Neljä Ruusua (Four Roses) is a Finnish rock group formed in the city of Joensuu in 1982. The group consists of guitarist-singer Ilkka Alanko, guitarist Petteri Koistinen, bass guitarist Jari Laakkonen and drummer Kari Kämäräinen. Their style of music was influenced by punk in their earlier years, but changed over time to more conventional Finnish rock and pop music. The most popular albums of the band are Haloo (1992, Hello) and Pop-uskonto (1993, Pop Religion), which bought the band to a great popularity.
The band has released 12 studio albums, with two English albums, Mood (1996) and Not for Sale (1998), which were the band's attempt to break the English language market. After these two unsuccessful albums, the band returned to their native language and released their so-called comeback album Uusi aalto (1999, New Wave). On August 13, 2007, it was announced on the band's official website that the group retreats to spend a quiet life for an indefinite period, and they made their so far last public appearance on August 17. The band's future is completely open, any plans for recordings, concerts or other activities has not been established. In 2011 they played in the Ilosaarirock festival in Joensuu. On January 4, 2012, it was announced on the band's Facebook fan page that the group started recording their 13th album.
History The group formed in 1982 under the name Talouskukkaro, and changed their name in 1985; in the late 1990s, they made an attempt to break the English language market, and released some albums under the name 4R. The band's guitarist/vocalist Ilkka Alanko is brother of famous Finnish singer-songwriter Ismo Alanko.
Discography
Studio albums YearTitleTitle translation (in English)FINPeakpositionCertification1987Neljä RuusuaFour Roses1987KasvukipujaGrowing Pains1989Hyvää päivääGood Day1990Hyvää yötä BangkokGood Night Bangkok1992HalooHello1993Pop-uskontoPop Religion1996Mood (4R)1998Not for Sale (4R)1999Uusi aaltoNew Wave12001Valuva taivasFlowing Sky42004Karelia Express12006Ensi-iltaPremiere32012Katkera kuuBitter Moon42015Euforia Euphoria22018Mustia ruusujaBlack Roses1220221000X21
Compilation albums YearTitleTitle translation (in English)FINPeakpositionCertification1994EnergiaaEnergy2000PopmuseoPop Museum12012Haloo 20v. JuhlapainosHello 20th Anniversary Edition502012Poplaulajan vapaapäivä – 20 suurinta hittiäPop Singer's Holiday – 20 Greatest Hits1320224031
EPs YearTitleTitle translation (in English)2017Mustia ruusuja – Osa IBlack Roses – Part I2018Mustia ruusuja – Osa IIBlack Roses – Part II
Singles YearTitleTitle translation (in English)FINPeakpositionAlbum1987"Sulje oveni"Close My DoorNeljä Ruusua"Itkupilli"CrybabyKasvukipuja1989"Vastaa!"Answer!Hyvää päivää"Joulun tähti"Christmas Star1990"Matkalla"En RouteHyvää päivää"Sukellus"DivingHyvää yötä Bangkok"Hyvää yötä"Good Night1991"Elämä"Life"06:00"1992"Juppihippipunkkari"Yuppie Hippie PunkerHaloo"Pullaa"Bun"Sun täytyy mennä" (Remaster)You Must Go1993"Kuka näkee"Who Can SeePop-uskonto"Poplaulajan vapaapäivä"Pop Singer's Holiday1994"Idänprinsessa"East Princess"Meistä jokainen"Everyone of Us"Energiaa"EnergyEnergiaa1996"Mood" (4R)Mood"Loving the Alien" (4R)"Come Down" (4R)1997"Gravitation" (4R)Not for Sale"Sea of Love" (4R)1999"Varjo"Shadow15Uusi aalto"Hunningolla"3"Luotsivene"Pilot Boat"Olen niin pop"I'm So Pop2000"Uusi aika"The New Time"Sun täytyy mennä"You Must GoPopmuseo"Popmuseo"Pop Museum19"Yön yksinäinen"Lonely at Night2001"Missä vaan"Anywhere12Valuva taivas"Valuva taivas"Flowing Sky2002"Nuoli ja sydän"Arrow and Heart"Yhtyneet"United2004"Popstars"4Karelia Express"Elän vain kerran"I Only Live Once"Öisellä rannalla"In Nightly Beach"Veri"Blood2006"Soudat – huopaat"You Row – You BackEnsi-ilta"Tahdon"I Will17"Ensi-ilta"Premiere2007"En voi"I Can't2012"Seitsemän päivää selvinpäin"Seven Days SoberKatkera kuu"Katkera kuu"Bitter Moon"Nuori ikäisekseen"Young for His Age2013"Toiset saa" (feat. Elli Haloo)Others Get2014"Sininen sunnuntai"Blue SundayEuforia2015"Ajelen"I'm Driving"Esirippu"Stage Curtain2016"Saaronin lilja"Lily of SharonMustia ruusuja2017"Sähkökitara"Electric Guitar"Mustia ruusuja"Black Roses2018"Älä luovuta (Noli cedere)"Don't Give Up"Meidän maa"Our Country2019"Surutulitus"1000X2020"Muuttolinnut"Migratory Birds2021"Viimeinen valssi"The Last Waltz"Seuraan sua"I'm Following You2022"Tähdelliset"
References