Featured, Finnish music, Headline, News

Video of the Day #155: Tomi Nordlund & Syvä Joki

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nordlund

I’ve been meaning to write a little post about Tomi Nordlund & Syvä Joki for months. They are a fairly new Tampere-based group, but the members have been making great Finnish pop music for many years in various shapes and forms. Tomi Nordlund had Cry Bar, Antti Suonio fronted The Props, Mikko Levonen has a power pop duo Heartjet and Noora Porola is a member of the almighty Satan’s Fingers duo. And that’s far from everything. Anyway, Tomi Nordlund & Syvä Joki is a new folk rock group who released two songs last year. I especially like this second one Meidän aikaa that came out in December. Such a great song if you ask me. There’s something very Aknestik-ish in the end of that chorus, but I will always count that as a good thing.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQC2pzVpFP0]

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[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/161963515″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 
Tomi Nordlund & Syvä Joki at Facebook

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Featured, Finnish music, Headline, News

Vähäsarja – Vähäsarja

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vähäsarja

Vähäsarja’s debut album will see the light of the day next month when it comes out on Helmi Levyt. I’m really looking forward to this one. This guy isn’t just another good singer-songwriter. He stands out from the crowd in a good way. There’s something unique and captivating in his songs every time. I’ve only heard two songs from the forthcoming album so far, but I really like both of them. I’ll get back to this when the album arrives in February. Here are those first outtakes Lähden vuorille and Herra on mun kanssa.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mM9kA42VuA]

Vähäsarja at Facebook
Helmi Levyt Website

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Featured, Headline, International music, Top lists

Top 30 Albums of the Year 2014 – Internation Edition (Part Two 15-1)

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Moving on to the second chapter. If you didn’t catch the part one you can find it here. Anyway, here we go. 15 more albums to go.

Top 30 Albums of the Year 2014 – Internation Edition (Part Two 15-1)

Sloan_Commonwealth

15. Sloan: Commonwealth

One of my all-time favourite bands Sloan can kick off this second chapter. Each of the four songwriters in the band wrote one side of the record and they all did an excellent job. I suppose the highlight has to be Andrew Scott’s 18 minutes long Forty-Eights Portraits. A stunning song and it’s rather remarkable that a person like yours truly who usually gets bored if a song lasts over three minutes, really loves this song.

sturgill

14. Sturgill Simpson: Metamodern Sounds In Country Music

I’m not amazed if I start receiving hate mail when people see Sturgill Simpson’s americana/country masterpiece Metamodern Sounds in Country Music outside the top 10 (thankfully nobody actually reads this, so they don’t see this). If this list tried to be objective, this would go into the top 3, but on a personal level this wasn’t as important as the ones that you will see next. But hey, I still love the record and I really loved the fact that it got such a great reception.

paisley

13. Doug Paisley: Strong Feelings

I’m not sure did I ever feature Doug Paisley’s Strong Feelings at onechord.net, but I did buy it the minute it came out back in January and we have been close friends ever since. Perhaps I felt that there wasn’t really any need to praise him. Doesn’t everyone already know that this guy is one of the best. Such a great songwriter, such a lovely album.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/122898287″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 

nqarbuckle

12. NQ Arbuckle – The Future Happens Anyway

I’m a long time fan and therefore I was thrilled about the fact that there was finally a new NQ Arbuckle album out and available. These Canadian folk rockers should be far better known. Their albums XOK and Last Supper In A Cheap Town are both classic in my head & heart and this new one called The Future Happens Anyway is also brilliant.

caleb

11. Caleb Caudle: Paint Another Layer On My Heart

Caleb Caudle already appeared on the best songs list, but of course Paint Another Layer On My Heart claims a place here as well. It might not be the most original thing I’ve ever heard, but the songs are so well written and the whole thing feels so genuine and heartfelt. This album makes me cry, but in a good way. No matter how many layers you have around your heart, this one will get through and hits the romantic core of your heart.

parker

10. Parker Millsapp – Parker Millsap

This young man from Oklahoma released a stunning debut album. After hearing a song or two here and there, I wasn’t that convinced about the greatness of Parker Millsap. I mean I definitely liked the songs, but I didn’t think they were something that special. However, when I finally started fully concentrating and listening to the whole album, I saw the light and realized that a) I had been an idiot b) this guy is a damn good songwriter. What a spectacular record.


