Imagine if you could create modern space-age electronic lounge music. If you could, it would be Husky Rescue. Husky Rescue play songs that you want to listen to while lying on the floor staring at the ceiling indulging in daydreams. Their music is feel good, and can’t help but make one smile.
Husky Rescue’s show at Spaceland delivered all of the above and more. The band, hailing from Helsinki, Finland, is a five piece group that was actually formed by bassist, Marko Nyberg. He began assembling the album on his own, and then enlisted about 20 of his friends, who all resided in Helsinki, to contribute to the actual recording. Nyberg then assembled the 5 piece number that is on stage now for touring purposes. Since the band is made up of friends, who came to Nyberg’s aid in the recording of the record, Husky Rescue has a great dynamic on stage. They sound much like Hooverphonic, with possible influences of Stereolab. And, although Finland’s climate is cold, their music is warm, and cheery, possibly an inverse product of the climate they live in.
Lead singer, Reeta-Leena Korhola carries the show. Her voice is breathy and she sounds as if she could be a lounge singer in a piano bar. Korhola is the typical Nordic girl one envisions, blond, blue eyes, cute in her black framed glasses. She is very charming on stage, especially when she describes what the songs are about and says in her Finnish accent, “this song tells about” and then proceeds to explain to the audience the inspiration for the song. Their song “City Lights” she said, reminded her of when they are touring around and seeing the city lights of the skyline. She then said the song is “about tonight’s city lights of Los Angeles,” which of course elicited a cheer from the crowd.
Husky Rescue’s song, “Summertime Cowboy” with lyrics like “big strong blond boy, work it out for me” and whip cracking and pistol firing sound effects makes for the best song on the entire album and also the best live song. One can’t help be absorbed by the song and its infectious melody that makes you want to move your shoulders, dancing like one of those Robert Palmer girls. The song sounds as if it needs to be the theme song for a character in a movie where the shot pans in from a wide angle and a 70s looking tall blond guy is cruising down the street in tight Wranglers and a cowboy hat.
Husky Rescue definitely work to create an atmosphere on their album Country Falls, which translates still better in their live set. Sometimes their songs even feel like they are transporting you to another place or era. Their follow up to Country Falls comes out soon, so hopefully they can build on what is already proving to be a good start.
