Highwater is the third album from the earthy americana roots rockers from Finland, Joensuu Riihimäki. Released December 2017, Highwater includes all their recent singles Keep On Marching, Hillbilly Falls and 21 which are already rocking the radio stations in different countries like Finland, USA, Spain, Australia, UK, Canada and Estonia. A busy schedule of gigs is set for the spring and summer of 2018. But it took a while to get here… The origins of the union go back a couple of years, when singer, guitarist and band’s main songwriter Sami Joensuu met guitarist Kari Riihimäki at the songwriter’s club he was hosting at the time. Things clicked right away and the band evolved from there, hence the name Joensuu Riihimäki (JR). Both last names are also town names in Finland, adding a nice touch to band’s road imagery.
The band’s mission is to combine singer-songwriter tradition of great songs and various styles within a roots rock group setting. And sure enough, various music styles are exactly what the musicians in the band grew up listening to, so there’s a lot to draw from when it comes to arranging songs. The music of the band has been described as a colourful combination of earthy roots rock and heartfelt singer-songwriter stuff. Influences like J.J. Cale, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, Joni Mitchell, The Doors and B.B. King can be heard living in perfect harmony with more modern influences as the musicians in the band get inspired on stuff like U2, Mark Knopfler, Jack White, Tom Petty, Esperanza Spalding, John Mayer and Sting, too. Their first single Joe’s Café Blues was released on Puuma Records in May 2014. Soon after, Joensuu Riihimäki won the ‘Band Of The Year 2014’ award in Turku Music Awards in their hometown (and actually scored Top 3 next year). The debut album Greetings From The Edge Of The World followed in April 2015. The band did have a great summer and fall as all of the record release tour shows in Estonia and Finland turned out to be killer – not to mention the great album reviews. The single Seven Days was released in April 2016, and the highly anticipated second album Where’s The Fire, John? on July 1, 2016. Record release tour and rave reviews followed. After their successful Winter Tour 2017 the band went back to the studio to work on their third album Highwater. The album was mixed during their ‘Keep On Marching’ summer tour and released soon after. Now consisting of three solid members Sami Joensuu, Kari Riihimäki and percussionist Moilu Moilanen – plus additional musicians on the albums – the band sounds more like a cohesive group than before. Check out the band’s latest album Highwater below!
We managed to catch up with the band as they talked about their latest album and more!
So how has your latest album gone so far with fans then?
Our latest album ‘Highwater’ has been well received. Reviews have been magnificent and it has been noticed abroad as well which has surprised us. Fans have liked a lot of new songs and we have received good feedback which I am delighted.
It’s nice to note that so many songs from the album have started to spin well on foreign radios and show up in the charts. In social media like facebook and twitter there are a lot of messages from fans that our songs have touched them, it is the best feedback and we are very grateful.
Tell us something about the release no one knows?
Well, maybe the public does not know the personal nature of the album and what it means for ourselves. And the name also refers to the new beginning. So much has happened and now with the new album we can start from a clean table, at least it feels like it.
The band works better now than ever before and the additional musicians on the album have been used carefully. There are a few additional musicians who have played in every Joensuu Riihimäki album.
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
Whoah, There are a lot of musicians with whom would like to work, really but I would definitely like to be in Bob Dylan’s songwriting sessions. I could learn a lot from him. It would be nice to see how Bob Dylan builds his song, I believe he will still be able to write eternal classics as he has done for so many decades.
How has your latest single been received?
The latest single from Highwater album was song called 21. It got a great deal of attention right away. It started playing in the radio immediately in Australia, USA, UK, South Africa and Canada. It surprised us totally. The song is made in the spirit of Tom Petty. 21 is a different song we normally do. There’s something fresh, I think.
There were three singles from the Highwater album released last year and everyone immediately found their way to the radio in Finland and abroad. That was great.
Can you tell us about the meaning behind the track?
Well, 21 was born in the moment as I watched my own daughter hassle when she was about to go out. Hehee. That moment was somehow so strange, everything was wrong and nothing worked, you know.. I had a guitar in hand as I usually have when I sit at home on the couch, and a song was born in that moment, really. That song contains a lot of emotions about growing up and giving up and it’s an important song for me especially.
What tours do you have coming up, and what can you tell us about them?
The Highwater tour started right from the beginning of the year and continues until the end of the year. We will do gigs in Finland and abroad. In summer, there are festivals in Finland, Estonia and the UK. A lot of new venues will be seen this year, it is an awesome thing, and we look forward to them.
The tours are the best time for a musician’s life we always waiting excitedly when the album is finished and when to get on the road again.
What venue are you most looking forward to playing the most, and why?
Always start the tour is an exciting time. We did it for a concert arena in Helsinki it was an incredible experience and we played with a big band with all the lights and the feeling of a concert.
In recent times we have played in many big concert halls in Finland and Estonia. It has been great, the atmosphere is so much different than a club gigs we normally do. I look forward to foreign gigs especially, It’s great to meet new people and see new places.
What else can we expect from you in 2018?
A lot of gigs and of course, new music is also coming at some point and a music video is also coming in the near future. And it may be that a live album will be released this year too, We´ll see.
Now the expectations are high with Highwater album, this year is going to happen big things, I’m sure of it. This will be an interesting and exciting year for Joensuu Riihimäki.