Dr. Helander & Third Ward – Wishing Spoon
Bluelight Records
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10 songs time – 35:41
Another example of the long reach of the blues in this Finnish blues trio, Dr. Helander & Third Ward. They are celebrating their eighth year of operation with their fourth CD. The band consists of Ilkka Helander on guitar and vocals, Esa Kuloniemi on bass and guitar, and Leevi Leppanen on drums. They receive outside help on harmonica and saxophone. All except one song are band compositions. Their brand of blues and blues-rock is pretty much of the “In your face” variety, with a powerful guitar assault.
As elsewhere they occasionally borrow bits and pieces of classic blues chestnuts. Here on “Congratulations” they assimilate the riff from Dr. Ross’s “Cat Squirrel”, that Cream and Jethro Tull performed as “Cat’s Squirrel”. Esa adds lead slide guitar to compliment Dr. Helander’s guitar. Jantso Jokelin provides some authentic blues harmonica. It is a high energy romp with the good doctor on rustic non-accented vocals. It is curious that on some songs you can detect an accent in his voice. Maybe that has to do with the fact that these songs are taken from three different recording sessions. The hard charging “Monkey on My Back” features some nicely fluid blues guitar from Ilkka.
They more-or-less appropriated the melody of the “Catfish Blues” for “My Home Town-Slight Return”. More of their patented heavy guitar sound. Esa delivers his only vocal turn on “Big Bad Wolf”. The riff sounds familiar and he emits a Howlin’ Wolf-like howl. The brief instrumental “‘Yac and ‘Pane” has an entertaining standard guitar and slide riff. Rocking harmonica fired blues on “Hotel by the Sea”. Accent pops up in “Morgantown”. The lyrics are not much, but good playing as usual, with sax by William Suvanne.
Accent returns on “Wishing Spoon (They Put a Man on the Moon)”. It includes some wailing guitar. Next up is a Freddie King instrumental that I’m not familiar with, “Son of Jose”. It certainly has the Freddie King stamp on it. “Another Song” closes out things with classic slide guitar and harmonica blues.
These Fins have absorbed the blues quite nicely. They at times use snippets of classic blues, but ultimately achieve a fresh sound of their own, while maintaining an authentic blues vibe.
