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Soul Shine Society - "Reasons"

Soul Shine Society - "Ain't Gonna Tell You Twice"

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Grooveyard Records are really vacuuming the market for new (and old) unsung high quality bands. Soul Shine Society from our neighbour country Finland has released one previous album, which I have completely missed, and now must be checked out. This six-piece plays rootsy, bluesy, southern rock with a strong touch of vintage Lynyrd Skynyrd, especially on the title track. Well, Finland is in my book quite well known for crafting this particular style really well with bands like Gringos Locos, Five Fifteen, Havana Black etc. Lead singer Jonne Sassi has a nice rasp to his voice and a cool feel. The album is quite consistent in its style, but one song that sticks out a bit is the almost Beatlesque ballad "Love Won’t Wait". There are also plenty of Outlaws-style harmony guitars, like in the opening of "Reasons". I should point out that Soul Shine Society doesn’t really belong in the heavier regions, but they still rock it out pretty well, which they show in the stonkin’ "As I Make My Way", which sounds a bit like classic Status Quo meets Molly Hatchet. A really cool album, indeed!

Janne Stark / Stark Music Reviews (October 2014)
 

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Southern rockers from Finland, Soul Shine Society are back with their sophomore release, 'Back Where You Belong'. Reminescent of Lynyrd Skynyrd & 38 Special...Good old Southern Rock with an evolutionary twist...Refreshing lyrics delving into the same old areas yet fresh enhanced by deeply talented musicians. Soul Shine Society is comprised of a cast of talented Finnish rockers that include Jonne Sassi (Vocals & Harmonica), Mikko Levonen (Guitar), Matti Jokelainen (Guitar), Jukka Hollstrom (Bass & Backing Vocals), Jaan Wessman (Drums, Percussion, Mandolin & Barritone Guitar) and Marko Karttunen (Keyboards) who produce & deliver the goods. Every song on 'Back Where You Belong' will have you toe tapping your way down the road or thinking about your southern upbringing with songs like, "Break The Chain", "Ain't Gonna Tell You Twice", "Hell Train" and "Reasons". Soul Shine Society taps into that fine line between country and blues rock where Southern Rock lives. The songs are well written, straight to the point, with no fluff. Oh, your not from the south? You will be by proxy once you give this one a listen. You definitely get the idea that the band didn't just write these songs, they lived them. Soul Shine Society is a perfect blend of rock and country driven by pure talent from all angles of the band. Great vocals, great guitar, great bass and great drumming that is never overbearing, boring or reptative. 'Back Where You Belong' by Soul Shine Society will gets the endorphines flowing big time! Anyone who has the slightest interest in Southern Rock, do yourself a favor and give this recording a listen your ears will thank you for it! - Highly Recommended

Tony Sison / The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine (October 2014)
 

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Finnish rockers Soul Shine Society lock down a gritty Skynyrd-meets-Outlaws-meets-Humble Pie vibe on their second studio disc Back Where You Belong. The seven-piece consist of vocalist Jonne Sassi, guitarists Mikko Levonen and Matti Jokelainen, bassist Jukka Hollstrom, drummers Jaan Wessman and Tuomas Pelli and keyboardist Marko Karttunen. Together they recreate a broad range of retro Seventies southern rock groove that’s highly contagious. Amid the high-octane guitars and rhythmic strut is the subtle use of keyboards to layer and support the discs ten tracks. The rough and ready album opener “Break The Chain” hits with a strong left guitar hook, yet benefits tremendously from the organ solo break. The piano-laced title track “Back Where You Belong” and organ-infused “Burned Soul” are equally powerful as the ensemble build a wall of sound with dynamic impact. It’s that attention to song craft that proves the band are doing more than listening to a vintage record collection. They are dedicated to creating the mood and emotion of a classic era.

Shades of the Outlaws twin-guitar magic creeps into “Ain’t Gonna Tell You Twice” and the melodic “Reasons” while the sexy, bass-driven “Too Late” fuels its testosterone overload with a heaping helping of Humble Pie swagger. The boogie highlight “As I Make My Way” is a cocky Status Quo/Quireboys bar room strutter that oozes with all the right attitude. The ballad songs on the album are studies in blue-eyed soul. “Love Won’t Wait” is almost Beatle-esque in nature with its understated hook and vocal calisthenics, as opposed to the psychedelic, dreamy quality of “The Fire Within” gorgeously entwined by the mandolin. “Hell Train” is the dynamic crescendo of the entire opus - big and bold with a Zeppelin-like guitar/organ riff. The song beats its chest and howls as the chorus is carried into the stratosphere by Sassi’s whiskey-soaked voice. With Back Where You Belong, Soul Shine Society unapologetically pays tribute the best of ‘70s southern rock with a fresh face and verbose sound.

Todd K. Smith - The Electric Beard / The Cutting Edge (October 2014)
 

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Soul Shine Society's CD, 'Back Where You Belong,' will certainly put you in your place. By that, I mean that it will knock your sox off -- good, old-fashioned hard rock ala Led Zeppelin or the Allman Brothers, played with finesse and style. Guitarists Mikko Levonen & Matti Jokelainen have obviously studied the masters, both players offer originality and subtle nuances of difference, taking the work of their predecessors to new rock and roll heights. The material is well crafted to accentuate the talents of the band, who put heart and soul into this offering. If you like your rock simmered in a bluesy stew of guitar-oriented nostalgia, this CD is for you -- it takes you to the early 1970s and back again, reinterpreting the hard rock of our forebears with tones that will not soon be forgotten.

Steve Rosen - Author / Journalist (October 2014)
 

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True to their name, Grooveyard Records do like to ensure that their releases are utterly laden with groove, so when Finnish, Southern Rock inspired Soul Shine Society burst into action on their second album, Back Where You Belong, you know it is going to be a head shaking, foot stomping journey. Think Skynyrd, think 38 Special and yet, (with added Hammond) think Led Zeppelin, such are the gargantuan riffs courtesy of Matti Jokelainen. However with a considered strut, rather than a full on swagger, BWYB isn't a purely muscular album that's going to jostle you out of the way, or shake you into submission, instead Soul Shine Society are a band who look to cajole and persuade you into their way of thinking. It's a captivating stance where exuberance is shelved in favour of assured conviction and, thankfully, SSS stand out because of it.

If you want to bathe in the smooth groove this album specialises in, then dip your toes into the swaying "Love Won't Wait", or cleanse your spirit to the countrified, but not overly, "Reasons", where melody is king. However Soul Shine Society can rock it up when the mood takes them, "Too Late" a mix of latter day Zeppelin, a smoother Clutch and thanks to singer Jonne Sassi, who is excellent throughout, a pleasing mix of Ian Gillan and Bob Catley. "As I Make My Way" brings a more overtly upbeat kick (nothing on this album is exactly downbeat!), while "Ain't Gonna Tell You Twice" really is a Southern rocker par excellence.

Right from the first listen, the good time riffing Soul Shine Society throw out has you hooked and immediately looking to come back for more. If you're feeling down, this is an album to raise your spirits, if things are going well, Back Where You Belong should be the soundtrack to your day. Or if you're simply looking for a classily crafted album to while away the afternoon, then look no further and simply let this grooving, bluesing, rocking society bring a shine to your soul!

Steven Reid / Sea Of Tranquility (November 2014)
 

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