Erja Lyytinen: Smell the Roses Review
As the shoots of spring begin to perfume the air here in the UK, all the green-fingered enthusiasts are gearing up to tackle the most stubborn of weeds and turn their gardens into a lush sanctuary of birdsong and beautiful blooms. It’s also a seasonal reminder for some of us to wake up and Smell The Roses by applying the brakes and taking the time to appreciate the small things in life and not be consumed by busyness or worries.
One lady sweeping down this scented path is Finnish blues-rock virtuoso Erja Lyytinen. While Scandinavia doesn’t exactly judder the iceberg when it comes to household names in the genre, Lyytinen has worked tirelessly for over two decades to become a fully bloomed, critically-acclaimed guitarist. She’s opened for Robert Plant, performed with Carlos Santana in front of over 20,000 people at Kaisaniemi, Helsinki, and in 2017 was voted “Best Guitarist” at the European Blues Awards.
You certainly don’t need the nose of an African elephant to smell the talent here, but big lugs may come in handy to savour the raw, emotional quality and technical yet compelling playing that give Lyytinen her own inimitable delivery, without sacrificing that thing we call the blues.
The fuzzy guitar intro and sultry tone of the riffy title track is an early indication of Lyytinen’s expressive fretwork. Her controlled yet frustrated honeyed vocals are the encouragement for us all to stop bellowing and bickering over the abundance of beauty in the world, and instead, just take a breath and enjoy it in harmony.
There’s another instantly recognisable melody on the stunningly rebellious “Going To Hell”, as Lyytinen’s superlative storytelling and a pounding rhythm section come to the fore among the swoops and soars. Don’t skip the most electrifying solo on the album either, with its almost hypnotic mastery a thing of beauty for this hugely imaginative composition.
We are next transported from the netherworld into the “Abyss”, as the Finnish star shows her darker side on this moody, atmospheric number, chock full of unconventional timings and elegantly spiritual vocal sections that humble the stoner rock-esque main riff.
Second single “The Ring” is a knockout with its juicy slide chops and raunchy vocals, while “Empty Hours” closes this nine-track LP in dreamlike whispery. Lyttinen slow-picks and sweetly weaves her way through a dolorous, sparsely arranged ballad that lets her voice shine against a backdrop of reverb-drenched slide guitar.
If you’ve been asleep since Lyttinen’s debut disc Attention! (2002), it’s probably time you wake up and smell the roses. The Finnish blues queen isn’t just a sensational guitarist, but a top-class singer and songwriter who has the ability to seduce you with delicate and desolate before slamming you with something much more punchy and powerful.
Whether your bag is ’60s rock ‘n’ roll swing like the haunted, rootsy vibe of “Stoney Creek” or the tough, blues crusade of “Ball and Chain” with its strangely poppy chorus, Lyytinen can do it all. Always heavily watered with rhythm and groove, Smell The Roses feels modern but nostalgia ultimately cuts deep.
Do yourself a favour and take time from your busy schedule to appreciate this visionary musician and the accompanying record, which is quite simply a joy to listen to.
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