20 April 2024

Damn Seagulls – Hunting Season

Releasedate: 25-03-2009; Label: Fullsteam Records
By: Nina Mende

Damn Seagulls is a Finnish-rock group, formed in 1997 in Helsinki. Their rock style is kind of different from other Rock bands due to their use of brass instruments and woodwind instruments to make catchy tunes. In their almost twelve years of band history they have played many live shows and made a huge progress to be where they are at now. A rare band of one kind you can hardly find in today’s music business. Now after “Soul Politics” they have their third full-length album released which is called “Hunting Season”. The vocals on the latest album are produced by the singer of Disco Ensemble: Miika Koivisto.

The album cover shows a bear. The style of the album reminds of a wood shack in the forest where a hunter – probably a bear hunter – is living. Inside it looks like a biology book, a quite old one as well. The colors have the sepia style. On the back of the album you can see an attacking bear in a living room, which is probably dead and stuffed.

The album begins with a melody that sounds slightly Indian but soon goes to the typical Damn Seagulls blues rock with soul and funk in it. “Libertine” is a song which is easy to sing along and gets stuck in your head just as easy. The beginning of “The City Takes Care Of It” reminded me of the song “Boys Of The Summer”. Damn Seagulls made it again: a special and unique album with very danceable and thriving songs as well as slow thoughtful songs. None ever get boring because you will always find something new in the song. The sound of music seems far away yet is closer than you can imagine. Touchy and catchy styles are still reminding me of a day at the beach (without damn seagulls flying over me all the time and making noise), sometimes sunny sometimes cloudy, but always beautiful with a wide horizon.
The album flies by way too quick and seems quite short although it is 10 songs. So time to press replay and listen to the beauty of the Damn (amazing) Seagulls again.

Tracklist:
1. Lord Of The Flies
2. Novus Ordo Mundi
3. Dead Pigeons
4. Libertine
5. The City Takes Care Of It
6. Mad Max
7. Gone By The Dawn
8. New Breed
9. The Moon Keeps Me Co.
10. Sunday 6 AM

Links:
Damn Seagulls MySpace
Damn Seagulls Official