Finnish music, Top lists

Favorite Finnish Songs of the Year 2021

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And finally song of the year lists. First the Finnish ones. I’ll do these rather quickly, because I need a some kind of Christmas break from the blog stuff. These are mostly just a never-ending playlist, but I typed down some big favorites and chose the top 3. I’m sure there’s a ton missing from the playlist, because I didn’t do a great job keeping the ongoing list up to date throughout the year and this list was built using that. That ongoing list will slowly transfer to 2022, so this one will stay for the “history books”.

The playlist is slightly top heavy, but somewhat random after the first 3 and completely random after the first 30 or so. Oh yeah and Haamusoittajat would be easily among the top picks, but it was December 2020 release and ruled the lists already a year ago. However, it didn’t become streamable before January 2021 so I wanted to include it on the playlist.

Here’s 12 big favorites in random order. In some case there are two songs mentioned, because I couldn’t decide between the two. My silly lists, my silly rules.

Arppa – Täällä taas (Johanna Kustannus)
Joakim Daal – Shelter (All That Plazz)
Astrid Swan – Luxuries (Soliti)
Eden Prairie – Birch Street / Josie
Rock Siltanen Group – Pizzaa ja kaljaa / Santanan Kolmonen (Rockia ja sporttia)
Laura Moisio – Kirje (Texicalli)
Kielo Kärkkäinen – Ajattele tulevaa (Texicalli)
Mustat Kalsarit – Puhu Musta (Hiljaiset levyt)
Hulda Huima – Luomet kuin tähdet / Kotimatka (Helmi Levyt)
Joose Keskitalo – Doors (Helmi Levyt)
Amuri – Hattupäinen mies (Helmi Levyt)
Tvärtom – Kadun humina (267 lattajjaa / Jumatsuga)

3. Teini-Pää – Näin sen unessa / Kissat ja koirat / Tähdet, Tähdet (Stupido / Soit Se Silti)

We’ll start the top three with an early peek to my Favorite Finnish albums of the year 2022 list. Everybody knows that Teini-Pää and Tvärtom are the best bands. The latter one took home the album of the year award while Teini-Pää released several fabulous singles. Well maybe Downtown was only good, but Näin sen unessa / Kissat ja koirat and Tähdet, Tähdet are absolutely marvellous.

2. Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L feat Laura Moisio – Kirsikankukkia (Svart Records)

And on the second place there’s this timeless folk beauty from Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L. Another big favorite singer-songwriter Laura Moisio adds some vocal magic too. I kept changing the order of the first all the time, so this is basicly just as dear to me as the song of the year.

1. Ty Roxy- True Colours (Fonal Records)

My favorite Finnish song of the year is True Colours by Ty Roxy. What a perfect lofi version of the disco high life. The album 音楽 (music) has several equally great moments, but this started it all for me and therefore remains the dearest song on it. Love love love.

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Apple Music Playlist

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OCTA Music Weekly – Episode #166

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Another week, another new music weekly.

There’s not a whole lot going anymore, but here’s one final new music weekly for 2021. After this short episode, I will put this on hold for 2-4 weeks and return to it in early or mid-january. Oh and there’s an own list for the Christmas songs and other seasonal tunes. You’ll find that here. I’ll add some more there soon, because I’m sure plenty is missing.

There’s not many new album releases. Eric Schroeder and Joshua Rilko are from this week. Treetop Flyers, Gentleman Jesse and firekid I managed to miss while focusing too much on the aoty stuff. Shame on me. I really like that Treetop Flyers album on quick listen. I need to give it a good spin during the holidays. David Garnham and the Reasons to Live album is new to streaming, but it has been available elsewhere like Bandcamp.

From Finland The Lovematches album is now streaming. Before they only had the singles on these evil platforms. The big one is the new Rock Siltanen Group single Santanan Kolmonen. This probably has been out a week or two, but somehow this monster managed to fly under my radar until I saw the music video yesterday. Absolutely love it. There’s only new Finnish singles from Isse, Ilja Karsikas and J. Kajan.

Some international should-be hits too. Song of the week has to be that new The Hellacopters single, which is pretty damn good and surprisingly close to the level of the classic stuff from the late nineties and early 00s. There’s also great new singles from Ryan Culwell, Dalton Domino feat Stephanie Lambring, Brent Cobb, Steph Green, Big Thief and so forth.

That’s it for this week and almost this year. There might or might not be song of the year lists this weekend. Depends if I have the time. If not it probably goes into new year. After that probably at least two week vacation from the new music weekly and other blog related things. Back sometime in January. Still continuing the 20 year long battle of whether to do more, the same or just retire. Now onechordnet is one of the things that just are and there’s nothing really wrong with that, but something new like a midweek q&a feature or whatever might add some much needed spark and worthiness. Hard to just figure out the kind that didn’t require too much time/energy, because manual labor factory job drains all I have. Anyway, thanks to all who have shared, liked and followed this new music weekly or the eoty lists. You have no idea how much it matters. Happy holidays to everyone in case this is the last post of the year and I fail to do the song lists before Christmas. Love from a distance.

