Here we are. Twenty Three Strikes. A few years back I considered that it would be good to get to 23 years and call it a day by posting All About Chad’s Räkärodeo classic Twenty Three Strikes. Well here we are, but I will only fullfill one half of that idea. I will post the song, but I have no intention of quitting. Maybe someday if I lose the love for new music, but I just don’t see that happening. During the recent years I’ve fallen in love with artists/bands like ITE EEROLA, Kristiina and Hattara just as intensely as I did with Bridget, The Sugarrush and Office Building back when I started this thing in 2001. I hope I will never lose that almost childlike enthusiasm for new music, because that’s the best part of this. Hearing something new like Olva’s song Mehiläisille this year and just instantly being so wholeheartedly in love with everything about it. I understand if that can get a tiny bit annoying too, but if you are reading this anniversary post, you are probably well aware that this blog has nothing to with music critique and everything to do with passionately loving music.

One Chord to Another is a big part of who I am and I’m proud that I’ve been able to keep it going for such a long time. Sure it has its flaws and shortcomings and maybe it could be more if I was less lazy, more brave and not hindered with self doubt. Still I do think this has a lot of value. There’s so much beautiful new music in this messed up world and a lot of it won’t be covered in the actual music media at all or it will be just a sidenote there. And well unfortunately there isn’t a whole lot of that music media even left these days. There’s definitely still a need for the music bloggers that spend their spare time finding the new gems that fly under the radar. In the future it would be nice to find the time and energy to write a bit more and maybe organize some live concerts, but most likely things will stay relatively same and I’m quite content with that too. So I don’t think there will be a whole lot new on the horizon, but I hope you stay with me on this new music adventure. It means the world to me.

All About Chad – Twenty Three Strikes

There wouldn’t be this blog without Miettinen and his Räkärodeo radio show. These days I also cover a lot of music that maybe wouldn’t have been played on Räkärodeo, but it’s the clear foundation of my music taste and I owe everything to Räkärodeo. This song was a usual request whenever some of us listeners turned 23. That’s why it has to play on this blog’s 23rd anniversary. This is an indie pop classic from 1995. So not a new one, but extremely highly recommended.

Olva – Mehiläisille (Minna Records)

And then a few 2024 songs that I love. First my favorite song of the year. That’s the aforementioned Mehiläisille by Olva. A poignant and profoundly beautiful song where bees try to thrive on this planet after the humanity failed. Sounds devastating, but there’s a mountain of warmness and comfort in that song too. I have zero need to see Oasis live, but oh how I would love to see Olva.

ITE EEROLA – Näidenkin seinien takana (Panama-levyt)

I think I’ve mentioned it a few times that my favorite songwriter during the last few years has been ITE EEROLA. Everything just feels so heartfelt and resonates deeply. This latest single Näidenkin seinien takana is again something so pure and affecting and hits close home on a personal level too. I’m shy, quiet and socially clumsy and curling up inside four walls isn’t at all uncommon. Thankfully there’s live music that drags me out and songwriters like ITE EEROLA that make me at least open the window to shout their name to the world or the surprised upstairs neighbour who is walking the dog.

Hattara – Halla (Cotton Candy Company)

Let’s pick up the pace a little and share one song from the album I’ve listened the most in 2024. It’s the debut full-length Ehkä me nähdään huomenna from Helsinki-based dream pop band Hattara. They have quickly become one of my favorite bands. I loved all the singles last year and this new album is equally brilliant. But it’s way past midnight so time to quit the anniversary ramblings and just play Hattara on repeat until I fall asleep. Maybe more video/song posts later in the week. This is Halla from the new Hattara album.

