Playlist

OCTA Weekly Playlist – Episode #70

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Another week, another weekly playlist.

A pretty great release week. 2020 songs and albums started rolling into the record stores. The Innocence Mission and David Dondero led the rush, but the week also gave beautiful new albums from Della Mae, A Girl Called Eddy (only 16 years after the wonderful debut), Bill Fay, Aoife Nessa Frances, Marcus King, Futurebirds, Alice Boman, Eleven Hundred Springs, Left Arm Tan, Kiwi Jr (I think this came out in Canada earlier) and Fruition. I somehow managed to miss the fact that the Beach Slang album came out a week ago, so that’s here for the first time. Plus EPs from Alan Barnosky and Caitlin Canty.

An excellent week for Finnish stuff as well. Joni Ekman and Pintandwefell released excellent albums plus there’s wonderful new singles from Joose Keskitalo, Untogethers, Muuan Mies and PK Keränen. If you are wondering why the Finnish stuff is usually somewhere in the middle of the playlist, it’s just because this list has a bunch of non-finnish speakers following and therefore I start with the international should-be hits and important album cuts.

As for international singles, there’s so many of them. And so many really important ones. Single of the week has to be Thoughts and Prayers by Drive-By Truckers. A great song with a powerful message. Other big highlight was the return of Samantha Crain with a really special song. Then there’s new singles from huge personal favorites John Moreland, Andy Shauf and Possessed by Paul James. Another brilliant one from the forthcoming Tre Burt and a really wonderful new one from Swamp Dogg. And well a whole lot more and everything would be worthy of a namedrop. This ended a bit on the longside. I probably should try to keep these in the 30-40 songs range, because even that’s quite a lot. I suppose it’s not a big issue, because everyone can listen to just as much or little they wish.

Anyway, that’s this week’s new release round up. Back next Sunday with another one of these, if you want to hear another playlist compiled by a human being instead of an algorithm. Not that I do any better job at it, but at least I try to create some kind of flow to these. All the best and love love love.

