Birds, break-ups, massive choruses and the Charlie Chaplin impact can all be discovered on In Murmuration, the ninth album from Finland’s Von Hertzen Brothers. However as they embrace their energy pop influences, have the Finns solid off their prog wizard cloaks as soon as and for all? Mikko von Hertzen talks concerning the Seattle affect, songwriting secrets and techniques and sax solos.
“It’s at all times onerous to foretell the temper of the Brothers after we begin a brand new mission,” says Mikko von Hertzen. But the Von Hertzen Brothers – Kie, the eldest, Mikko within the center, and Jonne, the youngest – appear to be in a really upbeat place on their ninth album. The trio’s sound has at all times spanned a spread of influences, however with In Murmuration they’ve blended their prog stylings with a beneficiant shot of sunny energy pop.
“The foundation of the band could be very a lot in 70s rock – Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Queen, Led Zeppelin,” says Mikko. However as youngsters the brothers additionally encountered American energy pop and Seattle storage rock via Large Star, The Posies, Dinosaur Jr. and others. “We have been 18 to 21 years previous, and we have been very a lot affected by that,” says Mikko. “That lingered within the background and every so often it pops up in our music.
“In the event you take a look at ’90 to ’94, it was stuffed with nice albums like Pink Scorching Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Intercourse Magik and every thing that got here out of Seattle, together with Soundgarden with the 2 greatest albums they made. We have been sponges, taking every thing in from what we heard on MTV.”
With its bouncy riffs, effervescent power, and a notable lack of prolonged instrumental sections, In Murmuration feels closest in spirit to 2013’s 9 Lives somewhat than their prog-heavy latest outings. “I’d say that Battle Is Over, in 2017, was a very epic prog rock factor,” Mikko says, “whereas in 2022, when Pink Alert In The Blue Forest got here out, that was very pandemic period – considerate, sluggish, lengthy songs.
“It was extra laid-back, contemplative in a method. With this album, we felt like it will be so enjoyable to have one thing which is a little bit happier with riffs, good choruses, shorter songs. It’s like a response to what we’ve finished simply earlier than.”
What’s instantly putting about In Murmuration is the energy of the songwriting, with an abundance of massive hooks and anthemic choruses. The Brothers have scored three No.1 albums of their native Finland, so if anybody is aware of the key to crafting catchy tunes, it must be Mikko, Kie and Jonne. Seems the important thing entails a silent movie star.
“I don’t need to sound like I feel we all know what we’re doing, precisely, however it at all times boils all the way down to the melody,” says Mikko. “There are specific methods you should use if you write a melody. You need to use main and minor chords subsequent to one another so that you simply create that Charlie Chaplin impact – such as you’re hopeful however then you definitely’re a little bit bit depressing. It’s melodramatic.”
It’s a facet of composition that Mikko has studied in some depth – he teaches songwriting to youngsters in Finland. He picks out the refrain from A Good Life, the second music on In Murmuration, as a case examine. “There’s an ideal instance of being cheerful after which proper afterwards you’re melancholic,” he observes.
“You’re enjoying with the listener’s feelings, throwing these little hooks into them. They get hooked up and that creates the sensation of refrain, one thing you need to sing. We discovered the best way to write these actually good melodies – this sounds very egotistical – that folks bear in mind and need to sing alongside to. It comes with expertise and understanding the way it’s finished.”
Thematically, the album is split into halves. The primary explores environmentalism and conservation, expressed within the title and the picture of birds in flight on the quilt. It’s no coincidence that the Brothers’ father was an ornithologist and Jonne has a sideline as a nature photographer. Pink Alert In The Blue Forest addressed the destruction of woodlands and habitat loss; and now In Murmuration continues in that vein.
“We have been speaking about chopping down the forests and the way we’re shedding so many species due to that,” says Mikko. “I had the thought of starlings in my head as a result of so many instances I’ve discovered myself mesmerised their murmuration – it’s so lovely; it’s wonderful to observe.”
We discover ourselves enjoying with the thought – ‘It is a complete Rick Wakeman second, a five-minute synth solo’
The album’s ornithological facet has led to a collaboration with British comedian e book artist Charlie Adlard, who’s labored on The Strolling Lifeless and 2000AD. The band met him on the Prog Awards in 2013 after they gained Anthem Of The Yr for Flowers And Rust. “Charlie got here to congratulate us. I talked to him fairly a bit – we have been already pondering then it will be so enjoyable to do one thing collectively,” says Mikko.
