PEELA — Notbad (review)

PEELA — Notbad album cover Album · 2024 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Matti P
PEELA is a Finnish group led by guitarist and composer Johannes Granroth. Their debut album Layers was released in 2018, and since that the line-up has radically changed. On this second full-length album, Granroth and the [female] singing keyboardist Maja Mannila are the only remaining members if you exclude the other saxophonist Sami Leponiemi playing as a guest on five tracks. The core sextet is further joined by a trumpetist on one piece plus an upright bass player on two tracks.

The number of tracks on this nearly 73-minute album is exactly twice as big as on the debut. 14 pieces can be challenging for a single listening session, especially within the Fusion genre, but the music grooves so light-heartedly and happily that one doesn't become exhausted. Peela's funk and soul flavoured music is vivant, outgoing, playful and uplifting, and sophisticated enough not to become tiresome. It functions well also as background music.

It's a benefit for the lengthy whole that there are a few vocal songs amidst the majority of instrumentals (of which some do contain nice wordless singing from Maja). 'Liar' is a funky song with a lively groove. Maja's voice has a suitable hint of r&b. On 'Cross the Line' and the final track 'Let the Music Lead the Way' Granroth is the lead vocalist. The airy and melodic latter piece is among the highlights with its smooth vocal harmonies.

Since most of the pieces are fairly lively and funk-flavoured, the serene 'Silver Lining' is a special delight finished with enjoyable solos for electric bass and trumpet.

The leaflet features the three lyrics and tells how the album was recorded partly live as the whole group, partly one instrument at a time. And the album title's word play: it's either "Not bad", or "Note bath" in Swedish. The group name itself derives from the Swedish verb 'spela', to play. The happy playing together is at the heart of this band's ideology, and the listener is warmly invited into that joyfulness.
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