Using influences such as The Beatles and The Doors, Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps use power-pop sounds to create a melody unlike any other, a song that fits multiple schemes and genres. Written solely for the sake of celebrating a new year with a clean slate and an open heart, Tom Tikka’s “By 2022” is also the ultimate post-heartbreak song, the farewell to a bad job or a family drama, a reminiscence on what life has got to ever. Particularly relevant after the pandemic has shaken the world everybody knew to the core, “By 2022” is a timeless song that could fit into any pop/alternative playlist for anybody going through an uplifting, easy-listening phase.

Interview with Tom Tikka

With 2 singles “Doormat” & “With Eyes Closed” reaching #1 on the iTunes hits list, Tom Tikka & The Missing Hubcaps have a good chance of solidifying their musical presence as a Finnish band with a flair. “By 2022” is no simple retro-flavored pop track but more of a chant of the goodness and the hope that the world desperately needs during difficult times.

“Prepare yourself for ten explosive tracks of grit and tenderness”, the band wrote on their Facebook page, and with ‘Drama for Life’, they stayed true to their promise. The song is largely reminiscent of some of their earlier releases, particularly on albums like Carnival of Rust (2006) and Revolution Roulette (2008).

Following the lead of the well-defined, loud riffs and dominant drums, Marko Saaresto sings the anthem to someone who has been “sentenced to drama for life.” As usual, the Poets stay true to their name and the better part of the song remains the extremely well-written and sharply descriptive lyrics.

What you can particularly like about this song is the difference in the atmosphere of the chorus compared to that of the rest of the song. True to his reputation, Marko covers a wide vocal range in one song, and even does a speaking bit at 2:17. With all that, the song still manages to present itself as a whole unit, delivering its message loud and clear: how self-destructive the subconscious mind can be.

As Marko elaborates, “The song is about the workings of the wonderful machine that is the human mind. The machine that can create unique and brilliant new ideas but also cause us so much trouble. So often our minds drive us towards these checkmate situations as if we had this internal designer playing an aggressive game of chess against ourselves.”

Accordingly, the lyric video shows Marko using expressive body and hand movements to visualize the idea of the song.

The song makes it to a 7.5/10, only because we’re hopeful that the rest of the album would show the Poets venturing more out of their comfort zone and exploring newer territories in terms of musical style.

On July the 8th, the band announced that their sixth studio album, Jealous Gods, would be released on September 19th this year. The album’s first single ‘Daze’ was released on August 22nd on their official website along with its music video. I must say it is freakishly amazing! Once again, POTF’s lead singer Marko Saaresto has managed to grace us with his unique performance. Well, just excluding the part approaching the end where he gets like an all creepy clown, more like… Stephen King’s “IT” clown and Batman’s Joker combined creepy? *childhood nightmare* *goosebumps* Maybe I just never liked clowns.

Ok, back to the video… There’s a full moon, masquerade party, drifting, and fire all over the place! This is one track you certainly do not want to miss.

Written by: Farah Wahid
Edited by: Duha Mousa