aaamusic | On 10, Dec 2010

THEY MAY sound like something from a dark fairytale, but the Von Hertzen Brothers are actually Finland’s No. 1 rock band – three siblings (vocalist/guitarist Mikko, guitarist/vocalist Kie & bassist/vocalist Jonne) with a formidable live reputation plus the collective ability to produce challenging music that never comes across as specialist or niche.

And now, with last album (‘Love Remains The Same’) charting at No. 1 in Finland, and staying there for three weeks, the time is right for these gold-sellin’, Grammy-winnin’ ‘mad brothers of rock’ to set their sights farther afield.

As a result, a one-off show, billed as ‘An Evening With The Von Hertzen Brothers’, has been confirmed for February 17th 2011 at the Jazz Café in London – the first time the band (completed by keyboard player Juha Kuoppala & drummer Mikko Kaakkuriniemi) have appeared onstage in the UK.
JUST PRIOR to the show, on February 14th, ‘Angel’s Eyes’ will be released as a new single/video, with the accompanying album, ‘Stars Aligned’, set to follow on March 14th.

Produced by James Spectrum (Pepe Deluxe, etc.) and due to feature nine brand new compositions, the album sees the Brothers further developing a musical style that has memorably been described as ‘Foo Fighters playing Pink Floyd’s greatest hits after spending years in India singing to Beach Boys tunes’!

Other commentators have highlighted the Brothers love of classic artists such as Queen, Black Sabbath & Jimi Hendrix, plus of course the more colourful end of ’70s rock in general; but however the troupe are defined, there can be no questioning the sheer invention of their playing, the gloriously uplifting nature of their melodies or the ‘less-travelled’ nature of their lyrics – lyrics inspired by William Blake, Finnish poets & Indian authors rather than more traditional rock‘n’roll fare…

“The point of music, any kind of music, is to create wonderful experiences that are somehow elevating & encouraging,” say the Brothers. “That’s our mission, and the music is our instrument.”

With 2011 predicted as a big year for intelligent, complex music and quality playing, the Von Hertzen Brothers’ high-flyin’ combination of psychedelia & pop should see them building quickly on their substantial homegrown success, sprinkling some serious fairy dust of their own!

VON HERTZEN BROTHERS Plus supports

17/02/2010  JAZZ CAFÉ’

http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F004581BA8D96D9?brand=jazz_cafe&camefrom=CFC_UK_MAMA_JAZZCAFE