 

thedelines

9. The Delines – Colfax

I’m a huge Willy Vlautin fan so obviously I was extremely excited about The Delines and they sure didn’t disappoint me. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the latest Richmond Fontaine album, but this album by The Delines is just wonderful and dazzlingly beautiful.

robertellisi

8. Robert Ellis – The Lights From The Chemical Plant

Another of those early favourites. The new Robert Ellis album came out in February and have hold its charm throughout the year. I’m not sure what is the general consensus, but I love this one even more than I loved this excellent New West debut Photographs. Adding a bit of Paul Simon and Randy Newman influences to his sound palette was a great idea if you ask me.

jaywilliamhenderson

7. Jay William Henderson – Hymns To My Amnesia

I remember reading good things about the previous Jay William Henderson album, but I never properly listened to it. Thankfully I did start paying attention to Jay William Henderson in July 2014 when his new amazingly beautiful record Hymn to My Amnesia came out. This was an album of the month on this blog probably for three months. Partly because I was too lazy to pick a new one, but partly also because it felt relevant all that time and still do.

hallelujah

6. Hallelujah The Hills – Have You Ever Done Something Evil?

This list needs a lot of indie rock and a couple of sing-a-long choruses and Boston-based Hallelujah The Hills is the best option to provide that. Especially the first half of Have You Ever Done Something Evil? is unbelievably brilliant. Not that there’s really anything to complain about the latter half of it either. A damn fine album.

freschard

5. Freschard – Boom Biddy Boom

Like I said on the song list. This one is actually December 2013 release, but it’s my blog and my rules. This was a year of Freschard for me and I don’t have the heart to leave this one out. Boom Biddy Boom by Freschard is totally irresistible. I just love her music wholeheartedly. I’m a sucker for sad music, but sometimes it’s good to listen to something that makes me truly happy. For example the first three songs on this album makes me blissfully happy every time and the whole album is magnificent. I can walk around the town for hours just listening to Freschard. She is so brilliant and it’s a bliss to listen to Boom Biddy Boom.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCoDjtcOqQI]

sunde

4. J.E. Sunde – Shapes That Kiss The Lips Of God

A Blinding Flash of Light is my favourite song of the year and obviously the whole album Shapes That Kiss The Lips Of God by J.E. Sunde is absolutely amazing. I spend most of my free time listening to new music, but I rarely stumble upon something so unique and out of the ordinary that still is somehow easily approachable. The whole thing is gorgeous, but what about Easy Kid and those three songs in the middle, A Blinding Flash of Light, Dream Baby and I’m Gonna Disappoint You. Oh my. That’s a whole another level of greatness. I don’t think they have invented a word to describe that yet.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWE9C-oXJLw]

markham

3. Daniel Markham – Pretty Bitchin’

I’m not sure do I love that title of Daniel Markham’s new record, but I sure as hell love the record. If I look at my last.fm stats that doesn’t count everything, but gives a fairly good idea, Daniel Markham is the artist that I’ve listened to the most (and by far) during 2014. And this thing came out just a couple of months ago on Halloween. So yeah, you could say that I kind of like this one. Whenever I need some energy, I just play this as loud as possible. This one could put those energy drink companies out of business. Perhaps it’s just rock music, but sometimes that’s everything you need. A brilliant album.

myriam

2. Myriam Gendron – Not So Deep as a Well

And then something completely different. This was love at first sight. Myriam Gendron from Montreal turns Dorothy Parker’s poetry into folk music and does it so beautifully. Not So Deep As A Well is magical and captivating and you can listen to it for hours and hours. Believe me. I’ve tried and you can’t get tired of this one. It’s the most moving piece of music released during the year. Ballade Of a Great Weariness, The Last Question and Song For A Perfect Propriety are my favourites, but everything sounds wonderful.

And the album of the year award goes to…

frontierruckus

1. Frontier Ruckus – Sitcom Afterlife

No surprise there I suppose. Frontier Ruckus is my favourite band at the moment. Eternity Of Dimming was my album of the year last year and this year they do it again. They took a more melodic approach this time around and released the ultimate break-up album called Sitcom Afterlife. Some lines might even be questionable out of context, but it’s kind of like when The Raspberries sang that Go All The Way tune in the 70s. They get away with it, because they just do it so beautifully. Words like “You say that you’ve forgotten But I know that you’re rotten in your sweet little way” have never sounded as beautiful. Bathroom Stall Hypnosis, Crabapples In The Century’s Storm, Little Henrietta, The Splendid World, Darling Anonymity are all among the very best songs of the year and that’s already half of the album. So yeah, In the end it’s fairly easy decision. Sitcom Afterlife by Frontier Ruckus is my favourite album of the year 2014.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbgwBk8D32s]

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Featured, Finnish music, Headline, Top lists

Top 10 Finnish Albums of the Year 2014

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Another day, another list. This time it’s Finnish albums of the year 2014. I suppose there are a few surprise omissions. For example Mirel Wagner and Pepe Willberg albums are awesome and worth all the hype, but I didn’t really listen to them that much during the year. Objectively speaking they probably are better than let’s say that Common Tones album, but I did listen to Common Tones something like 20 times more, so on my extremely subjective list, that was better and more important. Albums by Saijaa Saijaa and Räjäyttäjät might have been something that I would have loved, but I haven’t bought them yet.

