Petri Pettersson's first album Nuoruus (The Youth) from 1977

Without a doubt some of the most beautiful music I have heard in the last year.  I don't feel it's right to hide this stuff away from those who might love it as much as I do.  Many thanks again to Mr. Morgan for sharing with us this material.  I wouldn't be far off in describing this as similar to classic Tombstone Valentine or Being-era Wigwam with its impressive mix of rock, pop, folky guitar, and progressive ingenuity.  There are the Beatlesian or McCartney-like thumping piano chords (e.g. With a little help or Your mother should know), there is the gorgeous hard sound of the organ hammering away at solos, the sheer interest of every single song-- with the ability to combine an interesting sung melody with original chords, the nice electric guitar, drums, and bass basis, it just can't get any better, in my opinion...

About Petri Pettersson:

Ilkka Olavi 'Petri' Pettersson (born December 1952) is a Finnish musician. He became known in the 1970s, established the Petri Pettersson Brass, a brass-pop-band's  leading figure (the Band was
founded by 4 Pettersson Brothers). The band's best known song is 1971's Maalaismaisema (originally Elton John's song Country Comfort from the Tumbleweed Connection LP).

In 1977, Pettersson recorded texts by different poets and the album Nuoruus was the result.  The Backing band included musicians from Finnforest. The title track was based on a poem by Mika Waltari, and Pettersson got to present it and a couple of other similar pieces for Waltari's 70th
anniversary celebrations in Helsinki's Finlandia Hall.

Pettersson has also worked as a radio journalist in Savo starting in 1984 for YLE Kuopio.  This ended 17.11.2005 after negotiations broke down and the Yle dismissed a number of music journalists.

Lyrics by Pablo Neruda, Bertold Brecht, Mika Waltari and Aaro Hellaakoski.

Music written by: Pekka Tegelman (Finnforest) and Ilkka (Petri) Pettersson.
Full band information can be found here:
http://www.discogs.com/Petri-Pettersson-Nuoruus/release/1351858

Here's the title track, with its nice string quartet background, again, originally a Beatles or George Martin concept: 

And if that was not progressive enough try the closer: