On with the highlights of the year. And this time finally some pop songs (even though I will get back to folk and country sooner or later). Let’s start with the big boys and power pop wizards who have written awesome pop music for years.
Andreas Mattsson – AA from the album Kick Death’s Ass

Jonny – Candyfloss from the album Jonny

Sloan – Unkind from the album …

Continuing with the highlights of the year 2011. I started with the unhurried side of music (like Slowcoustic describes it). Now I’m kicking it up a a tiny notch, but the quality remains equally high. Still very much in the folk, country and americana zone, but don’t worry. Some pop hits will be coming up as well (even though that “finnish pop site” slogan is …

I think it will go close to Christmas (or even after) until I have the albums and songs of the year lists ready, but I thought I post a couple of quick round-up posts before that. Maybe I should ask Suburban Home is that Micah Schnabel album coming out before the end of the year, before choosing the album of the year. At the moment …

Well more or less. I didn’t think ages about these. Just 25 songs that I really like/love. A lot of great stuff is missing because it’s not on spotify or I just forgot to search it. I hope the link below works, if someone wants to listen to this. Oh and get the new Dawes album. It’s not on spotify, but it’s so wonderful.
Austin …

Just one more pointless year-end list to go and then it’s time to move on.
FAVOURITE REISSUES & COMPILATIONS OF THE YEAR 2010:
10. Kathy McCord: From New Jersey To Woodstock (Big Beat, 2010)
Kathy McCord’s self-titled album has been a highly sought cult classic. Well not highly sought by me obviously. Up until this reissue I had never heard her name. But that just shows how little …

This is not really a list. I didn’t buy enough EPs to make a top 10, but there were two little discs that I really loved and therefore I want to mention them.
Nopat: Kaupungit ihmiset
If Kaupungin ihmiset had been an album, it would have made the top ten on the album list. If there had been “the best finnish releases of the year” -list  on …

Part one 40-31, Part two 30-21, Part three 20-11
10. The Posies: Blood/Candy
The greatest band in the world according to One Chord To Another made a most welcome return with this wonderful album. Sure I wished there would have been a little bit more distortion & grit on the record, but it doesn’t change the fact that the album contains a huge amount of magnificent pop …

Part one 40-31, Part two 30-21, Part four 10-1
20. Justin Rutledge: The Early Widows
I’m a long time fan of canadian singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge and have loved pretty much everything he has ever done. The Early Widows isn’t an exception to the rule albeit I’m not 100% happy with all of the production/arrangements choices (less gospel choirs next time around). Justin Rutledge is  such a master in …

Part one 40-31, Part three 20-11, Part four 10-1
30. Justin Townes Earle: Harlem River Blues
Justin Townes Earle didn’t totally amaze this time around, but Harlem River Blues was still a strong country album.  I suppose the only issue was that while like everything on the record, there’s only a few things I really love. There’s nothing that I love as much as I love …

part two 30-21, part three 20-11, part four 10-1
40. Olavi Uusivirta: Preeria
There won’t be many major label releases on the list, but I suppose also those big boys need to get the credit when they deserve it. Olavi Uusivirta’s latest album Preeria was a beautiful 70′s kind of pop album. A couple of horrible songs as well, but I can forgive that, because this is …