1. The Innocence Mission – Movie (See You Tomorrow, Bella Union, 2020)
2. David Dondero – Heather Heyer (The Filter Bubble Blues, Fluff & Gravy Records, 2020)
3. Drive-By Truckers – Thoughts and Prayers (single, ATO Records, 2020)
4. Della Mae – Change (Headlight, Rounder Records, 2020)
5. Bonnie Prince Billy – This Is Far From Over (single, Drag City / Domino Recording Co, 2020)
6. Samantha Crain – An Echo (single, Real Kind Records, 2020)
7. John Moreland – When My Fever Breaks (single, Old Omens, 2020)
8. Possessed By Paul James – When It Breaks (single, 2020)
9. Andy Shauf – Living Room (single, Anti-, 2020)
10. Anna Burch – Not So Bad (single, Polyvinyl, 2020)
11. A Girl Called Eddy – Not That Sentimental Anymore (Been Around, Elefant Records, 2020)
12. Bill Fay – Time’s Going Somewhere (Countless Branches, Dead Oceans, 2020)
13. Swamp Dogg feat John Prine – Memories (single, Joyful Noise, 2020)
14. Tre Burt – Real You (single, Oh Boy Records, 2020)
15. Joose Keskitalo – Nukkekoti (single, Helmi Levyt, 2020)
16. Muuan Mies – Hokusai (single, Helmi Levyt, 2020)
17. Joni Ekman – Yli & ympäri (Sinulle.. Soit Se Silti, 2020)
18. Untogethers – The Peasant (single, Iso Pinkki, 2020)
19. Pintandwefall – Eyes of Mj (Your Stories Baby, Soliti, 2020)
20. PK Keränen – Bad Dreams (single, Playground, 2020)
21. Aoife Nessa Frances – Blow Up (Land of No Junction, Basin Rock, 2020)
22. Alice Boman – The More I Cry (Dream On, Adrian Recordings, 2020)
23. Juan Solorzano – Turn Blue (single, Tone Tree, 2020)
24. Ron Sexsmith – You Don’t Wanna Hear It (single, Cooking Vinyl, 2020)
25. Sarah Harmer – St. Peter’s Bay (single, Arts & Crafts, 2020)
26. Margo Price – Stone Me (single, Loma Vista, 2020)
27. Eleven Hundred Springs – This Morning It Was Too Late (Here ‘Tis, State Fair Records, 2020)
28. Marcus King – Wildflowers & Wine (El Dorado, Easy Eye, 2020)
29. Alan Barnosky – Ain’t It a Shame (Lonesome Road EP, 2020)
30. Futurebirds – All Damn Night (Teamwork, VL4L, 2020)
31. Witch’s Wall – Lady Love (single, Cornelius Chapel Records, 2020)
32. Mapache – Life on Fire (single, Yep Roc, 2020)
33. Sophie & The Broken Things – Tornado (single, Petaluma Records, 2020)
34. Nadia Reid – Get the Devil Out (single, Spacebomb Records, 2020)
35. Melissa Mary Ahern – Engine (single, 2020)
36. Girlatones – Get to the End (single, Meritorio Records, 2020)
37. Mo Troper – Potential (single, Tender Loving Empire, 2020)
38. Kiwi Jr. – Salary Man (single, 2020)
39. Bacchae – Hammer (single, Get Better Records, 2020)
40. Rosie Tucker – Brand New Beast (single, New Professor, 2020)
41. Cable Ties – Sandcastles (single, Merge Records, 2020)
42. Beach Slang – Kicking Over Bottles (The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City, Bridge Nine Records, 2020)
43. Brian Fallon – 21 Days (single, Lesser Known Records, 2020)
44. Fruition – Where Can I Turn (Broken at the Break of Day, 2020)
45. Left Arm Tan – It Ain’t Love (Left Arm Tan, 2020)
46. Son Little – Neve Give Up (single, Anti, 2020)
47. Lee Fields & The Expressions – Regenerate (single, Big Crown Records, 2020)
48. Miss Tess – Gamblin’ Man (single, 2020)
49. Tami Neilson – You Were Mine (single, Outside Music, 2020)
50. Hello Emerson – Kyle Kerley (single, Anyway Records / K&F Records, 2020)
51. PJ Orr – Tightrope Walker (single, Misra Records, 2020)
52. Tracy McNeil & The Good Life – Rain Fall Down (single, Cooking Vinyl, 2020)
53. Caitlin Canty – Time Rolls By (Live from Layman EP, Tone Tree, 2020)
54. Charlie Whitten – Marksman (Make Time, 2019)
55. Pickering Pick – Passage (Darshan EP, Infinite Love, 2020)

Playlist link

Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for these introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the music that matter the most to you

If you are looking this after a week has gone, the embedded Spotify will show the latest playlist. I’ll just update the same playlist because a) if someone wants to follow it, they can just follow that one list and will get a new set of songs each Sunday b) so that I don’t have a trillion of different playlists on my Spotify account.

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Playlist

OCTA Weekly Playlist – Episode #69

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Finally moving on to 2020 songs. Well there’s some from December 2019 too, because I haven’t updated this for several weeks. I tried to remember a few that I enjoyed during those weeks that got buried under the eoty stuff. This is a bit rushed effort, because I didn’t have the time to do the usual groundwork last weekend. I’ll try to do a better job (or well better hobby) next weekend. Anyway, thank you for each and everyone who followed the blog in 2019 and who will remain onboard for this new year. It matters a great deal to me.

This first 2020 playlist is mostly filled with wonderful singles and there’s not a whole lot of albums. There’s a great new EP from Pickering Pick though and Charlie Whitten’s new album that came out on the 27th of December. I look forward to diving into the world of that record, because I love Charlie Whitten but just haven’t had the time to listen to it yet. As for albums, there’s also a new pop record from Just Joans and a Jani Matti Juhani album where he sings Elvis in Finnish.

