22-Pistepirkko

Originating in the small Finnish village of Utajarvi just beyond the Arctic Circle, 22-Pistepirkko formed in 1982 and captured Band of the Year honors at home for two EPs, among them the well-received Piano, Rumpu & Kukka. The lineup—brothers PK on vocals and guitar, Asko Keranen on synthesizer, and Espe Haverinen on drums—shifted to English-language material with the 1987 album Kings of Hong Kong. The bluesy Bare Bone Nest arrived two years afterward, while 1992’s Big Lupu brought the trio their earliest attention beyond Scandinavia. Following 1994’s Rumble City, LaLa Land, they returned in 1996 with Zipcode, a set of remixes, before releasing Eleven in 1998.