Kärtsy
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Kärtsy

Helsinki, Central Finland, Finland | INDIE

Helsinki, Central Finland, Finland | INDIE
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"Duty Freedom, summary"


Kärtsy ”Duty Freedom”

Release information:
Finland, IVK Music Finland on autumn 2010 (Promotion: ProPromotion Oy)
Scandinavia, Playground Music on spring 2011
Great Britain, Kudos Records on spring 2011 (Promotion: TheoPR)
Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Popdis! on May 2011 (Promotion: Popdis!)
Czech, Emi on spring 2011

Feedback:
Radio Rock Café Canada, internet radio: Top 20 of requests list on January 2011
The Real Radio Show, WGBB AM, USA, broadcasts live from Times Square – live invitation.
Foley Entertainment Inc, USA: RATING SCALE
"1" Indicates the Lowest Score
"5" Indicates The Highest Score
Recording Quality/Production: 4.5 Lead Vocals: 4.5
Musicianship: 4.5 Lyric Writing: 4.5
Music Composing: 4.5 Melodies: 5
Song Arrangement: 3.5 to 4 Overall Delivery: 5


I enjoyed the music! The songs are very strong and professional. Round The Roundabout exploded (in a good way) out of my computer speakers and had everyone in the office paying attention and ask "who is that?" We are all very impressed! To give you insight to the scoring scale above, the majority of artists score in the 2.5 to 3.5 range in the various categories. Whenever an artist sees a 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 or 3.5 as a score in a certain category (or categories) it means that's an area I feel they need to improve and develop. When an artist sees 4, 4.5 or 5 as their score in a category, it's a validation from a professional, confirming that the songs are of the highest level and show strong potential in the ultra-competitive music industry. To really raise the bar, every artist should work hard to earn a 4.5 or 5 in every category. It's a very competitive business and people averaging in the 3's (or less) will probably not get too far without a great deal of improvement and development. I don't give out 4's and 5's easily, so any of those you see, you have earned. Well done! // Eugene Foley
INDIE104 and iRADIO LA, award winning INDIE Station, USA, Kärtsy has been added to them playlist.
The Next Big Thing In Rock Vol. 2 USA, Candidate for compilation cd
Review from GB: This is the sound of someone who knows what he's good at - catchy pop rock. Kartsy is the leader of successful Finnish band Waltari - a band known for fusing every type of rock invented - whilst adding techno and hip hop if they felt like it - but even that wasn't enough for him so he decides to release a solo disc (Waltari are still a going concern). On this, his debut disc, he manages to evoke sounds of Feeder, Paramore and even bands like Reverend And The Makers. He writes catchy pop numbers that half of the talentless Top 40 would kill for (and/or Kerrap! magazine wannabes for that matter).'Wicked' starts us off and you realise Kartsy knows his stuff, this is the kind of material that make Feeder regulars on the festival circuit and appeals to both rock and indie crowds as well as the non-rockers of this world. 'You Say Love, I Say Hate' is a song that makes me conjure up images of an American glossy teen film with its chorus of "Hey, hey, hey" and loud, quiet, loud breakdown. 'Lost It' is the sort of song Keane would play and yet I like it? (Sshh, don't tell anyone I said that - Strange feeling!!) and the Feeder undercurrent rears its pretty head again on 'Out Of Control' and 'Round The Roundabout'. Backed up by young Finnish talent with fresh attitude and ideas, this really does showcase a man full of quality ideas and energy that shines through all eleven of these songs with a blatant passion and creativity still burning after over 20 years in the business. Any Uber Rockers with a slant on the softer, poppier side of rock couldn't do any worse than try this out. // Uber Rock Written by Ross Welford


Review from Germany: KÄRTSY „Duty Freedom“
(IVK/Rough Trade)

Bei KÄRTSY ist niemand Geringeres als Kärtsy Hatakka Namensgeber, also der Sänger der finnischen Crossover-Könige von Waltari. Wie im Albumtitel bereits angedeutet, sieht der charismatische Frontmann dieses Soloprojekt als Möglichkeit der Befreiung an. Doch Kärtsy wäre nicht Kärtsy, würde auch diese Nebentätigkeit nicht einen völlig anderen Charakter besitzen als in der gängigen Musikszene üblich.
Normalerweise versuchen sich Menschen, die ihrer Stamm-Band einstweilen den Rücken kehren, etwas auf die Beine zu stellen, das mit dem, was der Brötchengeber zu verzapfen pflegt, nicht allzu viel zu tun hat. Wenn dem nicht so wäre, würde sich berechtigterweise die Frage nach der Sinnhaftigkeit eines solchen Solo-Projektes stellen. Nun, da Kärtsy mit Waltari ja bereits zwischen allen Stühlen sitzt, Breschen schlägt, wo einst gar keine waren, Brücken baut, die die unterschiedlichsten musikalischen Landstriche miteinander verbinden, bekehrt sich der Finne auf „Duty Freedom“ zu stinknormalem, eingängigen, sagen wir mal Modern Rock. Das Crossover-Potential Waltaris findet sich auf diesem Album definitiv überhaupt
nicht wieder, stattdessen werden simple, zeitgenössisch - T.T. Entertainment


"Kärtsy - 'Duty Freedom' (IVK Music Finland)"

This is the sound of someone who knows what he's good at - catchy pop rock.

