Artur U & The New City Limits
Holiday From Eternity
(Self-Released)
Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, Artur U & the New City Limits performs an intense, alternative-spirited fusion of rock and pop. The band is composed of Artur U (vocals, steel guitar), Johanna Saarinen (vocals, percussion), Tuomas Orasmaa (keyboards), Miika Suomalainen (bass), and Toni Mäntylä (drums).
The album definitely has a ‘80s post-punk feel to it, a bit of Wire and some Gang Of Four stand out to me on the funky and sometimes jerky songs. The dual male / female vocals really stand out and give this a different sound that adds to the songs, the guitar playing is really tight and angular, and the rhythm section plays exceptionally well together. The songs aren’t as hook-filled as I had hoped for, but do stand out and are quite memorable and you will be hitting replay on a lot of them. At times, the mix gets a bit muddy and takes away from the power that the songs deserve, I think they were going for a wall of sound effect, but it should be pared back a bit on their next recording. “Wind” is a slow-paced song that is simply perfect, beautiful dual vocals, subdued playing, and a mellow vibe that just grabbed me and sent chills down my spine. “Mechanical Dream” is another song that really stood out for me, tribal drumming, great vocals, and chiming guitar playing made this one of the best post-punk songs ever.
As a debut album, it’s not perfect, but it’s a great step forward and it shows off the talent that they have, which is a lot. With a bit more time playing together, I believe that they will stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of the post-punk bands, and I’m glad to have heard this and look forward to where they will go from here. (Rick Ecker)
Purchase Holiday From Eternity on iTunes here.