1. The Hellacopters – Reap a Hurricane (single, Nucklear Blast, 2021)
2. Treetop Flyers – Castlewood Road (Old Habits, Loose Music, 2021)
3. Ryan Culwell – Colorado Blues (single, Missing Piece Records, 2021)
4. Dalton Domino feat Stephanie Lambring – Wannebe (single, Lightning Rod Records, 2021)
5. Steph Green – Devotion (single, 2021)
6. The Lovematches – Till the Dawn Breaks (Rescue Songs, Emsalö Music, 2021)
7. David Garnham and the Reasons to Live – Holding Pattern (Noise to Fill the Void, 2021)
8. Eric Schroeder – Slippery Elm (The Crucifixion of Eric Schroeder, Earth Libraries, 2021)
9. Brent Cobb – Just a Closer Walk with Thee (single, Ol’ Records, 2021)
10. firekid – Blue Roses (Muscle Shoals Metaphysical, 2021)
11. Joshua Rilko – When Springtime Comes (Lost Soul / Rock & Roll, 2021)
12. Jacksonport – Loose and Lazy Loon (single, Tularosa Records, 2021)
13. Jeffrey Lewis – What I Love Most in Englad (is the Food) (single, 2021)
14. Gentleman Jesse – Become Nothing (Lose Everything, 2021)
15. Rock Siltanen Group – Santanan Kolmonen (single, Rockia ja sporttia, 2021)
16. Isse – Malmin apostoli (single, Helmi Levyt, 2021)
17. J. Kajan – Reppanan pojan tanssi (single, 2021)
18. Ilja Karsikas – Odotan et sä meet (single, 2021)
19. The Green Pajamas – I Love the Way You Smile (single, Green Monkey Records, 2021)
20. Del Amitri – This City Loves You Back (single, Cooking Vinyl, 2021)
21. Big Thief – Spud Infinity (single, 4AD, 2021)
22. MAITA – Helena (single, Kill Rock Stars, 2021)
23. Dark Tea – Silent Sister (single, Don Piano Enterprises, 2021)
24. Spencer Hoffman – Like a Bird (single, Park the Van, 2021)
25. Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox feat Sweet Megg – Levitating (single, Mudhutdigital, 2021)
26. Oan Kim – Mambo (single, 2021)
27. Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio – Pull Your Pants Up (single, Colemine Records, 2021)
28. The Howard Hughes Suite – Lake of Dreams (single, The Slow Music Movement, 2021)
29. Ansley Rushing – Clementine (single, Harriet’s Bluff Records, 2021)
30. Jenna & The Janes – Through the Bluffs (single, 2021)
31. Robert Stillman – It’s All Is (single, Orindal Records, 2021)
32. Alan Power – Life on Mars (Alan, Empower Records, 2021)
33. Ryan Pollie – Harriton House (Stars, Forged Artifacts / Mapache Music, 2021)
34. Janne Tapion Sisäinen Avaruus – Kasvukipuja (Uusi elämä alkaa, Iso Pinkki, 2021)
35. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Don’t Forget Love (Barn, Reprise Records, 2021)

Spotify Playlist

Apple Music Playlist

Tidal Playlist

Playlist Archive on Spotify

Playlist Archive on Tidal

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. If you want to find the older ones I’ve moved them to the weekly playlist archive. So hit that link above and I’m sure you’ll find this playlist too.

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OCTA Music Weekly – Episode #165

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Another week, another new music weekly.

I spent most of the weekend doing the way too long AOTY list and therefore I don’t really have a very good idea what new music is out there. Thankfully all artists don’t care about this year end madness though and even with a quick glance, I was able to put together some kind of playlist. I was cruel and didn’t consider any international albums that came out this week for the aoty list. I just wanted to be able to get the list done and have some kind of Christmas break from the blog. I think that Ryan Pollie for example might have made the cut, if I would have spent some time with it. But enough of this and on to the new releases.

That Ryan Pollie LP is probably the album of the week here, because I really like on quick listen. Other big album releases this week came from Alan Power, Matthew McNeal, Spell Songs, Ken Pomeroy, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Michael Hurley, American Aquarium (more covers etc) and Nicole Atkins. The Wave Pictures album seem to be released in parts and first one is now available.

A pretty good Finnish release week too. The highlight and album of the week is that Janne Tapion Sisäinen Avaruus album, which already made the cut on Finnish albums of the year list because I had heard it in advance). There’s also an album from (proto)Torvinen plus excellent singles from Verandan, Torrances, Antti Autio and Tapani Rinne & Juha Mäki-Patola.

