Vähäsarja – 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]
FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH’S NEW YEAR: Jean Ramsay + Bubblegum Theory 9.1.
I’m having a little blog break, but I’ll continue in a week or two. So you’ll have to tolerate my silly ramblings for another year or so. Sorry about that.
Before I get my act back together, we have a new Flavour of the Month event coming up here in Turku, Finland next friday 9.1.2015. The line-up looks brilliant to me. Bubblegum Theory and Jean Ramsay will share the stage. Check out more information below.
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FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH esittää:
Jean Ramsay (22:30)
Bubblegum Theory (23:30)
+ Flavour of the Month DJ team
pe 9.1. klo 21-03
Pikku-Torre, Yliopistonkatu 30, Turku
VAPAA PÄÄSY
Vuoden 2015 ensimmäisen Flavour of the Month -klubin esiintyjät ovat helsinkiläiset Bubblegum Theory ja Jean Ramsay. FOTM-vuoden avaus koetaan klubin kotipesässä Pikku-Torressa perjantaina 9. tammikuuta.
Illan esiintyjistä Bubblegum Theory on kahden miehen popyhtye, jossa vaikuttaa Flavour of the Monthissakin aikanaan pari kertaa esiintyneen Harry Hunksin entinen laulaja-kitaristi Matti Eräsaari. Bubblegum Theoryn musiikissa kuuluu Eräsaaren vanhassa bändissäkin läsnä ollut klassinen indie pop, tai pop, ilman indie-määrettä. Duon nimen vihjaaman purkan määrä lienee kuulijan korvassa ja todistettavissa keikkaolosuhteissa.
Jean Ramsay on puolestaan vieraillut Flavour of the Monthissa bändinsä The Spoonshinersin keulilla. Tällä kertaa tunnustettuna rock-journalistinakin mm. Rumban sivuilta tunnettu Ramsay esiintyy soolona. Klassisessa mies ja kitara -asetelmassa Ramsayn musiikki asettuu amerikkalaisen laulaja-lauluntekijä-perinteen, countryn ja myöhempien aikojen tummemman laidan indietunnelmoijien (esim. American Music Clubin Mark Eitzel ja Red House Paintersin/Sun Kil Moonin Mark Kozelek) kyynisen kieron jatkumon välimaastoon, tuottaen tarinoita ulkopuolisuudesta ja elämän nurjasta puolesta. Tunnelmaa tasapainottaa Ramsaystä pulppuava vino huumori.
Top 10 EPs of the Year 2014
Let’s get this EP list out of the way as well before the Christmas break. There’s of course that reissue list to do as well, but I’m not sure am I going to do that one. There’s always so much new stuff that I haven’t had much money left to buy a lot of wonderful reissues. Top 3 would be awesome of course Bob Carpenter, Sister Flo etc… We shall see if I do it at all. But first it’s time for this EP list. I have a strange feeling that I’m forgetting something important. Maybe I add an eleventh if I figure it out after posting this. That Love Sport Ep might have made the cut, but I haven’t had the time to listen to it enough at this point.
Top 10 EPs of the Year 2014
10. The Harry Heart Chrysalis – Bodensee and Other False Stories EP
Let’s get the list going with Australian The Harry Heart Chrysalis. This lovely EP came out very early in the year. I especially love the song You Are Not A Rarity. This has some rather brutal lines “if I could take you anywhere, I’d take you off my mind”, but somehow I still love it.
9. Red Jacket Mine – Pure Delight EP
Moving on to Seattle. Red Jacket Mine released their new soulful EP Pure Delight late in the year and like the title promised, it sure is a pure delight to listen to it. This is Crow from the EP.
8. James Frost – Nameless EP
Next stop on our world tour is England where James Frost released a rather amazing folk EP. Traditional British folk gently collides with more modern sounds and the end result touches you deeper than where a doctor could reach. Especially the title track Nameless is spectacular.
