Featured, Finnish music, News

Volter & Big Wave Riders

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A couple of really good Finnish albums came out last week.

VOLTER

Volter’s debut album No Return is a charming pop album. 60s pop music, glam, indie pop, even a tiny bit of Finnish schlager and most importantly really good songs. There might not be anything really mind-blowing on the record, but I like everything this record has to offer. Besides, I’m quite happy with my mind as it is. I don’t want to have it blown away. I rather let it flow in a steady stream of well-crafted and beautifully delivered old-fashioned pop songs. This is the first single Ghost Town.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/54938625″ iframe=”true” /]
 
Volter at Facebook

BIG WAVE RIDERS

Big Wave Riders also released their debut album Life Less Ordinary last week. They are part of Soliti’s excellent artist roster. Style-wise they are not totally my cup of tea, but that’s just personal preference. There’s nothing wrong with the quality of their music. Life Less Ordinary is full of high quality pop music and it deserves a lot of attention. And this new video, Sunny Season is pretty damn good.

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

Big Wave Riders at Facebook

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International music, News

Euros Childs – Summer Special

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Euros Childs has some new music for us. That is always something special. This time it is Summer Special. If the fall is already lurking behind the corner, you can keep it out of sight for another a couple of months by listening to this beautiful pop album. Summer Special is available as CD or pay-what-you want download from Euros Childs website. This is the music video for the lovely new single That’s Better.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9jlcBQcDw]

Euros Childs Website

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Album of the Month, Featured, Headline, News

Album of the Month: Greater Pacific – Incandescent

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Time for new album of the month. I’m a bit early with this one, because Yer Bird will officially release this in the beginning of september. I just couldn’t resist, because I love everything about this one. Greater Pacific from Southern California are masters of laid-back americana and their debut full-length is amazingly beautiful. Even though it is very far-fetched to compare folk band to an indie pop band, Greater Pacific somehow reminds me of Trembling Blue Stars. Maybe Greater Pacific’s Kyle Kersten and Bobby Wratten from TBS are just both able to create same kind of little bit melancholic, but extremely comfortable atmosphere. If you need more pointless namedropping, Norfolk & Western’s masterpiece Dusk at Cold Parlours could be located around the same neighbourhood. Anyway, the thing that matters is that Incandescent is a magnificent record. Wonderful vocals, beautifully crafted and arranged songs and a pedal steel. Who could ask for more? This is certainly in my top 10 for 2012 and maybe even in top 3. This is the marvellous opening track And You All Remain With Me.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/54894549″ iframe=”true” /]
 
Greater Pacific at Facebook

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Featured, International music, News

Javier Escovedo – City Lights

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I found out about this album on some facebook group I follow a couple of weeks ago and istantly liked it. I was somewhat familiar with Javier Escovedo’s old punk rock band The Zeros from power pop compilations, but I had not heard his solo material. Thankfully I did hear now, because this is totally my kind of music. Power pop, 90s indie rock, even early TFC comes to mind on few occasions. Just damn good songs and really enjoyable record. Also features Brian Young and Joe Bass (who also were the rhythm section on my all-time favourite record, Amazing Disgrace by The Posies). City Lights originally came out in 2008 I think (I’m not 100% sure), but there’s a 2012 release from Folc Records. Maybe this is even the first proper release of this great record. Here are couple of samples from the record, See You Around and Tonight Is Gonna Be Better. Check out more on Soundcloud/Spotify and buy the vinyl from Folc Records.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/55245641″ iframe=”true” /]
 
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/55245614″ iframe=”true” /]

 

Javier Escovedo at Facebook
Javier Escovedo at Soundcloud

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