Country, Americana, Folk, Power Pop, Indie Pop
I also failed to mention this important fact during my sick leave from the blog. Starflower has signed a deal with KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy and the sophomore album Ceasefires will hit the stores in february 2010. That’s pretty fantastic I think and I’m really looking forward to the album. The lead single Your King is already out as a digital download.
ALBUMS:
1. The Liverpool Echo: The Liverpool Echo
2. The Blackeyed Susans: Reveal Yourself (Box Set)
3. El Goodo: Coyote
4. Daisy: Daydream
5. Jimmy Campbell: Son of Anastasia & Half Baked
6. The Rationals: Think Rational
7. Tommy Roe: Paisley Dreams
8. Rose Melberg: Homemade Ship
9. The Clientele: Bonfires On the Heath
10. Jan & Dean: Save For A Rainy Day
Sister Flo’s new album Au was released on 25th of november by Fullsteam Records. Quite a lot has happened since the previous album. The remaining three members of Sister Flo chose finnish electro artist Jori Hulkkonen as the producer for the new album and in the end Jori Hulkkonen even became a member of the band. Together the new line up created an album full of hypnotic and beautiful soundscapes. As you know I’m a narrowminded prick who tends to prefer simple pop songs or sad country whining. Therefore this new direction is a minor problem to me. I mean the quality of the music is equally high as before, but stylewise it just isn’t my cup of tea at all. If I’m honest, I wouldn’t have bought a record like this if it hadn’t been written by a band that I already love and people that I truly admire. Thankfully I already loved Sister Flo and I gave the album a chance to win me over. Sister Flo certainly gives me (a beautiful) challenge, but I’m slowly starting to see light. I’m still struggling with the beginning of the album and the last three tracks of the album. However, I can’t deny that the middle part of the album from New Life to The Mutual Feeling About The World Today is quite fantastic. I guess I just need the comfortness of Samae’s voice in order to be able to enjoy it (and the melodies don’t hurt either). Maybe one day I learn to enjoy the instrumentals as well.
Sister Flo Website
Sister Flo at myspace
Snow Coloured Kid started out as Anssi’s solo project and he also had an EP released by french indie pop label Anorak Records. Since then Snow Coloured Kid has grown into a full power pop band. Lately they’ve been recording some new material and several new songs are available on their myspace. This is really good and recommendable stuff and reminds me of early Weezer occasionally. So check this out if you are too scared to check out the new Weezer album (like I have been). I’m guessing this is about eight times better.
Okay, it seems that it took me quite a long time to beat that flu I mentioned in the earlier post eventhough it was not THE flu (I know because it was tested). Even though I didn’t feel really awful during the time, three weeks of mild fever was still quite frustrating and I didn’t feel like spending my energy on this blog (I should have though. It would have been a lot wiser than playing eastside hockey manager or watching NFL games. If I felt good enough to spend hours on those, I definitely felt good enough to update a blog). Now that I’m healthy again it’s time to start writing again. A lot has happened during the time I’ve wasted. For example there’s been a new Sister Flo album and some new Snow Coloured Kid songs. I’ll write a news entry about them during the weekend.
First it’s time to focus on the next Flavour Of The Month club that takes place at Pikku-Torre on friday 4th of december. I’ll be one of the DJs as usual. Here’s the information in finnish:
BEATIÄ JA KANTRIA FLAVOUR OF THE MONTHISSA
Turkulainen kitarapopklubi Flavour Of The Month on jo vuosia ensiesitellyt paikallisia bänditulokkaita ja tuoreita projekteja. Joulukuun klubi-illassa debytoi peräti kaksi uutta turkulaista yhtyettä. The Good Times operoi 60-luvun alun rhythm & bluesin, rock’n’rollin ja brittibeatin maisemissa, kun taas Peconia tunnelmoi pedal steeliä myöden amerikkalaisen countryn syvissä vesissä.
The Good Times niittaa lähtökohdakseen musiikin ja meiningin mielikuvasta ”Beatles Hampurissa 1962” – toimialana siis rapea hauskanpito vanhan rockin parissa ja hyvät kekkerit ilman turhaa puristusta. Good Timesia voitaisiin luonnehtia vaikkapa Flavour Of The Monthin housebandiksi, sillä sen takaa löytyvät FOTMin monivuotiset puuhamiehet Jyrki Mäkelä ja Mikko Lappalainen. Kvartetin täydentävät Jaakko Söderström (Lappalaisen bändikaveri Ben’s Diapersista) sekä paikallinen studiovelho Danil Venho.
Peconia puolestaan kuulostaa MySpace-profiilinsa mukaan samalta kuin ”three chickens on noble booze”. Mitä luonnehdinta tarkoittaa, pitää tulla tarkastamaan Pikku-Torreen 4.12., sillä Peconian MySpace ei vielä tarjoa ääninäytteitä. Sieltä löytyy kuitenkin hatunnostoja hienoille esikuville, kuten Gram Parsonsille, Felice Brothersille ja Bon Iverille.
FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH esittää:
THE GOOD TIMES
PECONIA (http://www.myspace.com/peconia)
+ FOTM DJ team
pe 4.12. 2009 klo 21-03
Pikku-Torre, Yliopistonkatu 30, Turku
liput 3€