The Latebirds - Last of the Good Ol' Days

The Latebirds - Rootsy, Americana-styled music coming from Helsinki, Finland? Sure, why not? Producer Jim Scott (Wilco, Tom Petty, Sting) worked with  Marcus Nordenstreng and band to hone their alt-country, retro folk/pop edge on their latest, released in Scandinavia last fall and finally given the green light for the U.S. this year..the band describes the project as a "70's styled concept album"...guests include Wilco-guitarist Nels Cline, singer/actress Minnie Driver and Heartbreaker Benmont Tench on keys... // Release: Last of the Good Ol' Days (August 30) // Sounds like: Led by the fine Tom Petty-ish single "Summer Becomes Fall" and piano pounding title track, the Latebirds delve into classic, straight ahead, riff-driven pop/rock mixed up with a few twangier efforts. // Quote: “I remember (saying) beforehand that I wanted this song to sound like Sonic Youth were playing a Randy Newman ballad. A friend of mine claimed that it sounds more like Randy Newman was singing a Sonic Youth tune. Either way, I’m really happy with it.” -- Marcus Nordenstreng on the title track // What we like: the glittering, electro-folked "Underwater" is a gem of SoCal country-rock harmonies with a killer crescendo and ringing guitar solo..."You Cynical You", like much of the album, sounds like it was tailor-made for some late 70's classic album rock radio station, segued between Tom Petty, Pink Floyd and Supertramp...

The Latebirds - "You Cynical You" (from Last of the Good Ol' Days)

The Latebirds - "Summer Becomes Fall" (from the album Last of the Good Ol' Days)

Stream the full album here.