Reviewed by Veronika van der Walt.
The Wrong Car is a folk/rock band from Oulu, Finland, fronted by singer-songwriter Jukka Ruottinen and multi-instrumentalist Teemu Toropainen. Their sound is influenced by artists such as Wilco, Tom Petty, and The Jayhawks. The band’s debut album, Tapes In The Attic, will be released on September 10, 2025, and features 12 songs written by the duo. The album was produced entirely without AI or auto-tune, and no instruments, including drums, were tightly edited to a grid. The music is allowed to live and breathe as organically as possible.
In addition to Ruottinen and Toropainen, the album features South African drummer Warren van Wyk, keyboardist Jusu Tapio, and guest appearances by Meea M. (cello) and Dimi Salo (backing vocals). The album will also be available as a limited edition CD.
Currently, The Wrong Car is steadily moving forward, already planning the recording of new songs and some small-scale live shows.
You can listen to their interview with Duzzy Clayton in his The Anything Goes Podcast:
I first heard of Jukka and his music from Duzzy’s radio show. Jukka is also involved in other bands such as Psycho Season, Deadglow, Two Nails In A Coffin, Old Men’s Burden and Bom Lulu. Two Nails In A Coffin (including Joe Brady from USA) collaborated with Dawn Melanie (South Africa) on the track ‘Cold’.
https://www.facebook.com/BrunchLunchShowWithDuzzyClayton
I gave their new album a listen and this is what I thought:
1. Apples
For me this track is about a caring man falling in love with a woman who has been broken in a toxic relationship (“the apples lied on the ground, not good anymore”). I can see in my mind this man going to the local food market in town. He comes across a woman whose apple cart has been knocked over literally and figuratively. She’s crying but he helps her pick it up again. The lyrics “I’m gonna be here when the next apple falls”, tells me that he will be there for her the next time she goes through a difficult time. Sounds like the man also had a bad experience with love (“it won’t be easy with me”). Luckily the song has a happy ending (“I’m gonna be here when you wake up and open your eyes”). It’s such a sweet romantic track!
2. Every Time I Close My Eyes
This track is about two lovers in a long distance relationship, I think (“I travel just to watch you from afar”). Long distance relationships are hard and it sounds like the woman has given up trying. The man still longs for her (“every time I close my eyes all I can see is your face”). The electric guitar makes a surprise appearance during the lyrics “it’s a shame we’ve lost our way” and you can almost feel the man’s disappointment and frustration. The man also gives up in the end (“sometimes I wish that I could forget about you”). It’s actually a sad love song with a happy melody, which makes it an interesting track.
3. Back In Your Arms
It sounds like this track continues from the previous song (“I just want to be back in your arms again”). He misses her extremely and may have sought some kind of comfort in alcohol (“another bottle of whiskey… calling my name”). The bluesy guitar adds to the theme. He can hear that she misses him too when he calls her. “When I get home, I never wanna leave again” tells me he’s thinking of past visits – it almost makes you ache inside.
4. Better Days
The story continues but with a more hopeful tone. He still thinks of the past (“do you still remember the summer when the sky was blue and clear”). But he’s now determined to make things work (“today will be the day the sun will drive the rain away”). Great backing vocals.
5. Pay The Price
This track almost has a country feel to it with the harmonica and cello. “One crumpled twenty dollar bill in your hand” – could it be that the man of our story is going to see his beloved woman with his hard urned money? “But things don’t always go as you planned.” Has she maybe moved on (“the king becomes a jack”)? Sometimes you have to take a chance without knowing the outcome (“roll the dice and pay the price”)…
6. Ghost
He is trying to forget her now (“it time to go ahead, forget it all”). But she still “haunts” him and he can’t sleep. He takes their photos and bury it in the garden. But it doesn’t work – she is still “haunting” him. Awesome guitar work towards the end!
7. She Left A Heart
Her memories slowly start to fade. He’s now wondering if it maybe was him that did something wrong or not enough (“I really didn’t mean to hurt her”). “I’m a bad boy for breaking her heart again” tells me it’s not the first time. But it’s too late now, she has left her heart on his pillow.
8. If I Never Said
He knows now that he never say “honey, you’re still the one” to her. “I tried to be open” means he was too afraid to open his heart for her. We live in a modern age of love – new terminology like ‘situationship’ is being used now. “This ‘relationship-ish’ connection can be enjoyable for some, but the ambiguity can lead to anxiety, frustration, and a lack of emotional security over time” – Google. Now if his beloved was a hopeless romantic, it starts to make sense why she gave up. The track ends suddenly with “honey, you’re still the one, the one I want to see when I wake up in the morning”, like he’s saying it now to her but she’s already gone…
9. Smoke
Nice piano/keyboard playing. The guitar kind of gives a bluesy feel to it. The lyrics “fighting against the smoke” may mean he’s thinking of smoking again lol. But I think it rather has a more metaphorical meaning – he wants to move on.
10. October
It sounds quite depressing at first (“you seem to be loosing”). But “another four cold months, then I’ll see you again” gives hope.
11. Come
What a lovely surprise with the faster tempo – my favourite track on the EP! “You say you want to meet me” …”but you never come” are the lyrics that really stuck out for me. I like the female backing vocals (Dimi Salo) echoing “come to me”. “I wrote you a letter… told you how I really feel. Maybe that’s what scared you away” sounds sad in contrast to the fast melody but makes the song interesting. Awesome guitar work at the end!
12. Beneath The Waves
He’s trying to forget her but “the water takes” him because “we are one” (soulmates?). I really do hope the story has a happy ending (“the trees are starting to grow from the ashes”).
Excellent storytelling! Very good, Jukka and friends! You can hear a love story continuing throughout the entire album. And the perfect album title ‘Tapes In The Attic’, like old love letters buried away…
Follow The Wrong Car here:
Website: https://www.thewrongcarband.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565039523523
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewrongcarband?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Listen album here on September 10:
https://thewrongcar.bandcamp.com/album/tapes-in-the-attic
The Wrong Car
Tapes In The Attic
1. Apples
2. Every Time I Close My Eyes
3. Back In Your Arms **
4. Better Days
5. Pay The Price ***
6. Ghost *
7. She Left A Heart **
8. If I Never Said
9. Smoke *
10. October *
11. Come
12. Beneath The Waves
All songs written by Jukka Ruottinen & Teemu Toropainen except where noted
*Jukka Ruottinen
**Teemu Toropainen
***Mika Alanko & Teemu Toropainen
Produced by Teemu Toropainen
Mixed & mastered by Undogmatic
Cover design by Teemu Toropainen
The Wrong Car are:
Jukka Ruottinen: Vocals, backing vocals & guitars
Teemu Toropainen: Guitars, bass, keyboards, programming & harmonica
Additional musicians:
Warren van Wyk: Drums
Jusu Tapio: Keyboards (5, 8, 9)
Meea M: Cello (5)
Dimi Salo: Backing Vocals (11)