Yesss! Wigwam deserves more love.

Thanks for doing this. The whole album is very good and the most well known by this great Finnish band. When this album came out they played a few gigs in the UK and almost made it there. They chose not to go on a bigger tour at the time for many reasons. Some of the comments already mentioned a few things but I'll probably add something more. Wigwam was a progressive rock band but they lost a few key members such as the masterful bassist Pekka Pohjola and a fantastic organ player Jukka Gustavson before this album. The new members were also great. One of them was the guitarist Pekka Rechardt. He's a great player and a songwriter and wrote many of my favorite songs like "Bless Your Lucky Stars". Pekka later described the new style as "deep pop" and not progressive rock. There are still some progressive elements on this album and definitely some great songs. Esa Kotilainen was playing the synthesizers and only on this album. He's a groundbreaking artist in the Finnish music scene who specialized on synths very early on. Right after the album they got Pedro Hietanen as a keyboardist. Pedro's a great player and also a funny guy. He's known from many other projects and some TV shows in Finland. Here's a few more words about the earlier members of the band. Pekka Pohjola wrote many great solo albums and made music together with Mike Oldfield for example. He was a great composer and wrote some unique music in his lifetime. Jukka Gustavson has also done some fantastic solo work. He's a great singer as well and sang a few songs in Wigwam. He's a very humble guy... even by Finnish standards. There was an interview sometime in the late 1990s or early 2000s in a Finnish "Soundi" music magazine. I remember the interviewer saying something like: "How come the most wonderful organ player that has ever lived has to work as a cleaner. It makes me quite sad and angry." Jukka Gustavson just replied to it that "I don't mind. I'll do it gladly". Well, let's just say that we should acknowledge and appreciate more these great musicians. I hope that one day we can appreciate these artists making "modern popular music" just as much as we appreciate Jean Sibelius. I just quickly wrote something. I might've just copy-pasted what I wrote when "Niamh the Prog Nerd" reviewed the album. She's a fantastic person just like Justin and has an open mind towards music. It makes me so glad that there are people like you. Take care and have a fantastic weekend!

Yay! Love me some Wigwam! I once performed this album in it’s entirety in the now-out-of-business Nuclear Nightclub in Oulu, Finland, on the album’s 40th anniversary year. It truly is a masterpiece of finnish prog-pop. The lyrics are mostly filler for the melodies but the compositions are lovely.

They were a good live band, saw them a few times at the Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London.

Cruising? That's exactly what this is! I'm definitely gonna check them out more.

Wonderful band that deserves a much larger following. Was fortunate to see Pembroke & Rechardt perform as a duo in 1992. No bass or drums, and yet a great show!

What a surprise to my Saturday evening! I think the other Finns in this channel have already given you enough background info so that I don't have to repeat it anymore. The best song to compare the old Wigwam with this would be Losing Hold from their 1971 album Fairyport. Much proggier and great musicianship by Pekka Pohjola and Jukka Gustavson. Thanks for playing this one Justin.

Their former bassist Pekka Pohjola released albums in the 70's that are essential listening. Two albums really worth reacting to are "B the Magpie" and "The Mathematician's Air Display". He worked with Mike Oldfield on a few albums as well. Jazzy, proggy, folky, classical. All the good stuff is in this mix.

The best thing to come out of Wigwam was the brilliant jazz-rock instrumentalist and composer Pekka Pohjola (he left the band before this album to pursue a long-lasting solo career). I agree with the previous poster, "B the Magpie" (a.k.a. "Harakka Bialoipokku") is especially well worth checking out.

Finnish prog-pop. Always good for some surprise discoveries this channel!

Oh yes! Wigwam! Fairyport is their absolute classic. Their lead singer was/is an English gent called Jim Pembroke.

Fun! A little bit of a Caravan / Gong vibe. Never heard of these guys, but I'm intrigued.

The Being and Fairyport albums are fantastic. Gotta listen to the classic lineup with Pekka Pohjola and Jukka Gustavson!

I say wig wom, but that’s not just me. Have I been wrong all those years, if so, I apologize to my Native American brothers from another mother. Song made me feel like I was free from my fairy cottage in the wood, joining my other fairy friends for day festivities including drum circles, dulcimer strumming for beginners, hearty ales had and gone, chasing the lasses in fields of tall grass... lay down with the sun shining on my face, and dreamed... Oops, wrong song. More of a history lesson for me, had not heard them before. Now I can say I have. Three Dog Night’s Out In The Country and Sunlight spring to mind for similar feels. On this channel, we not only “feel “ the music, we argue about it. Fun times. Peace and fairy festival Music

Hello, Justin. Dave from London, where spring has really sprung (season of Bluebells). Like Bruce Cockburn (pronounced Co' burn) yesterday, I have heard of Wigwam but don't know their music. Again, will explore further, as I like a bit of Scandi prog/pop, like Moon Safari from Sweden (hence my song ref above), Mew from Denmark and Von Hertzen Brothers from Finland (probably more rock than pop). On the subject of cockcroachs (pronounced co' croachs, not!) fortunately none here in London, but they were everywhere where I was living in Africa a few years ago (spiders too, aagh!)

