Named after one of Martha White’s most iconic products, Finnish bluegrass band Self Rising Flour has become well regarded within their country, as well as other Nordic territories where they’ve performed. Their sophomore effort, Bluegrass Today, combines their brand of hardcore traditional bluegrass with inventive, catchy lyrics, all of which were penned by the group’s banjoist, Kalle Tuovinen.
From the first few seconds of Calling Me To Go, the traditional bluegrass influence rings strong, especially through Tuovinen’s Ralph Stanley-influenced banjo picking. Along with Tuovinen, the group consists of Johannes Oksanen on mandolin and vocals, Benjamin Oksanen on guitar and vocals, and Hannu Vanhatalo on bass. Even with the vocalists being from outside the US, the singing manages to carry somewhat of a southern influence.
Banjo Rush and Country Doctor’s Ramble are instrumental pieces. The former is a fast, driving tune while the latter has a gentle, steadier pace. Both tunes nicely showcase Self Rising Flour’s abilities as instrumentalists.
Simple Minded Fool, cowritten with Tero Kumpulainen is about a man with strong romantic feelings for a woman. This particular track has a nice swing feel to it.
Without question, Let Me Sleep One More Hour is a song with which that any listener can relate. This amusing song talks of not wanting the alarm clock to go off, and staying in bed as long as you possibly can.
Raindrops of Sorrow is a song using the common metaphor of clouds and rain to symbolize heartache surrounding a lost love. For this track, Kalle Tuovinen is featured on guitar, as he also is on High In The Lowlands.
Bluegrass Today is a really fine effort. While the elements of traditional bluegrass come through loud and strong on this recording, the lyrics are reflective of what the listener may be going through in the present day. Much like Martha White’s baking items, Self Rising Flour has struck gold with a formula that they’ll hopefully stick with going forward.