7. The Weather Station – What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know
Back across the pond and to Canada. A long time favourite Tamara Lindeman aka The Weather Station released incredibly beautiful new EP called What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know. Simply stunning like always.
6. The Perfectos – Songbirds & Wolves
The Perfectos has been a very big deal at the onechord.net headquarters during the last couple of months of the year. I’ve been listening to their whole excellent back catalogue lately. Their 2014 release was this excellent EP Songbirds & Wolves.
5. Matt Paxton – Mountain Eyes EP
I’ve been a big fan of Matt Paxton since I first heard his album How The Land Lies. We still have to wait for that next full-length, but Other Songs Music Co put out a really lovely Mountain Eyes EP this fall. A bunch of great originals and a lovely The National cover. I’ve actually never really listened to The National, but after hearing Matt’s version, I kind of like to start. It can work this way around as well. This is Pink Rabbits from Matt Paxton’s beautiful Mountain Eyes EP.
4. The Taste – Sea Legs EP
Toronto-based The Taste gave us a magnificent little pop record called Sea Legs. I have big smile on my face when I listen to this one. My kind of pop music. I hope they release a full-length album sometime soon. I would love to hear one.
3. Lac Belot – Elizabeth EP
Because I only had a few Finnish EPs that I had really listened to a lot, I didn’t see the point in making a separate list for them. I couldn’t even come up with ten. Therefore they had to fight for their place on this international list. One made the cut and it’s this wonderful debut EP by Lac Belot. Elizabeth was my Finnish song of the year and all three songs on the EP are magnificent.
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2. Gudrid Hansdottir – Taking Ship
Gudrid Hansdottir’s Taking Ship was one of my big favourites during the year. I’m not entirely sure should it have been on the album list. I think I’ve seen people call it an EP, a mini-album and an album. It feels like a mini-album to me, so therefore I didn’t put it among the full-lengths. One thing is certain though, it’s spectacular.
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And the EP of the year award goes to..
1. Cale Tyson – Cheater’s Wine EP
I really loved and enjoyed Cale Tyson’s EP Cheater’s Wine. Well-crafted and beautifully delivered classic country songs. This was even an album of the month on this little blog of mine, even though it’s not even an album. Cheater’s Wine is just brilliant. I hope we will finally get a Cale Tyson full-length album sometime next year.
While No One Was Looking – Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records
One more thing to do before those year-end lists. It’s time to celebrate 20 years of Bloodshot Records. They have given us a huge amount of wonderful music during their existence and they are still one of the finest labels out there. While No One Was Looking – Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records is a new compilation where 38 excellent artists cover classic songs from the Bloodshot Records catalogue. There are way too many great versions to mention, but I really enjoyed (for example) Samantha Crain’s rendition of Cold Forgiver by Ha Ha Tonka, Possessed by Paul James singing I Came Around by Murder by Death and Superchunk covering one of my all-time favourite songs, Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams. The list could go on and on. This one below is also excellent. Blitzen Trapper doing another Ryan Adams classic To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High).
Bloodshot Records sure do have a great history, but even more importantly, they are still relevant today and have released a lot of great music during the year 2014. I haven’t really featured their fall releases on the blog even though I’ve been listening to them a lot. So maybe it’s to make amends and shortly go through some of them now.
First we have excellent songwriter Cory Branan and his new should-be hit record called No-Hit Wonder. A really strong record and also a candidate for those year end lists. This is the opener You Make Me that also features mr. Jason Isbell.
Moving on to Luke Winslow-King and his awesome old-fashioned tunes that are timeless and refreshing. His new album Everlasting Arms is absolutely adorable. This is the gorgeous title track Everlasting Arms.
After that it’s time go into darker, but equally beautiful surroundings. Bloodshot’s Danish recruit Maggie Björklund also has a new album out and available. This album called Shaken might not be the closest match with my heart, but it’s still rather convincing effort and I wouldn’t be least bit surprised if someone thinks this is the best piece of music that has been released during the year. Especially this Fro Fro Heart that features Kurt Wagner from Lambchop is just stunning and leaves me speechless.