In case you didn’t know it already, world class singer-songwriter Pete Molinari is touring in Finland right now. These concerts are going to be absolutely wonderful.

To 17.5.2012 Tampere, Telakka +Suvi Koivu
Pe 18.5.2012 Helsinki, Bar Loose
La 19.5.2012 Turku, Dynamo

Here are some of my own Molinari favourites.

Sweet Louise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFrKjHF2GVA

Today, Tomorrow and Forever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t34fue9u7iU

Since You’ve Been Gone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEon3HDofQ

Pete Molinari Website

Treehouse released their excellent debut album Top to Bottom on 12th of may. This is country-flavoured pop perfection and one of my favourite Finnish releases of the year. Ok, maybe I shouldn’t get too excited at this point, because so far I’ve only spent one day with the album. But no, that’s not the way we work here at the onechord.net headquarters. I love to get excited about music and albums like Top to Bottom are the reason why this website exists. This just ticks all the right boxes for me. Wonderful vocals, sweet harmonies, beautiful melodies and stylish playing. And a banjo. I’m very much into albums like this or The Decline by Elvyn (obviously extremely useful to namedrop a Canadian band that only a few have heard around these parts of the globe, but everyone should, because The Decline is a masterpiece). Top to Bottom is already available on iTunes and Spotify. There’s a CD version as well, but I’m not sure will that hit the stores or is it only available on concerts / directly from the band. Here are two beautiful songs from the new album.

Treehouse Website
Treehouse at Facebook

It looks like I’ve missed something pretty amazing last month. I only saw this New West Records release on Glitterhouse’s website a couple of days ago and tonight I finally watched this video 1,2,3…7 times. I really love it. There’s something very Jayhawksian in the chorus and that is not a bad thing. The Mastersons are a married couple Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore from Brooklyn, NY (they are also part of Steve Earle & The Dukes and The Duchesses). New West released their debut album Birds Fly South on 10th of april and I need to get my hands on it sometime soon. This is the marvellous first single One Word More.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6dIz0uE_pk

The Mastersons Website
The Mastersons at Facebook

A welcome return. I’ve missed the blue moods of Spain. They released some amazingly beautiful albums more than 10 years ago. Especially She Haunts My Dreams from 1999 holds a special place in my heart. I really loved albums like She Haunts My Dreams by Spain or Curtains by Tindersticks back then. And obviously still do. The frontman Josh Haden reformed the band some years ago and now they have a new album ready to hit the stores and our hearts. Glitterhouse will release The Soul Of Spain on 11th of may, 2012. This is Without A Sound from the new album.

 
and here is Every Time I Try from She Haunts My Dreams

 
You can listen to more new and old favourites on their soundcloud.

Spain Website
Spain at Facebook
Spain at Soundcloud

PUGWASH – THE OLYMPUS SOUND

Pugwash is an irish power pop group and Lojinx recently released their fifth album The Olympus Sound in the UK/Europe. I think it came out in Ireland last year, but I missed the boat then. Even though I remember it getting good reviews. So The Olympus Sound is a new thing at the onechord.net headquarters. I admit that it took me some spins to realize the full beauty of this pop album no matter how ludicrous that seems now after falling for the album. Strong melodies and great pop songs that bring to mind all kinds of pop heroes from Jeff Lynne to Jason Falkner (latter especially on Be My Friend Awhile). Guest appearances from Ben Folds, Neil Hannon and Andy Partridge, but now I’m done with the pointless namedropping. This is wonderful pop music and this future pop classic is entitled Fall Down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPOCX7G5WhA

Pugwash Website
Pugwash at facebook

YOUNG HINES – GIVE ME MY CHANGE

I wrote about Young Hines several weeks ago, but a revisit is in order, because his debut album Give Me My Change is now out and available (On Readymade in the US, on Lojinx in UK/Europe). I was obviously extremely interested about Young Hines, because Brendan Benson was the one who signed him. I do love Mr. Benson and Young Hines seem to be a really talented musician as well. His debut is kind of a mixed affair to me. I really adore his pop songs that are often very Beatlesque, but the energetic rockers aren’t really my cup of cheese cake. This new video Can’t Explode showes the side of Young Hines that I’m not that thrilled about. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but the pop beauties like Don’t Break My Fall and Keep Me Goin’ are the real treasure for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WY06lywrN8

Young Hines Website
Young Hines at Facebook

Now here is something that doesn’t happen every day. Australian Jack & the Beanstalk just released a new single. Whirly Bird is a great power pop / garage song and you can get it for free from their bandcamp. The frontman Joe “Big in Finland” Algeri is also getting ready to release a new solo album under the name The JAC. That should be out sometime soon.

Jack & The Beanstalk, The JAC, Joe Algeri at bandcamp

I failed to select april’s album of the month, because I was watching the hockey playoffs. If I had selected it, it would have been Slowburner by Atlanta-based The District Attorneys. Slowburner was my soundtrack during the finals. It’s damn brilliant and full of great songs. Especially the mid-part of the album is out of this world. Songs like Cherry Glow, The End, I Can’t Make The Distance, You’ll Have to Meet Me in The Halfway are heavenly good. This is americana with pop sensibility. Slowburner came out on This is American Music on april 24th.

The District Attorneys Website
The District Attorneys at Facebook
This is American Music Website

Time for some power pop action. Last month Kurt Baker unveiled a new video Why You Gotta Lie from last year’s Rockin’ for a Living album/ep. Kurt is definitely one of the good guys. The man has a great taste in music and has covered artists/bands like Nerves, The Vapors, The Knack and Nick Lowe. And most importantly he is able to write great 70′s influenced rockin’ power pop songs that are catchy as hell and a whole lot of fun. This is Why You Gotta Lie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrO8LB4qy_A

Kurt Baker Website
Kurt Baker at Facebook

I’ve gotten a couple of Nathan K. recommendations to my mailbox. One of them came last night with a link to Nathan K’s new video Leave Them. I thought it was excellent and therefore I want to share it. Leave Them is an outtake from an upcoming Nathan K. full-length Dishes. Due out on 27th of june. I definitely want to hear the rest of the album after watching this video several times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzyDC0QLCsk

Nathan K. Website

Marmalakes just released a new EP entitled In Arnica. I’m extremely excited, because I’m a big fan of this folk-pop outfit from Austin, Texas. They took the EP of the year award 2011 and after the first half a dozen spins of In Arnica, it’s rather safe to say that they have a good chance of reclaiming the title. They have a perfect melodic sense and they have the ability to write intriguing lyrics. And most importantly, the vocals and the harmonies are always heavenly beautiful. They should be huge. This is Septimus Warren Smith from the new EP. You can stream/buy the whole thing on their bandcamp.

Marmalakes at bandcamp
Marmalakes Website