Life occurred and years flew by till Mikko contacted Adlard to ask if he’d like to listen to In Murmuration, they usually determined to affix forces to lift cash for conservation efforts, with Adlard creating illustrations primarily based on the music. “We’re not 100 per cent positive what we’re going to do with all of them,” says Mikko, “however we’re going to have them on the market by some means and promote them with handwritten lyrics or one thing. All of the proceeds will go to BirdLife Worldwide for safeguarding the birds.”
The second half of the document, beginning with the music Tightrope Walker, explores the emotional levels of a breakup. “It offers with a foul relationship turning into separation and longing and acceptance,” Mikko explains. “In psychology, when a relationship involves a detailed, you undergo phases. It begins from a foul relationship, in want of The Change; then Separation, then Snowstorm, the place you are feeling such as you’re misplaced as a result of one thing has actually gone out of your life. Then on the finish, Wait For Me is a ballad that has that eager for one thing else.”
Within the press notes, Mikko jokes that In Murmuration sees the Brothers removing their “prog wizard cloaks.” He confirms: “I had Rick Wakeman on my thoughts after I wrote that,” however he’s misplaced none of his love and admiration for progressive rock. These influences are nonetheless current, even when they’re not foregrounded as totally on this album as they’ve been up to now.
For Mikko, the attraction of the nice prog bands is of their potential to throw themselves into the music with complete abandon. “You’ll be able to see they go right into a zone the place they’re the wizards,” he says. “They create this elixir individuals need to drink. We discover ourselves enjoying with the thought every so often – ‘OK, this can be a complete Rick Wakeman second, a five-minute synth solo.’
Bringing the sax in felt contemporary – I don’t know if any bands are doing that now. It’s not what a rock band would normally do
“With these new songs, there are hardly any solos right here. It’s easy. There’s possibly one guitar solo, a number of sax solos. Synth-wise, there’s not a lot there on this album. That’s what I meant.”
The sax contributions come from Markus Pajakkala, who accompanied the Brothers on their 2023 Acoustic Sufficient tour. Whereas many rock acts of the 80s featured saxophonists, they fell spectacularly out of style within the 90s. “It was so uncool at one level, a complete no-no,” says Mikko.
“However bringing the sax in, we felt prefer it’s contemporary for us – I don’t know if any bands are doing that now. It’s not what a rock band would normally do. The thought got here when he performed a solo on Peace Patrol from the earlier album, and we felt like, ‘Yeah, this man is aware of his shit.’”
When the time got here to increase their line-up, Pajakkala was the primary particular person they requested. “That additionally creates some new, contemporary emotions,” says Mikko. “It’s the ninth album – what are you able to give you that feels contemporary for your self? While you go and carry out this music, it has to really feel like you could have one thing new to say. And this factor is new.”
Whereas the Von Hertzen Brothers have launched albums via a wide range of labels up to now, these days they’re holding the music in-house on their label DoingBeingMusic. “That is our life and we actually need to be in command of our music,” Mikko explains. “It’s not one thing that any person else can resolve what to do with. The document label has been there for fairly some time however we’ve at all times simply licensed our music.”
If we’d taken one other route, possibly we wouldn’t be doing music any extra – possibly it will’ve created friction for us to be one thing we’re not
There have been a number of exceptions: the Brothers’ 2001 debut, Expertise, was initially launched through Finnish indie label Zen Backyard Data, and Battle Is Over got here out on Music Theories Recordings. The Von Hertzens have been slowly however steadily regaining the rights to their catalogue.
“A number of the licensing has expired so it mechanically comes again to the band and our personal label,” says Mikko. “A number of the albums, like Battle Is Over, we needed to ask, ‘How a lot would you like for it?’ And we purchased it again. Now we have a imaginative and prescient of the longer term with the band proudly owning all our stuff and it’s simply going be distributed by another person.
“In March 2025 the final licence of New Day Rising will return to the band. Then after that we’ll have all 9 albums underneath our personal label. We will reprint vinyl or make a field set – no matter. We at all times thought these must be choices the band makes as brothers, not any person else. It’s going to be a lot simpler when it’s all underneath us.”
With the advantage of practically 25 years’ hindsight, Mikko believes that they made the best name by trusting their very own instincts. “We made a very good determination – I really feel just like the band’s music has stayed very unique,” he says. “It doesn’t sound like the rest on this planet, no less than that I’ve come throughout.
“If we’d taken one other route, possibly we wouldn’t be doing music any extra – possibly it will’ve created friction for us to be one thing we’re not. We may’ve jumped on a bandwagon and gained extra business success, however I feel we’re all very completely happy that we’ve saved our imaginative and prescient clear.
“We do our personal stuff and if individuals prefer it, we’re completely happy. In the event that they don’t, what are you able to do? We’re happy with the 9 albums – it actually sounds the best way the Brothers needed it to sound.”