“Pine Trails” by Satellite Stories

Satellite Stories
Pine Trails
[XYZ/Berlin Music]

Yes, Satellite Stories are from Finland. No, they don’t sound anything like Of Monsters And Men (who are from Iceland at any rate – different arctic country). Pine Trails is their follow up effort to 2012’s Phrase To Break The Ice. Sophomore albums are always the problem child; the idea can range from, “Everyone liked the first album, let’s do it all again!” to the hipster “Oh we have to do something completely different now!” Esa Mankinen (vocals, guitar), Marko Heinkinen (lead guitar), Jyri Pesonen (bass), and Olli Pekka-Ervasti (drums) like their danceable, happy go lucky pop, with guitar riffs plenty and stayed the course.

The first single, “Campfire” is a simple summer romance tale and the first song this Owl’s ever heard to rhyme “Delorean” with “make me understand.” “Lights Go Low” is the carry on and dance song of the album, guitars and drums blazing. The inevitable comparison to Two Door Cinema Club will be made; some unfavorably, some with more enthusiasm. We say let’s see where they decide to go from here; seriously, these guys came out with “Scandinavian girls/they hate me” and set it to a hook laden dance number. For that alone, we want to see what else is coming.