle attention? Is it hype, fame, a unique voice, leopard stretch pants?
I respect all kinds of art – after all each piece of art, be it music or a painting, is somebody’s creation. Rap, hip-hop, house are just a few genres I don’t really understand – but I have nothing against them. Power to Jay-Z if he finds an audience. Kudos to Lady Ga Ga for finding her 15 minutes of fame. All that is fine. But in my humble book of opinions, Good Music is music which uplifts you. Good Music is music which has melody. Good music is where each member who creates it is rock solid in his or her virtuosity. Good music is where there is no pretention, just an honest-to-god intention to make sound which will make others happy. Good Music is simple. Good Music is not experimenting for the sake of sounding different – but treading new boundaries of one’s own creativity and talent. Good Music is one which sucks you in and makes you throw your head back in unbridled joy as you sing along, aloud, unafraid of sounding off key. Unfortunately in today’s world it is not enough to create good music to succeed. As proven again and again by Poets Of The Fall (POTF).
Twilight Theater is the fourth album by this Finnish band, after Signs Of Life (2005), Carnival Of Rust (2006) and Revolution Roulette (2008). (dates updated thanks to “Redbossfan” from the POTF fansite forum) To say that Twilight Theater is one of their best is an unfair comparison because almost every album of theirs is unique in scope and musical intent – and each one brings out their best. But compare Twilight Theater to other contemporary music releases from highly successful bands such as Green Day or even Coldplay – and the comparisons suddenly become just. Twilight Theater is in many ways, the best music of our times.
Sounds like an exaggeration? Listen to “Change” or “War” and try not to be amazed at Marko’s flawless vocals or the effortless creation of magnificent soundscapes – complex yet so simple that you want to just drop whatever you are doing and just sing along. How many artists today make you want to do that? Their sound is so accessible… so melodious. What is wrong with that? Just because they make music that will sound like music to almost everybody’s ears – does it mean that they aren’t unique? Some people complain about their lyrics not being as accessible as their music. Er… guess what the operative word in their name is. Sure they don’t sing about broken hearts and hot women all the time. Their words flow like good poetry should. Not all is revealed. Sometimes all doesn’t make sense. But one thing you can count on is that you can always sing along. Not like some half garbled nonsense that only makes sense if you are stoned.
“Given and Denied”, “Rewind”, “15 minute flame”, “Dying to live” (corrected thanks to Clawouldu), “Dreaming Wide Awake”, “You’re still here”… each song is a composition with a sound that is large as life itself. With beautifully soaring vocals and all-encompassing orchestration which surrounds you like the first rain of the year; Twilight Theater begs for repeated listening. It implores you to memorize the lyrics so that you can join these amazing musicians from cold distant Finland. Unfortunately you will never find people (outside Helsinki) queuing up for their music. You will be hard pressed to find a decent review by an American or British magazine. Most people outside Finland would have never heard of Poets Of The Fall. It is sad, because they deserve to be heard and cherished.
Well, I have heard of POTF. And I will patiently commit every note, every word to my memory – while I wait for them to give their next gift to the world.
Meanwhile, if you want to know more about POTF and their music – just go to YouTube and search for POTF. Currently that is the only way for most of us to listen to their music. News is that “War” from Twilight Theater has been chosen as the title track for the new “Alan Wake” game soundtrack. Here’s the video.
***
Artist: Poets of The Fall
Album: Twilight Theater
Genre: Good Music
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Nidhi Shankar said:
Hundred per cent agree! Poets of the Fall are one of the most under-rated musicians of our times. Carnival of Rust has me singing along every time it plays, without me even realizing when I started to sing along!!! Now that’s music!!!
Anyways, great review!!!!!!!
grimescene said:
Thanks Nidhi… glad to find more of my countrymen tuned into POTF!
Abhishek Kshirsagar said:
I am a die hard poets of the fall fan from India. Just wanted to thank you for this excellent review. I have been following POTF since the release of Carnival of Rust. My favourite song is Locking Up the Sun. I whole heartedly agree that this band deserves much more than they have got. But I guess the aim of POTF is to treat pure music lovers and poetry lovers with their terrific songs. We cant help it if people want to listen to senseless songs with dirty lyrics…. LONG LIVE POETS OF THE FALL !!!
grimescene said:
Thanks for Visiting – O’ Namesake… 🙂
rachit kalra said:
POTF A band i came across whn listened to ‘late goodbye’ ost of max payne 2, and i am followin them since thn ,they are a briliant their every album and most of the songs are just outstanding , just wanna say i am a huge fan of them their skill of craftin emotions in music ,,,,,,,flawless poetry which just hints abou the fact rather than to tell, gives us space for interpretation making their songs perfect in every manner ……..keep it up guys …….long live potf…..
Flavia Silveira said:
You totally hit the nail on the head there…made me smile openly with your “Good Music is one which sucks you in and makes you throw your head back in unbridled joy as you sing along, aloud, unafraid of sounding off key” bit. So true….sadly very few bands have that nowadays. Interestingly enough most of those that still have “it” (IMHO) come from Europe and most from Sweden, Finland, Netherlands… Maybe it’s exactly because they are not being run by the big recording corporations where the main purpose is not release music that touches the soul but to generate as much money as possible. Yes, money is great but music transcends all that. Musicians will always be remembered by the touching lyrics and melodies that sear through time and space and not by how much they made in their careers.
Nishant Pal said:
One of the My fav. bands.
I consider them The Most Powerful Band of This Decade.
My first contact with their music was 2 years ago when i saw the video of ‘Carnival Of Rust’.I was bowled over by the Melody & Unique texture of the song.I then tried to make it popular among my friends & they to loved it too.I live in India in a small city of Ajmer but here also i have tried to make their music grow.
I also luv there singles like ‘Kings Of Fool’ ,’May Be Tomorrow’, ‘Sorry Go Round’ etc.
Talking about ‘Twilight Theater’ this album has lived up to the exceptions.
‘Dreaming Wide Awake’ ‘War’ ’15 min flame’ all r great songs with soul,power & voice which is as mesmorising as ever.
Marko is The Best singer of 20th cent.
His voice transports u to a diffrent world.
Saurab said:
Damn good!!This band has soul…..!!!
Tanvira Chaudhury said:
Their music is simply exquisite. It transports me to some other world, a feeling that I’ve not really experienced while listening to most of the other things I had listened to.
The lead singer, Marko really sings with a lot of passion doesn’t he? Most singers don’t sound that soulful or so passionate when they’re singing. It really “lifts me up” and hits that special chord somewhere in there that so rarely gets hit by those mainstream hits.
Trust me, I really got bored of music for a while(two years to be exact) and I hardly listened to anything at all-everything sounded so lame and annoying. I used to wonder just how people could love all that nonsense.
It was remarkably boring.
But hey now I’ve Poets of the Fall to listen to and finally I can drown in some beautiful music.
NaNdita said:
Hey guys a bit late…but fans from INDIA ..do check out our street team
http://www.facebook.com/groups/potfist/ and our blog.
join if you haven’t already:)
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Whitehawk said:
Twilight Theater is the most beautiful and powerful albums I have ever heard. My brother introduced me to POTF after playing Alan Wake. Dark melodies swirling in the black