TUPLE – Wooden Box

Wooden Box is the debut solo album from Finnish Heavy Metal singer Tommi ‘Tuple’ Salmela. Tuple is widely known for his work with Tarot, Lazy Bonez, and Raskasta Joulua (Ragnarok Juletide). The recording lineup includes drummer Tom Rask, guitarist/keyboardist Riitis, organist Pate Kivinen, and bassist Jykä Sirainen. There are also many guest musicians included throughout Wooden Box.

The record does an excellent job of capturing that late 70s early 80s AOR feel. The band claims Journey and Boston amongst their influences, and those are apt comparisons. Like those bands, Tuple takes the listener on a musical journey. When the music ends, the listener feels they have had an emotional experience rather than simply a musical one. The music is very melodic and tasteful. Each player plays with the song in mind, never sacrificing musicality for the sake of ego. Occasional flashes of brilliance serve to highlight the restraint show throughout. The first listen is an experience, and each subsequent listen begins to reveal the layers and textures that really make it something special. It is very possible to simply listen and enjoy without realizing the depth of musicianship taking place on Wooden Box.

Wooden Box is uniformly good, making it very challenging to single out one song to recommend. “Wooden Box”, “Together”, and “Too Far Gone” are good starting points, but if you like one, you’ll most likely like them all.

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