Review: Jaani Peuhu — Tear Catcher (2015)
A new beginning and a turning point that changed everything
Before Jaani Peuhu began working with numerous rock bands (including Hallatar, Swallow the Sun, Lord of the Lost, Rain Diary, Before the Dawn, and Black Sun Aeon), he started his musical career as a drummer for obscure local acts. It took quite some time before he decided to step up to the microphone and launch a full career as a vocalist.
His first venture into this territory was the band Iconcrash, which existed for nearly a decade; Jaani founded it in 2003 and was initially its sole member.
The sound of Iconcrash varied from dark electronic music to standard alternative rock.
The band did not find massive success either in Finland or abroad, yet they managed to play shows in the UK, Russia, Central Europe, the Baltic states, and the US, sharing stages with My Chemical Romance, Kaiser Chiefs, White Lies, Anathema, Royal Republic, and other acts. Iconcrash's tracks were also featured on the radio and in movie soundtracks (such as The Midnight Meat Train and Blackout), and the band members even appeared in Finland's inaugural UMK selection in 2012.
His first venture into this territory was the band Iconcrash, which existed for nearly a decade; Jaani founded it in 2003 and was initially its sole member.
The sound of Iconcrash varied from dark electronic music to standard alternative rock.
The band did not find massive success either in Finland or abroad, yet they managed to play shows in the UK, Russia, Central Europe, the Baltic states, and the US, sharing stages with My Chemical Romance, Kaiser Chiefs, White Lies, Anathema, Royal Republic, and other acts. Iconcrash's tracks were also featured on the radio and in movie soundtracks (such as The Midnight Meat Train and Blackout), and the band members even appeared in Finland's inaugural UMK selection in 2012.
Unfortunately, their song “We Are the Night” failed to take first place, which took a toll on Iconcrash's ambitions. The band initially went on a hiatus, and eventually, Jaani announced that he was working on new material by himself.
A year after Iconcrash went quiet, Jaani released the single “My Sky” under his own name.
Excited by the upcoming changes, Peuhu decided not to rush, and following the warm reception of his solo debut, he introduced the EP Echo Chamber. This release was essentially a collection of cover songs originally by Katatonia, PJ Harvey, Fleetwood Mac, Tom McRae, and Mansun.
Speaking to the TerrorVerlag portal, Jaani Peuhu explained that the tracks on this EP represented his musical roots. He mentioned that the cover of Fleetwood Mac's “Little Lies” had come together during a tour in Germany when a canceled concert left them unexpectedly stranded in Hamburg for a couple of days. They performed at the Finnish Seemannskirche Lutheran Church, which gave them the chance to spend the entire day tweaking the arrangements. There was a wonderful grand piano in the church hall that allowed them to try out a few things, and he later recorded the track upon returning to Finland. At the time, he had already completed a cover of Katatonia's “Tonight's Music,” which inspired him to create the EP, concluding that the entire process served as a form of therapy for him.
Jaani always strove to utilize a distinct sound on every album that came from his hands. This instance was no exception, as even the Echo Chamber EP and the full-length album Tear Catcher differ from one another. According to Peuhu, the latter album simply could not have existed within a band's discography.
In his interview with TerrorVerlag, Jaani Peuhu emphasized that Tear Catcher was deeply personal. He admitted that when working with a band, one has to consider everyone else's feelings, which he frankly stated was not his strong suit. Furthermore, he felt that he was finally ready to release something under his own name. He revealed that Iconcrash had actually started out as his solo project where he had always acted as a dictator, noting that he had no intention of even discussing the execution of these particular songs. Since he planned to work solely with a drum machine, guitars, and a bit of programming, he concluded that a band simply had no place in this material.
Tear Catcher did not consist exclusively of brand-new tracks; for example, “No Regrets,” which was released as the second single, had originally been written for Iconcrash's debut album under its initial title, “Innocence.”
The title of the album Tear Catcher carries a special message, translating to a fragile vessel traditionally used to collect tears of grief, sorrow, or longing for someone who has passed. In the past, such tear catchers were worn as talismans and were actually filled with tears.