damns

10. Damn Seagulls: Let It Shine

Damn Seagulls took a little break after 2009’s slightly disappointing album Hunting Season. Thankfully they returned in 2014 and were back in top form. Let It Shine might be a little too short, but it’s probably better to release a killer 8 song album than a longer one with a few pointless fillers. Maybe Let It Shine doesn’t reach the heights of their masterpiece Soul Politics, but in the end very few Finnish albums of the past ten years do that. This is my favourite song of the album and it’s called Hold Your Head Up High.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/135966366″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 
commontones
9. Common Tones – Broken Heart Sounds

I was almost beginning to worry that I might have to remove Common Tones from this list, but the official release did finally happen in early December and wasn’t pushed until 2015. This was a big favourite of mine during the summer time when I listened to their melodic pop music for hours and hours. This is Finding Life from the album.

swaying

8. Swaying Wires: Some Blue Sky

Alternative folk from Turku-based band on a UK-based label. That combo doesn’t take place too often. Swaying Wires might still be in the development stage (and probably will get even better during the next couple of years), but they already released a stunning debut album Some Blue Sky. This is such a great album. If you grew up listening to those hauntingly beautiful indie albums by Songs:Ohia, Mazzy Star and the likes, you should give this one a chance.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/155706711″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 
wondermineri

7. The Wonderminers: These Fell Off The Shelf

These Fell Off The Shelf by The Wonderminers came out in January, but it hasn’t been forgotten. A magnificent album full of melodic pop music. Petri Nakari is such a good songwriter. His pop songs might not hit you instantly, but if you give the album a couple of spins, you might want to marry a song or two. This is Steve and The Silents from the album.

Nopat_Valonkajoa_digi

6. Nopat: Valonkajoa

I’m very ashamed that this beauty didn’t got the recognition it deserved on the blog. Valonkajoa by Nopat is a great record and contains a lot of songs that I hold dear. Highlights for me are Liian täydellinen that you can hear below and that awesome Big White Monkees cover Tukholma.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/168400588″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 

jukkanousiainen

5. Jukka Nousiainen: Huonoa seuraa

That rock’n’roll sure is a blissful thing. Huonoa seuraa by Jukka Nousiainen is a fantastic record and I’m thrilled that it got such a great reception. I don’t exactly understand how that happened. Fantastic diy lo-fi rock’n’roll records just usually aren’t the ones that create a hype around them. Well who really cares ones anyway. Let’s just be happy that sometimes good things happen to good people. And after celebrating that cliche I just wrote, it’s time for some perfect entertainment. This is Roskalavojen rokkitähti.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/165891457″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 

gim

4. Gim Kordon: Ei ole helppoo

Even though Gim Kordon is on the fourth place, Ei ole helppoo might have even been the Finnish album I listened to the most during the year. It’s either this or Pietarin Spektaakkeli. This just gave me energy when I needed it. It just felt damn good to listen to it. It took me to time when Kaksi-Nolla and Manilow ruled the world. Ok, they never actually ruled the world, but allow me to put some colour pen on my own nostalgic memories. And it’s not just salute to the 90s. This all felt awesome and totally relevant in 2014.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/142497800″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 
koriakittenriot

3. Koria Kitten Riot: Rich Men Poor Men Good Men

Koria Kitten Riot set high standards for the year by releasing this beauty of an album during the early stages of January. Antti Reikko has been an extremely good songwriter for quite a long time, but now this thing has reached a whole another level. Koria Kitten Riot became a full band and together they created this little masterpiece called Rich Men Poor Men Good Men. This is an amazing record full of beautifully arranged pop music.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/166336186″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 
pietarispektaakkeli

2. Pietarin Spektaakkeli: Rakkauteen

This was the biggest surprise for me. I never thought I was going to like this and in the end I became almost obsessed with it. I first saw the video for the song Tyttö lähtee tanssimaan and I wasn’t that impressed. Then a while later I saw Janne from Nopat recommending it and then heard it playing at the local record store a few days after. I probably fell in love with it at the store, brought home a copy and after that me and this record have been a tight unit that will take care of each other. It’s just gorgeous. Kind of like blues, hip-hop, 80s Suomi rock and 70s Leevi joining forces in perfect fashion. I love it wholeheartedly. Rakkauteen is a perfect record.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/137674529″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]
 
And the Finnish album of the year 2014 award goes to.

Box-bar_kansi-300x270

1. Ochre Room: Box, Bar & Diamond

This was hardly a surprise. Everyone who is regular follower of this tiny blog probably knew my Finnish album of the year will be Ochre Room’s second full-length Box, Bar & Diamond. They were pretty much perfect the first time I saw them a couple of years ago and still they somehow manage to get even better all the time. I’m not quite sure how that is possible. I spend pretty much all of my free time listening to folk and americana bands from all over the world and there really aren’t many that I like more than Ochre Room. If I would have made just one list and not separate for Finnish and foreign, Ochre Room would still have been on my top 3. The songs are so well-crafted and arranged and that singing always sounds heavenly good to me. I could listen to them sing all day long. Ochre Room and their magnificent album Box, Bar & Diamond is the Finnish album of the year 2014.

Ochre Room – Cabin Sessions from Monadi-Filmi on Vimeo.

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