There’s also bunch of international (should be) hits. Song of the week has to be the new The Delines song closely followed by the new songs from Josienne Clarke and Bart. There’s other great ones too like songs by Jamestown Revival, Jeff Moller & The Marigolds, Sad Daddy and Thomas Dollbaum. Plenty of cover magic too here from Laura Veirs, Memory Spells, Emily Baker..

That’s all for now. Check out the EOTY lists if you feel like it. It took a forever to make them after all. I’ll probably do some quick song of the year lists to highlight a few non-album tracks and so forth, but mostly that will just a playlist longer than anyone will listen. That probably goes until next weekend or so, if it happens at all. I haven’t decided yet am I going to put this new music weekly on hold now and continuing in January. Kind of depends are there enough new stuff coming out next friday. Maybe I’ll just add them on top of this #165. Anyway, now I’m just going to rest a while. So like, share, follow and all the usual promotional nonsense. Love from a distance.

1. Ryan Pollie – Don’t Lie (Stars, Forged Artifacts / Mapache, 2021)
2. Alan Power – Big Deal (Alan, Empower Records, 2021)
3. Matthew McNeal – Texas Heat (Along For the Ride, Matte Black Sound Company, 2021)
4. Spell Songs – Bramble (Spell Songs II: Let the Light In, Quercus Records / Thirty Tigers, 2021)
5. The Delines – Past the Shadows (single, Decor Records, 2021)
6. Josienne Clarke – Driving it a Night (single, Corduroy Punk, 2021)
7. Bart – Once Was (single, Idee Fixe Records, 2021)
8. The Wave Pictures – Jennifer (When The Purple Emperor… Autumn, Moshi Moshi Records, 2021)
9. Ken Pomeroy – Christmas Lights in April (Christmas Light in April, Horton Records, 2021)
10. Michael Hurley – Alabama (The Time of the Foxgloves, No Quarter, 2021)
11. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – They Might Be Lost (Barn, Reprise Records, 2021)
12. Sad Daddy – Cold Rain (single, Catfish Music, 2021)
13. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – No Mistakes (single, Abeyance Records / Thirty Tigers, 2021)
14. American Aquarium – Bubba Shot the Jukebox (Slappers, Bangers & Certified Twangers vol 2, Losing Side Records / Thirty Tigers, 2021)
15. Jamestown Revival – Working On Love (single, Jamestown Revival Recordings / Thirty Tigers, 2021)
16. Jeff Moller & The Marigolds – Only Fears Pain, Doesn’t Fear Death (single, 2021)
17. Torrances – Panic (single, 2021)
18. Janne Tapion Sisäinen Avaruus – Oikkukaudet (Uusi elämä alkaa, Iso Pinkki, 2021)
19. (proto)Torvinen – Setä (Toinen isi, Humu Records, 2021)
20. Antti Autio – Kaunein sana maailmassa (single, Soit Se Silti, 2021)
21. Verandan – Night (single, Soliti, 2021)
22. Heaven’s Cameras – Fiscal Weeks (single, Repeating Cloud, 2021)
23. Laura Veirs – Between the Bars (single, Kill Rock Stars, 2021)
24. Thomas Dollbaum – Florida (single, Big Legal Mess Records, 2021)
25. Altameda – Wheel of Love (single, 2021)
26. Memory Spells X Madeleine Mosse – Don’t Change (single, 2021)
27. Nicole Atkins – St. Dymphna (Memphis Ice, Single Lock Records, 2021)
28. Maya Hawke – Blue Hippo (single, Mom + Pop, 2021)
29. Judy Blank – Karaoke (single, V2 Records, 2021)
30. Mitski – Heat Ligtning (single, Dead Oceans, 2021)
31. Sanctuary Song Project (Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno) – Sanctuary Song (single, Free Dirt Records)
32. Emily Barker & Lukas Drinkwater – Sleep, Australia, Sleep (single, Cooking Vinyl, 2021)
33. Alyssa Gengos – Cheerleader of the Universe (single, Egghunt Records, 2021)
34. Hinton Bower Jones – No Silver (Cambridge Sessions vol 1 EP, Woodfarm Records, 2021)
35. Andrew Taylor & The Harmonizers – Life is Good (Andrew Taylor & The Harmonizers, 2021)
36. Andrew Gabbard – Our Dream (Homemade, Karma Chief Records / Colemine Records, 2021)
37. Tapani Rinne & Juha Mäki-Patola – Open, Pt 1 (single, Hush Hush Records, 2021)

Spotify Playlist

Apple Music Playlist

Tidal Playlist

Playlist Archive on Spotify

Playlist Archive on Tidal

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. If you want to find the older ones I’ve moved them to the weekly playlist archive. So hit that link above and I’m sure you’ll find this playlist too.