On the singles front there’s plenty to love. Lilly Hiatt and Gladie are both big personal favorites and both announced new albums with a release of a gorgeous first single. The Innocence Mission released another magical single from their forthcoming album as did Bart Budwig and David Dondero from the Fluff & Gravy family. Still the song of the week is Kaukana onnesta by Laura Moisio. Frankly that’s song of the year quality and I can’t wait to hear her forthcoming album. Other Finnish entries this week are the aforementioned Jani Matti Juhani and the singles from Pintandwefall and Joni Ekman.

Everything else on this would be worth of a namedrop too, but you’ll find them from the list below.

That’s it for now. I’m not sure will there more updates during the week. I really need to catch up on sleep after a couple of weekends of EOTY lists and NFL Playoffs.

1. Lilly Hiatt – Brightest Star (single, New West Records, 2020)
2. Gladie – A Pace Far Different (single, Lame-O Records, 2020)
3. Pickering Pick – Whisper (Darshan EP, Infinite Love, 2020)
4. Charlie Whitten – All That I Do (Make Time, 2019)
5. Laura Moisio – Kaukana onnesta (single, Texicalli Records, 2020)
6. The Innocence Mission – The Brother Williams Said (single, Bella Union, 2020)
7. Christopher Paul Stelling – Lucky Stars (single, Anti, 2020)
8. Bart Budwig – Four Leaf Clover (single, Fluff & Gravy Records, 2020)
9. David Dondero – Thought I Was a Hurricane (single, Fluff & Gravy Records, 2020)
10. Peter Oren – Free (single, Western Vinyl, 2019)
11. Dan Reeder – Stay Down, Man (single, Oh Boy Records, 2020)
12. The Phonies – Good Night New Day (single, Iso Pinkki, 2019)
13. Austin James Craig – Atlantic City (single, 2019)
14. Betsy Phillips – I Must’ve Missed that Part (single, Tone Tree, 2020)
15. Sun June – Terrified (single, Keeled Scales, 2020)
16. Sofia Wolfson – Party Favors (single, 2020)
17. Frances Quinlan – Your Reply (single, Saddle Creek, 2020)
18. Brandy Clark – Who You Thought I Was (single, Warner Records, 2020)
19. Darrell Scott – My Sweet Love Ain’t Around (single, Full Light Records, 2020)
20. Nathaniel Rateliff – And It’s Still Alright (single, Stax Records, 2020)
21. Bill Fay – Salt Of The Earth (single, Dead Oceans, 2020)
22. Bonny Light Horseman – The Roving (single, 37d03d, 2020)
23. My Sister, My Brother – Nothing Without You (single, Soundly, 2020)
24. The Secret Sisters – Hand Over My Heart (single, New West Records, 2020)
25. Pintandwefall – Short Goodbye (single, Soliti, 2020)
26. The Just Joans – Who Does Susan Think She Is? (The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans, Fika Recordings, 2020)
27. Ratboys – I Go Out at Night (single, Topshelf, 2020)
28. Nada Surf – So Much Love (single, City Slang, 2020)
29. The Speedways – Kisses Are History (single, 2020)
30. Babehoven – Only So (single, 2020)
31. Jani Matti Juhani – Kaunein aamuisin (Jani Matti Juhani laulaa Elvistä Suomeksi, Ainoa Productions, 2020)
32. Joni Ekman – Mikään ei riitä (single, Soit Se Silti, 2020)
33. Neal Francis – Don’t Call Me No More (single, Karma Chief Records, 2020)
34. Mary Bragg – Don’t Walk Away (single, Tone Tree, 2020)
35. Sam Doores – Let it Roll (single, New West Records, 2020)
36. Hannah Juanita – Our Love Is Done (single, 2020)
37. Alan Barnosky – Lonesome Road (single, 2020)
38. Della Mae – First Song Dancer (single, Rounder Records, 2020)
39. Dean Fields – Armadillo (single, 2020)
40. Mountain Man – You & I (single, Bella Union, 2020)

Playlist link

Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for these introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the music that matter the most to you

If you are looking this after a week has gone, the embedded Spotify will show the latest playlist. I’ll just update the same playlist because a) if someone wants to follow it, they can just follow that one list and will get a new set of songs each Sunday b) so that I don’t have a trillion of different playlists on my Spotify account.

