Sometimes it feels like One Chord to Another has drifted a bit too far from the starting point, which was to love, praise and promote melodic Finnish guitar pop. Finnish pop music was the reason I started this whole mess over thirteen years ago, so let’s get back to that core at least for one blog entry. These two new new releases perfectly fit under that original idea.

First we have the new album by Common Tones called Broken Heart Sounds that just came out late last week. I’ve had the chance to listen to it since early summer and I think it’s a wonderful album full of addictive melodies. These boys certainly have a great pop sensibility. You’ll find a couple of fine examples below. The first single Shine from Bandcamp and Finding Life from Spotify. The album is available at least on iTunes and Spotify. Oh and about that thing that drove me insane in the summer. After listening to this album for hours and hours, I came to conclusion that it’s Tommy Keene whose vocal phrasing occasionally came to mind while listening to this.

Common Tones at Facebook

Finnish pop veterans Flannelmouth has a new album out, available and ready to hit your heart. It’s called I Am The Town and it came out in early November on Bianca-Pop Music. They have certainly written a really good album once again. They always do this melodramatic and graceful pop music so brilliantly. This first single and music video Forgotten Tapes is a great example of their talent.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1cWS93Y5Kg]

Flannelmouth Website

I should start making those year-end lists, but I still have a few dozen 2014 releases that I haven’t featured at all. Some that even might appear on those lists. So I try to shortly go through some of them before writing those lists later in December.

First we have the new self-titled Jere Ijäs album that came out on Turenki Records a few months ago. 20 years younger version of me would have probably thought that this is dreadfully boring, but the current version of me thinks it’s a beautiful album full of warmth and human kindness. I pretty much hate the song Mitä tapahtui, tapahtui, but other than that.. it’s all love. For example Jostakin syystä oon onnellinen, Etelänvaunu and Kun näet vuodenkierron are all gorgeous.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=217XJ0kc2Go]

Jere Ijäs at Facebook

This second Nopat album Valonkajoa that came out on on Kioski Records early in the fall has been barely mentioned around here. That’s rather criminal, because it’s a wonderful album and certainly will be one of my top 10 Finnish albums when I finally make those lists. This is Liian Täydellinen from that lovely album.

Nopat Website

Oh and Jukka Nousiainen. Of course I love this guy. Who doesn’t? There just haven’t been much need to recommend his solo album Huonoa seuraa, because it has been so well covered in the actual music media. And rightfully so. My silly ramblings on this tiny and rather worthless blog wouldn’t really add anything to this story. But yeah, still wanted to make it finally known that I’m definitely on board on this bandwagon and this a top 10 Finnish release for me. Huonoa seuraa is one of the most delightful albums of the year and it’s just a whole lot of fun to listen to it. Here’s that song called Meneehän se elämä tässäkin that steals a bit from the almighty Jolly Jumpers. But hey, if you want to steal some, it’s a good decision to steal from one of the best ever.

Jukka Nousiainen at Facebook