Kartsy is the leader of successful Finnish band Waltari - a band known for fusing every type of rock invented - whilst adding techno and hip hop if they felt like it - but even that wasn't enough for him so he decides to release a solo disc (Waltari are still a going concern). On this, his debut disc, he manages to evoke sounds of Feeder, Paramore and even bands like Reverend And The Makers. He writes catchy pop numbers that half of the talentless Top 40 would kill for (and/or Kerrap! magazine wannabes for that matter).

'Wicked' starts us off and you realise Kartsy knows his stuff, this is the kind of material that make Feeder regulars on the festival circuit and appeals to both rock and indie crowds as well as the non-rockers of this world. 'You Say Love, I Say Hate' is a song that makes me conjure up images of an American glossy teen film with its chorus of "Hey, hey, hey" and loud, quiet, loud breakdown. 'Lost It' is the sort of song Keane would play and yet I like it? (Sshh, don't tell anyone I said that - Strange feeling!!) and the Feeder undercurrent rears its pretty head again on 'Out Of Control' and 'Round The Roundabout'.

Backed up by young Finnish talent with fresh attitude and ideas, this really does showcase a man full of quality ideas and energy that shines through all eleven of these songs with a blatant passion and creativity still burning after over 20 years in the business.

If Kartsy was 22, had hair styled by the latest trend setters and was American, this would fly off the shelves. As it is, he's 44, probably does his own hair and is from Finland - maybe a reason why he's been allowed to do his own thing rather than be pushed to fit into a box of the record management's choice? And that's what we hate, remember?

Any Uber Rockers with a slant on the softer, poppier side of rock couldn't do any worse than try this out.

- Uber Rock (UK) Written by Ross Welford


"Kärtsy Duty Freedom"

( 8 /10)

Käytössä olevat lähteet eivät kerro, onko Waltari taaksejäänyttä elämää, vai ainoastaan tauolla. Sen formaatti, tarkoituksellinen linjattomuus, ainakin on. Kärtsyn soololevyn kappaleet ovat melko hyvin linjassa, ja tuo linja on suoraviivaisempi, vähemmän kokeileva ja pääsääntöisesti popimpi kuin Waltarilla.

Levyn alkupuolella kuullaan nykyään radiosoittoon vaadittavaa kitaravallia, mutta onneksi melko vähällä säröllä. Nämäkin kappaleet pysyvät pinnalla Kärtsyn ilmeikkään laulun voimalla. Aavistuksen nasaalista soundista joko pitää tai ei, mutta laulumelodiat ovat kohtuullisen onnistuneita ja itse suorituksessa on imua. Soittoon on siihenkin ripoteltu pieniä, mutta mukavia yksityiskohtia. Esimerkkinä vaikkapa I Believen wah-wah tai Round the Roundaboutin kosketinosuudet. Give Me Your Love Tonite on käännekohta, josta lähtien meno paranee ja muuttuu astetta monipuolisemmaksi. Raskaampia kitaraosuuksia ilmestyy mukaan kuin varkain ja Weak Inside sisältää jo melkein mättöä.Se sisältää myös Duty Freedomin ensimmäisen vierailevan laulajan Kathy Koskelan. Ilmankin olisi pärjätty, kyse lienee muista yhteyksistä joillekin tutun julkisuuden henkilön mahdollisesti aiheuttaman nosteen hyödyntämisestä.

