There is always something a bit more special happening, when talented artists get together to work on a collective project. Truth to be told, veteran multi-instrumentalist Micke Bjorklof, guitar supremo Ville "Lefty" Leppanen and bassist extraordinaire Miikka "Chef" Kivimaki from Finland have been working together for quite some time but not on a regular basis, due to their individual music projects.
When they finally are in the same room, though, playing and singing all together, no matter how long has passed since they last worked together, they are always able to recreate an artistic alchemy like very few are able to achieve, especially in the European contemporary music context.
After a decade since they last released an album, as Micke & Lefty (Feat. Chef), the Super Trio returns to the musical surface with a rather extraordinary new record, called Let The Fire Lead, an album that shows not only the significant amount of talent of each artist on a musical and songwriting level but also their maturity, confidence and huge appreciation to every different aspects related to the art of music, without confining or self-labeling themselves in a unique sonic niche, as too often happens nowadays.
What really hook the listener, on each of the songs included in Let The Fire Lead, it is the abundance of positive energy exuding from this record. Everything works just perfectly, on Micke, Lefty and Chef's new release; each of the three artists complements one another, both vocally and musically and their musical symbiosis is pitch perfect.
Let The Fire Lead includes 9 original songs written by this Power Trio, plus three covers from classics, respectively of Willie Dixon (the opening Tell That Woman), Big Bill Broonzy (Big Bill Blues) and Robert Johnson (I'm Steady Rollin' Man). Whilst it is clear that, by covering said artists, the Trio owns a big debt of respect and inspiration to Blues music, it is also true that Micke, Lefty and Chef's journey, throughout the whole of their new record, it is a rich, diverse and fabulous sum of their personal experiences in the music business gained through the years, where artists naturally expand their sonic vocabulary in a wider form, using Blues often as the preferred platform to develop and then deliver their musicianship in what comes more natural to them.
The Finnish Power Trio, as an ensemble, chisels some very fine tunes, on Let The Fire Lead, by adding layers of Folk, Country, Roots, Cajun, Americana and Rock to their sublime vocals and a very inspired songwriting.
As individual artists, Micke, Lefty and Chef combined together are also one of the strongest Rhythm Section too in the whole of Europe, at the very least. Clear examples of their class, power and precision can be easily found in all the songs included in this splendid album, especially, in our personal opinion, on songs like The One, Gotta See My Church and Small Town Baby, among many more.
Let The Fire Lead is an epic rollercoaster into the careers and the enormous talent of three of the finest music artists on the European contemporary music scene. Micke, Lefty & Chef at their highest and, for any true music lover, a breathtakingly beautiful album to buy and cherish for the rest of your lives.
Let The Fire Lead is out now and it is available to be purchased on Hokahey! Records Website
