Proving once again, that interpreting the blues to perfection is not the sole domain of any given geographic region, Marty The Random Guy, an amazing artist based in Finland offers up some of the finest tunes I have heard in a while. Marty The Random Guy's Debut Release "Hooks" has that special chemistry which allows the music and the message to come across loud and clear, not being cluttered with a bunch of extra instruments that could have taken away from it's quality. "Hooks" reminds me a lot of another band not to far away from Marty called Bullfrog Brown, a duo that is rapidly gaining recognition in Europe and abroad. 

"Hooks" is basically a two man production, with a few guests here and there to add that extra vocal and banjo. "Hooks" is raw and simple, an album that for those whom over produce their work, would be well advised to listen to and perhaps learn that music, especially the Blues, is often best, when it is presented in it's purest of forms.

"Hooks" is an exceptional Debut, one not to be missed.

John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

In August 2008 Marty The Random Guy recorded his debut album, with nine songs, at Noisecamp Studios in Tutku, Finland. Hooks contains four blues-garage-rock tracks, which were recorded together with Muzzy on drums. The album also features a couple of acoustic roots-folk-country songs with Robin Pahlman on banjo. Furthermore, Marty plays his homemade Cigar Box Guitars and Stomp board on two songs. One acoustic lullaby was also recorded for the album.

Hooks was recorded in Turku (Finland) in August 2008. The record was released on January 16th 2009. Hooks is produced and written by Marty, engineered and mixed by Stefan Granholm. The record was mastered at Virtalähde Analog Audio in Helsinki, Finland.

Tracklist

1. Hooks 
2. The Lighthouse Keeper 
3. Garden Hose 
4. Where The Story Ends 
5. Burn The Bridges 
6. Turn Out The Lights 
7. Easy Chair 
8. Comin´ Up 
9. Not My Day

About Marty The Random Guy

I was born in the very late 70´s in a small town on the southwest coast of Finland. At the age of 11 I got my first guitar and started my first band. Since the mid 90´s, I've been strumming the guitar and singing in several punk and rock bands and projects.

During the past years, loads of ideas for songs have been stacked up in my desk drawer. My material is founded on those ideas along with a whole bunch of new ones. I'm not much of a categorizer, but you might say I'm a singer/songwriter who likes to write and perform rock/roots/blues/country/folk songs in different shapes and sizes. The keys to my material are spontaneity, openness and simplicity.

As all my songs are a result of my voice and some instrument, they're naturally the tools I use at shows. However, I might have friends jump in at gigs and during recordings.

Keep it simple,

Marty

http://www.martytherandomguy.com/

http://www.myspace.com/martytherandomguy