Speaking to the TerrorVerlag portal, Jaani Peuhu explained that making this record had been a truly painful experience for him, during which he shed many tears. He mentioned that he believed he had first seen real tear catchers on the internet but forgot about them until a trip to Bulgaria. While visiting a museum in a small village there, he saw a beautiful collection of ancient artifacts and was told they were tear catchers, which he felt was another sign for him.
The debut and, so far, only solo album brings together themes that are deeply important to Jaani—love, religion, faith, darkness, and hope—all merging into atmospheric and dark electronic sounds to become Tear Catcher.
The album skillfully stands out from other releases in the genre, imbued with a careful approach to the themes raised, meticulous attention to music production and vocal sound, and genuine emotions that send shivers down the listener's spine from the very first track.
In his interview with TerrorVerlag, Jaani Peuhu concluded that love is the only thing he can truly trust.
A year after Iconcrash went quiet, Jaani released the single “My Sky” under his own name.
Excited by the upcoming changes, Peuhu decided not to rush, and following the warm reception of his solo debut, he introduced the EP Echo Chamber. This release was essentially a collection of cover songs originally by Katatonia, PJ Harvey, Fleetwood Mac, Tom McRae, and Mansun.
Speaking to the TerrorVerlag portal, Jaani Peuhu explained that the tracks on this EP represented his musical roots. He mentioned that the cover of Fleetwood Mac's “Little Lies” had come together during a tour in Germany when a canceled concert left them unexpectedly stranded in Hamburg for a couple of days. They performed at the Finnish Seemannskirche Lutheran Church, which gave them the chance to spend the entire day tweaking the arrangements. There was a wonderful grand piano in the church hall that allowed them to try out a few things, and he later recorded the track upon returning to Finland. At the time, he had already completed a cover of Katatonia's “Tonight's Music,” which inspired him to create the EP, concluding that the entire process served as a form of therapy for him.
Jaani always strove to utilize a distinct sound on every album that came from his hands. This instance was no exception, as even the Echo Chamber EP and the full-length album Tear Catcher differ from one another. According to Peuhu, the latter album simply could not have existed within a band's discography.
In his interview with TerrorVerlag, Jaani Peuhu emphasized that Tear Catcher was deeply personal. He admitted that when working with a band, one has to consider everyone else's feelings, which he frankly stated was not his strong suit. Furthermore, he felt that he was finally ready to release something under his own name. He revealed that Iconcrash had actually started out as his solo project where he had always acted as a dictator, noting that he had no intention of even discussing the execution of these particular songs. Since he planned to work solely with a drum machine, guitars, and a bit of programming, he concluded that a band simply had no place in this material.
Tear Catcher did not consist exclusively of brand-new tracks; for example, “No Regrets,” which was released as the second single, had originally been written for Iconcrash's debut album under its initial title, “Innocence.”
The title of the album Tear Catcher carries a special message, translating to a fragile vessel traditionally used to collect tears of grief, sorrow, or longing for someone who has passed. In the past, such tear catchers were worn as talismans and were actually filled with tears.
Speaking to the TerrorVerlag portal, Jaani Peuhu explained that making this record had been a truly painful experience for him, during which he shed many tears. He mentioned that he believed he had first seen real tear catchers on the internet but forgot about them until a trip to Bulgaria. While visiting a museum in a small village there, he saw a beautiful collection of ancient artifacts and was told they were tear catchers, which he felt was another sign for him.
The debut and, so far, only solo album brings together themes that are deeply important to Jaani—love, religion, faith, darkness, and hope—all merging into atmospheric and dark electronic sounds to become Tear Catcher.
The album skillfully stands out from other releases in the genre, imbued with a careful approach to the themes raised, meticulous attention to music production and vocal sound, and genuine emotions that send shivers down the listener's spine from the very first track.
In his interview with TerrorVerlag, Jaani Peuhu concluded that love is the only thing he can truly trust.
Rating: 10/10
- Tuuli TalvinenFounder & Editor-in-ChiefInterviewer