Out of Control on reipas huudatus, jossa on oikeastaan suotta koneistusta taustalla ja Colderilla esiintyy seuraava duetto-kumppani. Kwanin Mariko sopii tähän raskaan rymistelyn ja hiljaisempien osuuksien vuorovetoon paljon tyylikkäämmin kuin etukäteen osaisi odottaakaan. Tempon- ja tunnelmanvaihteluineen kappaleen voi sanoa olevan kattauksen "waltarimaisin". Tarttuva kertosäekään ei ole hullumpi, ei ollenkaan. Jostain syystä levyn päättävä Running Away seuraa Kingdom Comea vasta kahden minuutin hiljaisuuden jälkeen. Moisen kikkailun olisi suonut jo jääneen cd-formaatin alkutaipaleelle. Kappaleen piilottaminen ihmetyttää siinäkin mielessä, että tämä tarttuva kappale ei suinkaan ole sieltä huonoimmasta päästä. Uniklubin Jussi Selo on tällä kertaa vieraileva solisti ja ihan hyvin miehen ääni sointuu Kärtsyn kanssa yhteen. Kappale on suhteellisen samantyylinen kuin Colder, eli eivätköhän nämä kaksi biisiä riitä pitämään Waltari-fanit tyytyväisenä. Ja vaikkeivat pitäisikään, Duty Freedom esittelee aikuisen solistin, joka ei enää hirveästi hötkyile, mutta joka ei ole silti myynyt sieluaan.



26.08.2010, Ismo Karo - Imperium.net


Discography

Waltari / Waltari, EP 1988
Mut Hei / Waltari, Stupido Twins 1989
Monk Punk / Waltari , Stupido Twins / Angry Fish Music 1991
Torcha! / Waltari, The All Blacks / Roadrunner Productions 1992
Pala Leipää / Waltari, Stupido Twins / Vielklang 1993
So Fine! / Waltari, The All blacks / Roadrunner Records 1994
Big Bang / Waltari, The All Blacks / Spin Records / EMI 1995
Yeah!Yeah!Die!Die! / Waltari 1996
Space Avenue / Waltari (EMI) 1997
Decade / Waltari (EMI) 1998
Radium Round / Waltari 1999
Evangelicum / Evankeliumi show / Waltari 1999
Channel Nordica / Waltari Parlophone / EMI 2000
Lights Go Wild (Single) 2000
Back to Persepolis / Waltari 2001
Max Payne I Soundtrack 2001
Get On Top (Single) 2001
The Fall of Max Payne 2003
Rare Species / Waltari (Vindauga/Vielklang) 2004
Akseli Ja Eelo (Album) 2004
Blood Sample / Waltari (Bluelight) 2005
Early Years / Waltari (Stupido Twins) 2006
WAX Real Time Orchestra: Smalltown Boy (Single) 2006
Release Date / Waltari (Bluelight) 2007
2nd Decade / Waltari (Stay Heavy) 2008
Below Zero / Waltari (Stay Heavy) 2009
Duty Freedom / Kärtsy (IVK Music Finland Ltd) 2010

Photos

Bio

Kärtsy Hatakka is one of the most remarkable faces in the history of Finnish rock music! As the leader and primus motor of the pioneering multi-cross-over-band Waltari Kärtsy has been starting this well-known invasion of Finnish hard rock/metal music into Europe in early 90s. Other remarkable musical engangements have been f.e. a soundtrack work for a worldwide millionseller Finnish computer game MAX PAYNE. Now, as the newest project, he has been starting finally his solo project called KÄRTSY. The style is melodic Power Rock. The band has already played a lot of club shows in Europe (England, Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic..) during the last two years, as well as visited China, its biggest festival called Midi Festival plus few other club shows around and in Hong Kong..

First solo album DUTY FREEDOM was released in 2010, getting a lot of good feedback in internet radios all around in Europe, even in Canada. The follower is now on its way..


Kärtsy in a nutshell:

-Worked as a lead singer and the main composer of the internationally acknowledged and largerly respected hard rock/cross over band Waltari since ´91, first Finnish band to hit the European charts (13 albums, 14 European tours plus lots of festivals around Europe). A lot of chart positions especially in Finland and Germany, some even in Japan.


- Kärtsy has composed the bands all the most remarkable radio hits (chart positions outside Finland f.e.in Germany,Switzerland, Austria, Holland (no.1!), Denmark, Czech Republic, France and Japan (no.6!)), videos been seen in MTV and VIVA.

-Waltari has sold around quarter million records


-two cross over compositions for the rock band (Waltari) and symphony orchestra with 13 sold out shows (with Avanti Symphony Orchestra for Helsinki Festival Week and with Sibelius Gymnasium Orchestra for Finnish National Ballet)

- Wrote a soundtrack to a million seller computer game called Max Payne ( part 1 and 2, over six million sold units), with an awarded theme song Max Payne Theme ("Best original Instrumental Song"/Game Audio Network Guild Awards USA 2004, and soundtrack nomination at BAFTA/British Academy Of Film And Television Arts 2001.

- Co-operated as a special guest a radio hit "Sky´s The Limit" with Finnish dance act Bomfunk MC´s on their album In Stereo 2000 (sold about million units worldwide)