Finnish singer-songwriter Jykä Sirainen has some life-flavored stories to tell on Should Have Days - Could Have Mades, visions from a small-town blue collar man with a country music calling.
In contemporary musical terms, Finland most often conjures up images of metal, death metal, guitars, Norse god inspired noise, and big hair wrapped up in distortion and black clothes. That image, while true, might start to be changing a bit.
"Coming from Finland, the country with the highest per capita measure of metal bands in the world, I naturally spent most of my musically active years of recording and touring as a bass player for hard rock bands, proudly carrying my super-long hair on my shoulders (maybe a few chips as well) - all the while country music was pounding deeply in my heart, crying out like the Grand Ole Opry,” explains Jykä.
It comes as no surprise then to find that some of the most Nashville-sounding country we have heard comes from Finland, from the lyrics, stylings, and voice of Jykä Sirainen.
"Country music has been here with me, since 1978 to be precise, when my mom introduced me to Merle Haggard's ‘Working Man Blues.’ I still vividly remember the first gig I had, it was the living room couch and under a floor lamp, my parents being there as my first audience - that's why the first song on the album is called ‘Leather Couch & Cheap Guitar.’ That's where it all started from." Jykä concludes.