Maryland in the Fall is a beautiful thing. The other day the wind was blowing so hard that the leaves were swirling around to the point where it looked like a blizzard. Never seen anything close to it before. The lush and green trees have begun to decay with yellows and oranges.
When people say you’ve never seen Fall until you’ve experienced it in the East, I think they might be right. It’s only the tip of the iceberg, but I think it’ll turn out more beautiful as the days continue. The wind itself is in another league of its own. Not neccessarily bone chilling, but still manages to dig under the skin.
Listening to music from other countries is rather addicting. Several years back, it wasn’t unusual to see me importing countless albums and singles from Europe. One weakness was for The Rasmus, a band hailing from Finland. I ordered anything I could get my hands on. Most of The Rasmus’s albums were unreleased in the United States. Initially, I became hooked on the band through a friend. It’s how one usually winds up loving a band, word of mouth.
Years later, I anticipate new releases from The Rasmus. Granted, I do not order the CD singles due to outrageous prices. It happened to be luck, when the albums were released in the states, starting with Dead Letters (2004). Prior albums were not re-released in the States, unfortunately. The band’s next release, Hide From the Sun (2006), did not disappoint. Black Roses is not released in the United States at this point.
The Rasmus is almost a secret I don’t want to share with the world. Everyone has a band they love to tuck into their pocket, away from everyone else. The Rasmus hides in the deepest, darkest corners of my pocket. The band is known primarily in Europe, although having once toured in the United States as an opening band. for bands such as Lost Prophets and Kill Hannah. The band was formerly known as Rasmus, until there was some confusion with a Swedish DJ by the same name. The original band members were Lauri Ylönen (lead singer/songwriter), Eero Heinonen (bass), Pauli Rantasalmi (guitar) and Janne Heiskanen (drums). Heiskanen quit the band in 1998 and was soon replaced by Aki Hakala.
As 2008 draws to a close, The Rasmus has a lot to be proud of – six studio albums, and twenty-one singles. The Rasmus is one of Finland’s most successful bands, having sold more than 3.5 million records world wide, eight gold awards and five platinum awards.
The first track and single, ‘Livin’ In A World WIthout You’ was produced with help from Desmond Child. The song is a perfect start for the album. Convincing desperation is clear in Ylönen’s voice, the lyrics well portrayed.
‘Ghost of Love’ proves the band can evolve, but keep their original sound. It ties Black Roses to Dead Letters (2004) better than Hide From the Sun (2006) managed to. Granted, Hide From the Sun was an album I quite enjoyed, I never felt as though it stemmed from Dead Letters.
Other highlights of the album include: ‘Justify’, ‘Lost And Lonely’, and ‘Your Forgiveness.’ I must say, ‘Live Forever’ did not seem to fit onto the album as well as the other songs. It stands, out of place. Though haunting song, the melody makes it seem more like a lullaby. The lyrics may have worked better with different music.
But let’s face it, how often can you find an album you are completely satisfied with? One you can listen to all the way through without skipping a track? It’s a rare find these days. Despite the lull at the end of the album, it is worth a listen.
Recommended for fans of: 30 Seconds To Mars, Kill Hannah, The Killers, H.I.M.
Tracklisting:
1. Livin’ in a World Without You
2. Ten Black Roses
3. Ghost of Love
4. Justify
5. Your Forgiveness
6. Run to You
7. You Got It Wrong
8. Lost and Lonely
9. Fight
10. Dangerous Kind
11. Live Forever
Music Video // “Livin’ In A World Without You” – The Rasmus