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Favourite Songs of the Year 2019 – International Edition

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Finally the last of these pointless year-end lists and then onwards to 2020 tunes. This world song category is kinda impossible, because there’s so much great songs released within a year. This comes with a playlist that has over 350 songs. No, I do not expect anyone to listen to the whole thing. If you follow my social media pages, you may have seen and listened to this playlist that I posted before the Christmas. That was the basis for this, but I did change a few songs to different ones. Impossible to choose which one to pick from Matthew Milia, Anna Tivel and Josienne Clarke albums for example. Plus I selected these 30 songs and put them on the top of the playlist in some arbitrary order. The list might change on a daily basis, because there’s a couple hundred songs that were dear to me. The playlist is in random order after these first 30. Maybe slightly top heavy, but there’s very important ones in the end too. You’ll find it at the bottom of the post. Anyway, here’s my 30 (or well 365) favorite songs of 2019. Thank you to every one who followed the blog during 2019. It matters more than you know.

30. Erin Enderlin – Broken (Blaster Records)
29. Ian Noe – If Today Doesn’t Do Me In (National Treasury Recordings)
28. Little Mazarn – Vermont (Self Sabotage Records)
27. Carla Geneve – I Hate You (For Making Me Not Want to Leave the City (Dot Dash Recordings)
26. Vagabon – Every Woman (Nonesuch Records)

25. Clara Baker – Things to Burn (independent)
24. Sidney Lindner & The Silver Wilderness Collective – You & Me Kid (Broken Sparrow / Burst & Bloom Records)
23. Erin Durant – Rising Sun (Keeled Scales)
22. Julia Jacklin – Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You (Transgressive Records)
21. red steppes – Madera (Native Cat Records)

20. Caroline Spence – Sit Here and Love Me (Rounder Records)
19. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron – Belief (P.W.Elverum & The Sun)
18. Friendship – Dusky (Orindal Records)
17. Will Johnson – Need of Trust and Thunder (Keeled Scales)
16. Andy Shauf – Try Again (ANTI-)

15. Kassi Valazza – Mama (independent)
14. Black Sea Dahu – How You Swallowed Your Anger (Mouthwatering Records)
13. Josienne Clarke – Dark Cloud (Rough Trade)
12. The Delines – Holly the Hustle (Decor / El Cortez)
11. D.H. Scott – Long Arms of Regret (independent)

10. Christian Lee Hutson – Northsiders (independent)

Starting the top 10 with the wonderful and deeply moving Christian Lee Hutson single.

Christian Lee Hutson Website
Christian Lee Hutson at Facebook

9. Matthew Ryan – On Our Death Day

One of the most moving and powerful songs of 2019. A heavy one, but there’s love, gratitude and beauty shining through the darkness.

Matthew Ryan Website
Matthew Ryan at Facebook

8. Ian Daniel Kehoe – Evil People (You’ve Changed Records / Tin Angel Records)

My pop obsession of the year. I’ve been blasting this with full volume all year long. One of the most listened by my neighbours too.

Ian Daniel Kehoe at Facebook

7. Matthew Milia – Congratulations Honey (Sitcom Universe)

More difficult to make one song standout, if you make a perfect #1 record. Quite frankly, any of these songs could be my song of the year. I kept changing the song multiple times.

Matthew Milia at Facebook
Matthew Milia Website

6. Joanna Sternberg – This is Not Who I Want to Be (Team Love Records)

I love the last song Don’t Ever just as much (and well the whole record), but this vulnerable yet powerful debut single is the reason I first became a Joanna Sternberg fan.

Joanna Sternberg at Facebook
Joanna Sternberg Website

5. Twain – Royal Road (Keeled Scales)

Call us gay, straight, bi
call us what you like
I call it all romance
and I call the man who hates romance a sad man

Twain at Facebook

4. Le Ren – Love Can’t Be The Only Reason to Stay (independent)

A really powerful song from Montreal-based songriter Lauren Spear aka Le Ren. Works on its own too, but makes an even deeper impact when its accompanied by this music video that was directed by Ali Vanderkruyk.

