Finnish blues-rock phenom Erja Lyytinen returns with new single Bad Seed

Erja Lyytinen has announced the release of a new album Waiting For The Daylight. The record is due October 7, but you can hear the first single, Bad Seed, below. 

The album is Lyytinen’s ninth record and was reportedly written and recorded during her pandemic downtime, at a point when, like many musicians, the blues guitarist and songwriter was pondering an existence without shows and a life away from the road.

It certainly feels like some pent-up energy is being untapped on Bad Seed. It's a Southern-tinged rocker that intersperses some of Lyytinen's classic influences – including some heavy, Page-y pentatonics – with a contemporary blues swagger and a hook-heavy chorus. There’s also a duelling solo that sees the guitarist dolling out an impressive call and response.

Latest Videos From

Watch full video here:

“I wanted to make a track that you could dance to,” expands Lyytinen. “This track has a fat groove and instantly makes you want to move. In the solos, two guitars vary. A regular guitar and a slide guitar have a conversation. It’s one of my favourites on the album and our first single release.”

The single will also open the record, while the (as-yet-unreleased) title track, Waiting For The Daylight, is said to offer up Lyytinen’s “most mesmerising and emotive” solo to date. We’re also taking the fact that she’s appearing on the cover with a custom G&L ASAT Z-3 Semi-Hollow electric guitar in blue sparkle finish as a promising sign of good things to come... 

Lyytinen’s previous efforts, not least 2019’s Another World (which featured Jennifer Batten and Sonny Landreth), helped her place in both our best modern blues riff poll (with Snake in the Grass) and nab a significant share of the 60,000+ votes in our best blues guitarist poll, so consider our appetites suitably whetted. 

The multi-talented guitarist has handled all the six-string duties on the record, alongside vocals, violin and keys, while her band comprises Harri Taittonen (keys/Hammond organ), Tatu Back on bass guitar and Iiro Laitinen on drums.

Waiting For The Daylight track list

1. Bad Seed (5:13)
2. Last Girl (5:28)
3. Run Away (5:00)
4. Waiting For The Daylight (6:12)
5. Never Really Had You (5:15)
6. Diamonds On The Road (4:25)
7. You Talk Dirty (6:17)
8. Love Bites (3:58)
9. The End of Music (6:55)

Head to Erja Lyytinen to pre-order Waiting For The Daylight.