Casablanca Vox - Kadonnut karavaani

Casablanca Vox only made one album, "Kadonnut karavaani" (1986). The best known member was Markku Toikka (1955-), actor, musician, writer and stand up comedian. He's probably best remembered from the group Lapinlahden Linnut, a band that was started by poor men in 1983 as a street playing unity, but has become a Finnish institution over the years with a catalogue of 14 albums, 39 singles, several compilations plus six sketch comedy series for TV.



Toikka made a side trip with Casablanca Vox, who debuted with an obviously part English-language single "I Saw Her Standing There / Pahat pojat" for new label Megamania, founded by Atte Blom (Love Records, Johanna, Pyramid, AMT...).



The primary songwriter in the band was guitarist Mikko Mattila, with keyboardist Visa Heinonen in support on a few tracks. The music is typical 1980's Finnish pop/rock, both with the keyboards and the slightly dark mood. Heinonen's lyrics ("Tähtien sota", "Toukokuun päiviä") express a deep concern for the state of the world. Mattila's most prominent effort on the album is a four-part tale set in the deserts of Egypt.



Another highlight is the fun and fast drunk-driving song "Karpolla on asiaa", title referring to reporter Hannu Karpo, who did traffic education programs for TV at the time, teaching drivers how to behave on the streets. Later he turned into a consumer and bureaucracy activist, seeking out people mistreated by insurance companies, hospitals and other such institutions and letting their stories be told to the public.



The hit song on the album was the closer, "Hyvää yötä kääpiöt", which I heard a lot on the radio at the time. However, the fabulous flute solo from the original single version isn't present here, with a rather low-key keyboard solo failing to make up for it.



Not available on CD, so here's a vinyl rip for you to enjoy.



1. Tervetuloa vieraskotiin (Welcome to the Guest House)

2. Ilmojen langalla (On the Wire of the Skies)

3. Tähtien sota (Star Wars)

4. Karpolla on asiaa (Karpo Has Things to Say)

5. Vanhat likaiset miehet (Dirty Old Men)

6. Egyptin urku (The Organ of Egypt)

7. Kadonnut karavaani (The Lost Caravan)

8. Itäisten maiden janoiset miehet (Thirsty Men of the East)

9. Epilogi (Epilogue)

10. Toukokuun päiviä (Days of May)

11. Hyvää yötä kääpiöt (Goodnight Dwarves)



http://finnishrock.blogspot.com/2008/05/casablanca-vox.html