3. Matt Dorrien – Teddy Wilson (Mama Bird Recording Co)

Matt Dorrien only released one song this year, but it was more than enough to claim a spot in the top three for the second year in the row. The song is gorgeous ode to jazz pianist Teddy Wilson and gives us a beautiful warmhearted escape from this messed up the world. We all need to spend beautiful moments in the arms of the people and art we love. Such moments will give the strenght to carry on fighting for what is right.

Matt Dorrien at Facebook
Matt Dorrien Website

2. Anna Tivel – The Question (Fluff and Gravy Records)

I think almost all songs on this Anna Tivel album would be worthy of a spot on this list. The title song The Question is still the one that rises slightly above the rest, because transgender rights are an important issue and this song is so powerful and deeply moving.

Anna Tivel at Facebook
Anna Tivel Website

1. Steve Sloane – Let All In (independent, 2019)

My favorite song of the year is Let All In by Toronto-based songwriter Steve Sloane. It’s not necessarily and objectively the best song on his wonderful 2019 album Near Death, but this fragile, humane and powerful song resonates deeply within me. Sometimes it just can be so damn hard and scary to feel something else. I love the way the song unfolds into a hopeful future. I love the way Steve sings and how Julie Arsenault’s voice comes to carry it deeper into my heart. I love everything about this song. It’s a shoulder and kindred understanding soul.

Steve Sloane at Facebook

And here’s the full playlist with 365 songs. One for each day.

Playlist link

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TOP 60 Finnish Songs of the Year 2019

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Just a couple of these very delayed year-end lists this weekend. First my favorite Finnish songs of the year and then my favorite international songs of the year. Both will be done very quickly without hardly any writings. Just need to finally get these done, because 2020 tunes have started to drop into the record stores and our hearts. If the ranking with the albums is silly, then it’s downright impossible with songs because there are so many great ones. So this is just 60 songs that I loved during the year by 60 different artists and the numbers have zero relevance. First 40 are in completely random order and then some sort of top 20, which might look different on another day.

There’s a Spotify playlist too. It’s pretty similar to the ongoing list of 2019 favorites, but that will carry on for 2020 and I’ll slowly delete the 2019 stuff from it. This one stays for “history books”. There’s actually 61 on this list, because Tvärtom is not on Spotify. I wanted to make that playlist 60 songs too. Astral Brain is kind of the bonus pick here, because they are half-Finnish and based in Stockholm. So could be on the international list as well. And as usual, I’m just one man and I know I’ve missed a ton of great ones. Probably also just simply forgot a few.

Lehtojärven Hirvenpää – Alaovella (Helmi Levyt)
Eden Prairie – Ana Lucia (independent)
STINAKO – Kun viimein saavuit (Soliti)
Hot Heros & Janne Laurila – Anna vähän siimaa (Soit Se Silti)
Jukka Nissinen – Kirkonpolttaja (Humu Records)
Hermaja – Anna kyynelten tulla (Balladi Jari Aarniolle)
White Jackets – Fumes (Pinetree Music)
Astral Brain – Five Thousand Miles (Astronime Records)
Klasu – Näkymättömiin (Soit Se Silti)
JLaine – Tuuli (Way Beyondo Records)
Pasi Salmi – Talvipäivänseisaus (Way Beyondo Records)
J. Matkala – Laululintu (Lumpeela julkaisut)
Tuomo & Markus – Predator (Grandpop Records)
Mara Balls – Kylmä sää (Stupido Records)
Treemer – The Great Void (Soft Monsters)
Mitä helvettiä nyt taas – Tuu mun luo (Nature Sucks Anyway Records)
Message Field – Hold Time (Soit Se Silti)
M – Jos tulen takaisin (Solina Records)
MeriTuuli – Minä odotan (independent)
Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L – Musta kimppu (Svart Records)
Anne-Mari Kivimäki & Palomylly – Ei hauta tää (Kihtinäjärvi Records)
Kynnet – Tavoittamattomiin (Luova Records)
Litku Klemetti – Sinä tiedät sen (Luova Records)
Tams – En halua nähdä sun lähtevän (independent)
Pykäri (feat Nick Triani) – Pumped Up With Memories (PME Records)
Spring Teeth – Land of Bones (I Call It Blood Detective Records)
Mental Market – Wild Poppies (Money Laundry Records)
The Lieblings – Girl on the Run (Stupido Records)
The New Magnetic North – Letters on the Floor (independent)
Grant Wood Company – Childs, Minnesota (independent)
H.C. Slim – Keep Your Eyes on the Road (Svart Records)
Baby Sweetcorn – Thousand Yard Stare (Way Beyondo Records)
Tomi Nordlund & Syvä Joki – Vuodet (Soit Se Silti)
Knipi – Hölösuu (The Friend Music)
V.Härkönen – Elokuun vaimo (Soit Se Silti)
Veroes – Something Precious (independent)
Hullu Ruusu – Käsipohjaa (Helmi Levyt)
Pintandwefall – Ah-Ah-Ah (Soliti)
Veli – The Director (Evil Veli Recordings)
The Phonies – Good Night New Day (Iso Pinkki, 2019)
Salaliitto – Outoja valoja (Soit se silti)