For a few seconds I thought I heard a bit of The Talking Heads. That was light and breezy. Good fun. 👍

Something new from the old world,

If you're doing more Wigwam I suggest "Losing Hold" from their album Fairyport. This songs good but it's a little light, and this is after the bass player, Pekka Pohjola (who is amazing), had moved on to other things.

If my 'roachs' are walking around, either I've been dosed or I'm having a flashback! Come to think of it the closer this tune gets to the 'Finnish' line. The more I am having one,Wigwam sounds like home. Nice find-Peace.

The drummer Ronnie is one of the most underrated drummers around. He's just very subtle, and you can miss what he's doing unless you really focus on him.

Good band Wigwam, should have been bigger. Bands from the nordic countries have an easier route to success nowadays. Good choice!

Very airy. It’s like a butterfly.

I’ve heard of these guys and always wondered how they were and I must say you wouldn’t know they were from Finland, no accent whatsoever. They remind me of 10CC just a tad proggier. Not a bad song. Nice review!

This album is Wigwan going to the "acessible" and "pop" direction. Their prior album , "Being" is very different, much more adventurous and somber, prog and complex and still very catchy from the very beginning. One of those albuns that are better listened from the beginning to end.

I have roaches all around my house too. Just need to find my clip. Ps, this song reminds me the The Kinks. Good stuff.

This is a great album as is "Lucky Golden Stars and Starpose."

Give the "Fairyport" album a listen. Some songs have a Gentle Giant feel.

Love it!! You should listen to Grass for Blades next

New to Wigwam. It's an uplifting pop song, quite enjoyable as long as one doesn't expect it to be progressive rock. The cover is very Trespass. What a pity they disbanded in 1977: could have evolved in a good New Wave band. Or maybe not.

You should listen grass for blades from wigwam becouse its mindblowing

I still remember the first time I saw a cockroach. It was in a fancy suite in a hotel in New Orleans in 1988 ( I was there for the world SF convention). It flew and I almost messed my pants. I knew that were that big but I didn't know they could fly. I have never heard wigwam pronounced that way other than in movies. It has always been wig wawm for me. Interesting. The band isn't bad at all. It feels like a blend of many different bands including Squeeze. Easy listening indeed. I am surprised. I thought you were going to be doing the Genesis thing today.

Great album, a shift in their sound from more typical symphonic prog to more pop-oriented. Not my favourite track, though. "Bless Your Lucky Stars", "Do or Die", "Kite" and "Pig Storm" would be my picks from this record.

They remind me of The Tubes only more relaxed.

If someone wants to see them live, please search for "Grass For Blades", a Tv - live performance. It has some brilliant solos from keyboardist Hessu Hietanen and guitarist Pekka Reckhardt. Guitarist and composer Pekka Reckhardt called this period as "deep pop". Session player Esa Kotilainen on keyboards. Permanent one was Hessu Hietanen who joined immediately after this album was released. The song was the single from the album "Nuclear Nightclub". B - side was "Kite" also from the album. Please react to "Kite". The album was a change of musical direction, stepping away from the socio-political commentary that had reigned the previous concept and double album "Being", done under guidance of founding member keyboardist singer Jukka Gustavson who bit later on left the band tensions coming to a head. However after "Nuclear..." album the new line-up pretty much lost the momentum due to various ill advised business decisions and naive artistry, refusing to "sell out".

I wonder if the title of this song is a twist on ELP's "Are you ready Eddie?"

I slept in a wigwam once. Well, it was a motel that was designed to look like a wigwam back in 1950 when cultural appropriation was cool. This song was light and frothy like one of your iced Frappuccinos. Didn’t strike me as proggy at all which may be why I liked it. 😊

Tried to repair the fairly medium sized plastic glass house but failed miserably. A wigwam would've been better come to think of it. His voice reminds me of steve hackett circa Cured ( look forward & across to that one JP) mixed with anthony phillips and now.. here comes a scando-japo Bryan Ferry substitute. Oh my brain this is Focus without the Thjys Wax without Gouldman & Gold but the instrumental break is 75 three years after Chicory Tip Top. In a word: niff-naff. I loved Lasse Viren though. 1972 Olympic athlete. Does Freddie like your channnel? if so, You should get him on as a 20K target where he randomly chooses the LP. Thanking You JP!

Ready ready Teddy...to rock and roll. Little Richard/Elvis/Buddy Holly

I read the title of this wrong. I tought you were listening to Wig Wam, a Norwegian Glam Rock band

I loved reactions to jean michel jarre I suscribes bcz this when you gonna react to his others álbum magnétic fields , concert in China zoolok etc

Very 60's with a bit of added flair to it A bit of Talking Heads as well Interesting Would make me curious about their other stuff Of course the shot and beer i just had may be influencing this response lmao

I've not heard this before. It's not too dissimilar to a British band called Kestrel.

Hi, go and try Kite from Wigwam

Norwegian band you mean!! Haha

Wigwam - proggers guilty pleasure

The vocals are very Brian Ferry-ish, to me, at least.

Check out their song 'Grass For Blades'

Well that was odd. Started like it was Helsinki's answer to the The Partridge family, and went downhill from there. And this is supposed to be prog??? Poppy as hell, and not particularly good pop. And is it just me, or at times did the singer sound like he was trying to do a Bryan Ferry impression. No, not liking this at all. As for roaches... if I ever saw one in my house I'd move.