The Mattoid

Ville Kiviniemi is the Mattoid, a bald, poncho-wearing enigma from Finland who moved to Nashville to take over the scene with his unique blend of lounge-flavored Velvet Underground rock & roll, Scandinavian throat singing, and signature rhythmic guitar technique known simply as "sango." He formed the Poppy Fields Band in 2001 with an Israeli chanteuse of the same name, eventually splitting in 2003 to strike out on his own. The result was Hello, a 12-track collection of grooves, ballads, and outright rockers that showcased his gruff, operatic vocals and simplistic -- yet oddly ...