Take Three

The downside of living on this side of the Atlantic is not always getting the memo when some of your favorite artists drop new product. Apparently, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, and producer Tuomo’s third project “My Own Private Sunday” (Jupiter Recordings) has been out since January 4, 2010, and I’ve only just gotten the memo. I’ve been a fan of the Finnish darling Tuomo since the first time I heard his debut project, “My Thing” (Jupiter Recordings) about three years ago. All of the prodigy’s Helsinki jazz and classical compositional training was on display on an album named the Best Jazz Album of the Year in countries, award shows and festivals throughout Europe, which was odd since on track after track the multi-instrumentalist from Finland was clearly striving to be a soul singer squarely in the experimental, pre-”Songs In The Key of Life” Stevie Wonder vein. On the project, Tuomo demonstrated he had Wonderesque arranging, composition and keywork hands down, where he was merely adequate was in his sincere but technically light voice. Sounding a bit like Jay Kay from Jamiroquai, Tuomo’s genius musicality saved “My Thing.”

The Best So Far...

Then came 2009’s “Reaches Out For You” and suddenly Tuomo found his inner blues man, howling at the moon and crooning movingly in tune, Tuomo was no longer angling to be Stevie Wonder. He was magnificently himself and this project quickly became one of the most hailed blue-eyed soul albums of the year. But, artists are terribly fickle, ADD people and they don’t always dig deeper in a groove that works. On “My Own Private Sunday,” Tuomo flips the script yet again, this time becoming less soul star and more Elton John and sometimes even David Cassidy, if played with R&B chords on Hammonds and Fender Rhodes. The results are personal, peppy, and cleanly poetic.

When Stevie Was The Muse

That said, it’s a bit disconcerting to witness Tuomo abandon the bluesier formula that worked so spectacularly for a stripped down, brightening approach that heavily relies on a voice that–at least on these cuts–is sometimes, well, “ordinary.” His musicality and compositional breadth is as apparent on this collection as any other, but there are less “wow” moments to be found, replaced by polite smiles and sweet hugs. There is darkness to be found here too, hinted at by titles like the rocled out “The Torturer’s Mantra” and the Partridge Family piano ballad “Prepare To Die,” but sunflower cuts like “The Circus” or “Help Me Through These Difficult Times,” songs suited for Tony Orlando and Dawn or the 5th Dimension, dominate. Tuomo moonlighting as a soul pop singer/songwriter is aptly crafted and confidently performed, we just hope one of our favorite artist’s next exploration is also one we can funk and jam to once more.

TAGS: 5th Dimension, Elton John, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Tuomo