Everything above was in completely random order. Here’s my favorite 20 in some sort really vague order, which might look different on another day. A song or two might change too, because I had heated arguments with myself about what song to include at least from Ylva Haru, Kielo Kärkkäinen, Räjäyttäjät, Iron Country Sisters and Liila Jokelin albums.

20. Maanvaiva – Rakkauslaulu (57 Records)
19. Antti Autio – Mustaa (Soit Se Silti)
18. Joose Keskitalo – Luistelen kirkasta selkää (Helmi Levyt)
17. Lokit – Pelastusvene (Joteskii Groteskii / Roku / Combat Rock Industry)
16. Arppa – Vartiovuori (Arppa Music)
15. Rock Siltanen – Uskon huuhkajiin (Rokkia ja Sporttia Levyt) (on some level this is #1)
14. Tvärtom – Iltariennot (independent) Not on Spotify, but here’s the music video
13. Räjäyttäjät – Samassa veneessä (Räjä Records / Ektro Records)
12. Maustetytöt – Talvi Talvikin kanssa (Is This Art!)
11. Laura Moisio – Ohi ajettiin (Texicalli Records)

10. Viitasen Piia – Meidän jälkeemme hiljaisuus (Texicalli Records)
9. Liila Jokelin – Kahdeksas ihme (Helmi Levyt)
8. Janne Tapion Sisäinen Avaruus – Kaikki oli paremmin ennen (Lumpeela Julkaisut)
7. Kielo Kärkkäinen – Kukaan ei osaa kertoa (Texicalli Records)
6. Sur-rur – Fleetwood Macin villi välikausi (Joteskii Groteskii / Roku Records)
5. Iron Country Sisters – Leaves (Soit se silti)
4. Hulda Huima – Jalat laahaa tätä maata (Helmi Levyt)

3. Jari Raaste – Ilmalaiva (Fonal Records)

And then the three I loved the most. First we have a smooth earworm and sweet soulshaker from Jari Raaste. A perfect single and a superb concert too at Ilmiö Festival.

Jari Raaste at Facebook

2. Ylva Haru – Oikeiden luona (Soit Se Silti)

Next a song from my favourite Finnish album of the year. Ylva Haru created a remarkable album and at least half of the songs could be on this little list. I’ll go with Oikeiden luona, but it could just as well be Tähän hetkeksi jään or Vapaa tuntemaan. I love these three songs more than my words can express.

Ylva Haru Website

1. Amuri – Halla (Helmi Levyt)

My favorite Finnish song of the year is the debut single Halla by Amuri. Their second single is pure gold too and equally wonderful. However, this one came first and it was a homerun. I love everything about this one starting from that Asko Raivio homage in the cover art. I hope we get an album full of Amuri barogue pop in 2020. It would be a mighty good reason to keep this blog alive for another year.

Playlist link

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