Tragic Waste Of Skin

I think it's time to recognise Timo Räisänen for real now. He's no longer "Håkan Hellstörm's sidekick". He's no longer just the brain behind Her Majesty. He is Timo all together. And now let me tell you why.
Lovers Are Lonely was an adorable pop album when it arrived last year. Filled to the top with catchy melodies and great choruses it was one of the most underrated releases of the year. Many referred to it as "Good, but not as good as Håkan Hellström". I do not agree. Lovers Are Lonely was not in the same league. Surely, they both performed euphoric pop songs like it was the end of the world, and all the euphoria had to get out. However, Timo played in a different sport altogether. It's like comparing Kent and Jumper (not quality-wise); both are similar but still not quite comparable.

Well, the final step away from his old days as a session guitarist can now be put into the history books. The new album is called I'm Indian and I'm blown away.
Take Lovers Are Lonely and add edge, then add some garage and then add a wider sound spectrum. Voilá. I'm Indian features some of the best pop songs I've heard recently. The title track might be the best pop song of the year so far even, and then there is of course the downright great single Fear No Darkness, Promised Child, the explosive Let's Kill Ourselves A Son and the painful When My Tear Hits The Floor. Timo manages to take his music to the next level without losing his unique charm. I hoped I'm Indian would be as good as Lovers Are Lonely. But I'm Indian proved to be better than anything I've heard in the genre for a long time.