North Atlantic Explorers – My Father Was A Sailor
Ambitious sea-themed concept album with a horn section and a big choir. I was almost 100% sure that I wasn’t going to like this one, because I usually prefer simple three minute pop songs about the girl you either have, have lost or are only dreaming about. Thankfully I listened to Vancouver’s North Atlantic Explorers before making final judgement, because it turned out that I actually really like the album. Even during the few moments when I’m lost at sea, there’s those amazingly beautiful harmonies that will drag me back up every time. The songs were written by Glenn D’Cruze and were inspired by his father’s life at sea. There’s also one cover song and they do get a lot of bonus points for this one. It’s the song South by the forever lovely indie pop duo, Pipas. Former Belle & Sebastian Stuart David also provides some narratives. If I need to compare this to something, perhaps I could swim towards artists like Sufjan Stevens and Woodpigeon. To get a better clue of North Atlantic Explorers amazing sight and sound experience, check out the song Don’t Want No One Else (If I Can’t Have You) and the video for the song Into The Blue Sea.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ex2Cy0–Ug]
Flavour of the Month 7.11.2014: Koria Kitten Riot, Dandy Lion Tamer
New month and new Flavour of the Month. This friday at Pikku-Torre, Turku. Koria Kitten Riot and Dandy Lion Tamer will share the stage. See you there. More info below for the lucky ones who can master the beautiful Finnish language.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5-ExY-OinM]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjPamtGTtdo]
Flavour of the Monthin marraskuun pääesiintyjänä kuullaan ja nähdään jo aiemminkin FOTM:issa vieraillutta Koria Kitten Riotia. Lahjakkaan laulajan ja lauluntekijän Antti Reikon johtama yhtye julkaisi aiemmin tänä vuonna hienon albumin Rich Men, Poor Men, Good Men, joka on luontevaa jatkoa vuoden 2011 The Lows & the Highsille. Koria Kitten Riotin musiikki on rikkaasti sovitettua folkhenkistä indietä esim. Bright Eyesin ja Elliott Smithin hengessä.
Marraskuun illan avaa helsinkiläinen Dandy Lion Tamer, joka on alkujaan englantilaisen Rebecca Clampin ja Hollannista Suomeen muuttaneen Hans Wesselsin muodostama folkduo. Illan aikana totutusti myös Flavour of the Month DJ teamin tunnelmaan sopivaa levymusiikkia.
FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH pe 7.11. klo 21-03:
Koria Kitten Riot (showtime 23:30)
Dandy Lion Tamer (showtime (22:30)
+ Flavour of the Month DJ team
Pikku-Torre, Yliopistonkatu 30, Turku
VAPAA PÄÄSY
Ryan Boldt – Broadside Ballads & Elephant Micah – Where in Our Woods
Canadian Ryan Boldt is about to release a solo album Broadside Ballads in late November. I’m thrilled to hear this one, because Ryan Boldt is the front man of one of my favourite groups, The Deep Dark Woods. I still count The Place I Left Behind by The Deep Dark Woods as my favourite international album of this current decade. That’s one amazing folk rock album and all the other The Deep Dark Woods are also magnificent. I haven’t heard this solo album yet, but I know I’m going to hit that pre-order button after listening this first outtake Love Is Pleasin’ a few times.
Legendary Elephant Micah has teamed up with Western Vinyl who will release his new album Where in Our Woods in January 2015. The first outtake is called By The Canal and obviously it’s a fantastic song. I also highly recommend his back catalogue. Joseph O’Connell has written a lot of outstanding music during the past twelve years and he should be universally famous. A big part of that treasure vault is available on his Bandcamp for name your price deal. I only wish he would add everything he has done there, because I really love the early stuff and some of them are still missing from my collection. This however is By The Canal from the forthcoming album Where in Our Woods.
Daniel Markham – Pretty Bitchin’
Daniel Markham from Denton, TX released his new album Pretty Bitchin’ yesterday 31.10.2014 and I instantly fell in love with it. Damn it feels good to be so ridiculously excited about a new album. It’s early days, but I think this is going to be an album of the year contender here at onechord.net. I have a bit of flu at the moment and playing this as loud as possible is the best medicine I can think of. I don’t really know the man, but it feels like I’ve listened to the same US 90s and early 00s indie rock and alternative rock albums when growing up. The wonderful Canadian The Weakerthans aslo comes to mind while listening to the opening track Make Believe and the record also reminds me of Finnish Penniless here and there (especially Coming Down). And that’s a high praise, because Penniless is one of the all-time greats. But enough with the pointless namedropping. This is Daniel’s show and he has created a damn impressive rock album. The whole thing was made in a couple of days, but why waste time in long and often pointless finetuning. This just let go and capture the moment thing certainly worked wonderfully for Pretty Bitchin’. Buy the album from Bandcamp and play it loud. I’m sure your neighbours will also be eager to hear such a magnificent record.