Another day, another list. This time it’s Finnish albums of the year 2014. I suppose there are a few surprise omissions. For example Mirel Wagner and Pepe Willberg albums are awesome and worth all the hype, but I didn’t really listen to them that much during the year. Objectively speaking they probably are better than let’s say that Common Tones album, but I did listen to Common Tones something like 20 times more, so on my extremely subjective list, that was better and more important. Albums by Saijaa Saijaa and Räjäyttäjät might have been something that I would have loved, but I haven’t bought them yet.

10. Damn Seagulls: Let It Shine

Damn Seagulls took a little break after 2009’s slightly disappointing album Hunting Season. Thankfully they returned in 2014 and were back in top form. Let It Shine might be a little too short, but it’s probably better to release a killer 8 song album than a longer one with a few pointless fillers. Maybe Let It Shine doesn’t reach the heights of their masterpiece Soul Politics, but in the end very few Finnish albums of the past ten years do that. This is my favourite song of the album and it’s called Hold Your Head Up High.

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9. Common Tones – Broken Heart Sounds

I was almost beginning to worry that I might have to remove Common Tones from this list, but the official release did finally happen in early December and wasn’t pushed until 2015. This was a big favourite of mine during the summer time when I listened to their melodic pop music for hours and hours. This is Finding Life from the album.

8. Swaying Wires: Some Blue Sky

Alternative folk from Turku-based band on a UK-based label. That combo doesn’t take place too often. Swaying Wires might still be in the development stage (and probably will get even better during the next couple of years), but they already released a stunning debut album Some Blue Sky. This is such a great album. If you grew up listening to those hauntingly beautiful indie albums by Songs:Ohia, Mazzy Star and the likes, you should give this one a chance.

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7. The Wonderminers: These Fell Off The Shelf

These Fell Off The Shelf by The Wonderminers came out in January, but it hasn’t been forgotten. A magnificent album full of melodic pop music. Petri Nakari is such a good songwriter. His pop songs might not hit you instantly, but if you give the album a couple of spins, you might want to marry a song or two. This is Steve and The Silents from the album.

6. Nopat: Valonkajoa

I’m very ashamed that this beauty didn’t got the recognition it deserved on the blog. Valonkajoa by Nopat is a great record and contains a lot of songs that I hold dear. Highlights for me are Liian täydellinen that you can hear below and that awesome Big White Monkees cover Tukholma.

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5. Jukka Nousiainen: Huonoa seuraa

That rock’n’roll sure is a blissful thing. Huonoa seuraa by Jukka Nousiainen is a fantastic record and I’m thrilled that it got such a great reception. I don’t exactly understand how that happened. Fantastic diy lo-fi rock’n’roll records just usually aren’t the ones that create a hype around them. Well who really cares ones anyway. Let’s just be happy that sometimes good things happen to good people. And after celebrating that cliche I just wrote, it’s time for some perfect entertainment. This is Roskalavojen rokkitähti.

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4. Gim Kordon: Ei ole helppoo

Even though Gim Kordon is on the fourth place, Ei ole helppoo might have even been the Finnish album I listened to the most during the year. It’s either this or Pietarin Spektaakkeli. This just gave me energy when I needed it. It just felt damn good to listen to it. It took me to time when Kaksi-Nolla and Manilow ruled the world. Ok, they never actually ruled the world, but allow me to put some colour pen on my own nostalgic memories. And it’s not just salute to the 90s. This all felt awesome and totally relevant in 2014.

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3. Koria Kitten Riot: Rich Men Poor Men Good Men

Koria Kitten Riot set high standards for the year by releasing this beauty of an album during the early stages of January. Antti Reikko has been an extremely good songwriter for quite a long time, but now this thing has reached a whole another level. Koria Kitten Riot became a full band and together they created this little masterpiece called Rich Men Poor Men Good Men. This is an amazing record full of beautifully arranged pop music.

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2. Pietarin Spektaakkeli: Rakkauteen

This was the biggest surprise for me. I never thought I was going to like this and in the end I became almost obsessed with it. I first saw the video for the song Tyttö lähtee tanssimaan and I wasn’t that impressed. Then a while later I saw Janne from Nopat recommending it and then heard it playing at the local record store a few days after. I probably fell in love with it at the store, brought home a copy and after that me and this record have been a tight unit that will take care of each other. It’s just gorgeous. Kind of like blues, hip-hop, 80s Suomi rock and 70s Leevi joining forces in perfect fashion. I love it wholeheartedly. Rakkauteen is a perfect record.

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And the Finnish album of the year 2014 award goes to.

