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Million Dollar Beggars - Million Dollar Beggars

If you love your rock a bit 80s style, with catchy choruses, big harmonies, great sing-a-long melodies and big hair, you need to check this debut album out from Helsinki-based Million Dollar Beggars. Sounding like they come from Los Angeles rather than Finland, these guys have come up with a debut album that shows great song writing and is well produced. The Americanised 80s hard rock / AOR feel, with catchy harmonised ‘wo-ah’s, rocking synths and strong vocals is similar to the likes of Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Cinderella and the other great 80s hair bands. The title track ‘Million Dollar Beggars’ is a strong opener, which is always important, and makes you want to listen to the rest of the album. It’s followed up with the brilliantly titled ‘(I forgot to) Die at 27’, with its similarly catchy chorus. ‘Stories’, the second single, is a softer track, and shows their versatility. The debut single ‘Gone With The Flow’ gets stuck in your head and will not come out. The album has a good overall feel of style and pace, gels nicely and is a fantastic debut from these polished rockers that should appeal to a wide fan base. One of the other strengths on this album is Miko Hell’s vocals. Clearly a great singer, his voice has range and suits this music, sometimes more sleazy, sometimes clear and strong. The Finnish special edition has some brilliant covers like as Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me) by Samantha Fox, Where Were You Last Night by Ankie Bagger and Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford & Ozzie Osbourne. Backing vocals come from Tanya who used to be in Lullacry and Jason from Brother Firetribe. Like Brother Firetribe, Million Dollar Beggars fall squarely into the genre of music of well produced catchy choruses with big hooks, and a real summer feel good style. And they’re good at it. Definitely one to watch. 

Get along to the listening party on Friday, September 19th (21:00 – 04.00) at System Rock (Public Corner), Keskuskatu 4, Helsinki to hear it first.

The album "Million Dollar Beggars"  is out on Septemmber 24th, 2008 on Shadow World Records.