One Chord to Another is now 21 years old. Which is quite a long time to do anything let alone a music blog. Something to be proud of I guess. And I am. Ok, somewhat unfortunate that his has turned mostly into a weekly playlist during the recent years because of various reasons. It’s still quite a lot of work and making it takes a large chunk of my every weekend. Plus there’s that weekly blog post too so it most definitely still counts. Hopefully one day I manage to do more, because the original idea was that the playlist will be a bonus or work side-by-side with the other blog content and not become the only/main thing. Zero promises though, because this is just a spare time hobby and often the day job takes the time and energy. Anyway, thank you to each and everyone who have followed this blog journey during the years. It means the world to me.

No big celebration this year, but I thought I’ll have a small party with Austin Leonard Jones. That’s because a) he made one of my favorite albums of the year b) the first single Back in Black Lagoon has a great birthday party music video. The album Dead Calm is full of lovely melodies, witty stories and mellow country groove and it came out July 29th on Perpetual Doom. Here’s the music video along with another personal favorite The Night Parrots.

Austin Leonard Jones at Facebook
Austin Leonard Jones Website

Carrying on with posting some song and music video favorites from the 20 years that I’ve been making Onechord.net. Here’s the link to the monster playlist, because I don’t have the time to write a post about everything.

One more back to basics kind of part in this 20 year favorites story. There’s a million and one thing that I didn’t go through, but there’s probably no need for that anyway. There’s that playlist above and the blog archives if you want to dig deeper. Vacation is coming to an end and I need to get back to the new stuff to wrap up this birthday week with a new music weekly.

We’ll start with my all-time favorite band (or is that The Posies) The Sugarrush. Also probably the band most responsible that this website exists. So if you love or hate this, thank or blame them. The particular music video Stereo below predates the blog and it’s more like part of the foundation of the blog. It’s an outtake from their 2001 album Mirrorball Ballerinas. So I kinda started this blog in 2001 at least partly because I loved them and the next time they released a full-length album was 2020 when High Status came out (which they recorded about ten years earlier, but it took a while for them to release it). Bastards. Haha. The second song Yeah is an outtake from this album.

The Sugarrush at Facebook

Next stop Nakkila, Finland and one of the best bands Finnish bands ever. I’m of course talking about Penniless. Here’s Hail of Bullets from their 2010 album A Cab to the City. Definitely one of the best Finnish albums released during these 20 onechordnet years.

Penniless at Facebook

More Finnish indie perfection. This is a classic Mummypowder single Don’t Hold Your Breath from their fabulous 2004 album Consternation! Uproar!.

Mummypowder at Facebook
Mummypowder Website

Cats on Fire can do the honors and wrap this nostalgic part of this story. During my biggest indie pop years, they were the best band in my world. I love them with all my heart and still genuinely feel like that they were just as great as any of their foreign colleagues.

Cats on Fire at Facebook

Carrying on with posting some song and music video favorites from the 20 years that I’ve been making Onechord.net. Here’s the link to the monster playlist, because I don’t have the time to write a post about everything.

Next a few Finnish indie classics from the early years.

Starting with Sister Flo’s masterwork Tragician’s Hat from 2004. Maybe all of my early Finnish favorites haven’t aged perfectly, but this one still feels fresh every time I put it on. Such a special record.

Sister Flo at Facebook

Next trip down the memory lane to the shores of the Tourujoki river. The Rollstons were super important because a) I loved the music b) they become dear friends back when I still lived in Jyväskylä. Here’s one classic from the album Our Grain Could Fill Your Stadium.

The Rollstons at Facebook

And then there’s of course Bridget. They only released a couple of demos and a seven inch single, but nevertheless they are still one of my all-time favorite bands and one of the major reasons that this blog even exists. A lot of this stuff has probably vanished from the interwebs, but Come On In is still available due to being released on an international pop compilation.

Wrapping this nostalgic blast with the classic Big White Monkees song Stockholm. I have very fond memories of the crowd shouting Stockholm and Saku (or whatever was his Monkey name) coming back to stage to sing this as an encore. I’m stealing farkkujanne’s youtube video, because that’s probably the only place where this classic is still available.