1. Ochre Room: Box, Bar & Diamond

This was hardly a surprise. Everyone who is regular follower of this tiny blog probably knew my Finnish album of the year will be Ochre Room’s second full-length Box, Bar & Diamond. They were pretty much perfect the first time I saw them a couple of years ago and still they somehow manage to get even better all the time. I’m not quite sure how that is possible. I spend pretty much all of my free time listening to folk and americana bands from all over the world and there really aren’t many that I like more than Ochre Room. If I would have made just one list and not separate for Finnish and foreign, Ochre Room would still have been on my top 3. The songs are so well-crafted and arranged and that singing always sounds heavenly good to me. I could listen to them sing all day long. Ochre Room and their magnificent album Box, Bar & Diamond is the Finnish album of the year 2014.

Ochre Room – Cabin Sessions from Monadi-Filmi on Vimeo.

Another day, another pointless list. This time I give you my favourite Finnish songs of the year 2014. This was a tough one to make and it really hurts to leave out many of my favourite bands. Thankfully most of them will appear on the forthcoming Finnish albums of the year list.

10. Swaying Wires – Some Blue Sky

First we have Swaying Wires and the title track of their wonderful debut album Some Blue Sky that came out on UK-based Battle Worldwide Recordings early in the year. This is such a perfect ending to that beautiful record.

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9. Joutomies Aleksei – Kolmipäinen koira

I’ve had a soft spot for this one since I first heard it back in 2010. I’m not sure did I list it then, but I’m going to do it this time around, because Ei-No Records officially released Joutomies Aleksei’s lovely folk album in early 2014. It also contains other highlights like Laulu Tuomolan Äijästä and Jack & Arlene.

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8. Gim Kordon – Sateessa

Gim Kordon’s album has gotten almost a ridiculous amount of air time in this household. If you tried to academically review it, you would run out of paper while listing all the flaws. But if you just hit play, it feels just perfect and you will enjoy every second. The highlight of the album for me is the chorus of this song called Sateessa. That chorus sure captures a moment.

7. Jukka Nousiainen – Ilman sua en elää vois

This might be a little weird favourite song from Huonoa seuraa by Jukka Nousiainen, but I just love it to bits. Minute and a half of perfect Finnish rock’n’roll.

6. Koria Kitten Riot – Cold Cold Arms

Between a Pillow and A Soft Place is probably my favourite song from Koria Kitten Riot’s latest masterpiece Rich Men, Poor Men, Good Men, but because that one took a head start and lured it’s way on my 2013 year end list, I’ll go with the second best this time around. And this awesome song called Cold Cold Arms sure has the quality to be on any list I can think of. Such a great song.

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5. Pietarin Spektaakkeli – Kuuma mama / Puerto Rico (Haaveissani)

Pietarin Spektaakkeli released a stunning album Rakkauteen that will appear on my top 3 on the forthcoming album list. There’s actually two songs here, because I just couldn’t decide between Kuuma mama / Puerto Rico (Haaveissani). I know those songs are miles away from the music that I normally listen to and I was somewhat surprised that I loved them so passionately. I even tried to resist them at first, but soon I have to give in and admit that they are some of the best songs released in 2014.

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4. Suomen Zorro & Elämän paineet: 6 syliä

Then something a bit more obscure. This might not even be officially out anywhere, but I don’t really care. I don’t have much rules when I write these lists. It’s just a gut feeling and that tells me 6 syliä by Suomen Zorro & Elämän paineet is one of the best Finnish songs of the year. Absolutely amazing stuff. I can’t wait to hear that Vähäsarja album early next year.

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3. Viljami Kukkonen – Säkki

At first I thought that I just leave these new Viljami Kukkonen songs for 2015, because I’m quite sure that they will rule my charts when it’s time to write 2015 year end list. However, in the end I just didn’t have the heart to leave his new song out. I’m a huge fan and his debut album Mörönsyötti is the best Finnish album of the current decade. Follow up will hit the stores and our hearts early 2015 and this song called Säkki was/is the first digital single from the forthcoming album.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag6nBJlynNM]

2. Ochre Room – Wistful Smiles

It was extremely difficult to pick just one song from Ochre Room’s latest masterpiece Box, Bar & Diamond. In the end, I had to go with Wistful Smiles and that’s mostly because of the singing. I think there are even better compositions and even better lyrics on the record, but the singing. Just ah. That last two minutes of the song leave me speechless. Lauri and Minttu singing together so beautifully. It sounds heavenly good. Even though this appeared on their second album, this was actually the first song that Tomi and Lauri wrote together years ago. Now that’s just not fair to other songwriters. “Oh, hey let’s try it out and see if we can write a song” and the end result is this amazing song. Oh my.

And the Finnish song of the year award goes to:

1. Lac Belot – Elizabeth

I fell in love with Lac Belot’s debut EP Elizabeth a few seconds after I started listening to it and our relationship is still working beautifully. Some might remember that in my original writing I said that Elizabeth might be my least favourite song on the EP. Well recently I have leaned more towards this magnificent title track and therefore it’s worthy of that song of the year award. It’s a close call between Elizabeth and his other song II and could go either way. One thing is certain though. Lac Belot is wonderful and fully deserves his 1st place. This is the Finnish song of the year. Lac Belot and Elizabeth.