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Top lists

100 Favorite Albums of the Year 2021 – Part Seven

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Part Six
Part Five
Part Four
Part Three
Part Two
Part One

And here goes the final ten and the somewhat ranked part. Not that serious though, because I’ve probably changed it several times during the process. At the bottom of this post you’ll find Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music playlists, if you are into such things.

10. Evan Cheadle – Fault Line Serenade (Victory Pool)

Just like the previous chapter, we’ll start this one in Victoria, British Columbia. This time it’s long time favorite Evan Cheadle and his timeless new album Fault Line Serenade. So enchanting, warm and beautiful. Pure magic from first note to last.

9. Flora Hibberd – Hold

A rare visit to Paris, France although folk songwriter Flora Hibberd is originally from the UK. She made my EP of the year in 2020 and now followed it up with a first full-length album. Or well maybe it’s a mini-album with just seven songs and 23 minutes, but all that matters is that those minutes contain some of my favorite music of the year. The lead single Night, Perpetual is fabulous although my own favorite is probably the less catchy Archipelago II.

8. Andrew Bryant – A Meaningful Connection (Sentimental Noises)

Next stop Mississippi and the new Andrew Bryant album A Meaningful Connection. I’ve loved all his solo albums and this new one isn’t an exception to the rule. His songs always resonate with me and somehow I feel a weird connection to this man I only know through his songs. And Reality Winner. Oh my. Now there’s a song.

7. Summer Dean – Bad Romantic

More real country music, this time from Fort Worth, Texas by Summer Dean. This hit an instant home run when the first single came out. That beautiful duet with Colter Wall easily won my heart over and I started counting days to the release of the album. It was the worth the wait, because that single is far from the only gem and songs like Bad Romantic and Dear Caroline were equally awesome. Love the cover art too, because it instantly tells me what to expect.

6. Isaac Vallentin – “​.​.​.​”

A bit more obscure choice here from Pictou, Nova Scotia by folk songwriter Isaac Vallentin. I’ve been following Isaac for a few years, but before this I hadn’t fully understand how good of a songwriter he really is. My big favorites here are Diane in the Morning Light and The Ballad of Nunangat. Both are masterclass of songwriting. Even though I’ve heard these songs more times than I count, they still completely hold me under their spell for the whole long duration each time I push play. Amazing songs and an amazing album.

5. Margo Cilker – Pohorylle (Fluff & Gravy Records / Loose Music)

It’s a kinda hard to crack the top 10 with a late release date, because most albums become dear throughout the long year. Margo Cilker from Enterprise, Oregon shows that it’s possible though, because her debut album Pohorylle came out just a month ago. Of course the fact that I had loved all advance singles at that point might have something to do with how easily this album won my heart over. Such a great country / americana album full of captivating storytelling.

4. Hurry – Fake Ideas (Lame-O Records)

Next we go to Philadelphia for what might be seem like an odd pick, if you look at the list in general. However, my background and the foundation of my music taste is 90s power pop and this Hurry album just recalls all that greatness and add their own twist to it. I love ambitious folk songs about heavy subjects, but I also love when someone sings something like “Oh Whitney / come with me” in perfect harmony. And that title track A Fake Idea. What a perfect TFC-like pop song. I can listen to it on repeat for an hour. Such an entertaining pop album.

3. Joe Bourdet – Meadow Rock (Mountain Sounds Recorders)

Our year end saga continues in Los Angeles, California with Joe Bourdet and Meadow Rock. I loved his double single Seamist / El Capitan few years back and therefore I was thrilled when I saw blogger friend Lara (from the wonderful Petal Motel) tweeting that there’s a Joe Bourdet album on the way. The album that contains new mixes of Seamist and El Capitan along with seven other beauties didn’t disappoint and turned out to be a fantastic 70s folk rock -influenced album.

2. Melissa Carper – Daddy’s Country Gold (Mae Music)

And then we have an album that fully lives up to its name. This is old school country gold with western swing and bluegrass. Melissa Carper from Texas delivers such a fabulous country album. That opening trio for example. I could easily name any of them my favorite of the song of the year and I would be fairly happy with my choice. I Almost Forgot About You is probably still the one that I love the most.

1. Matthew Milia – Keego Harbor (Sitcom Universe)

Our last stop in this year-end story is Detroit, Michigan or perhaps it’s more precisely Keego Harbor, a suburb of Detroit. This of course means that the album of the year is Keego Harbor by Matthew Milia. It maybe starts to become even too obvious that whenever Matthew Milia or Frontier Ruckus releases an album it becomes an album of the year. Eternity of Dimming was my AOTY in 2013, Sitcom Afterlife in 2014, Alone at St. Hugo in 2019 and now Keego Harbor in 2021. Lately only the 2017 Frontier Ruckus album Enter the Kingdom didn’t hit #1 and even that was still in the top 10. But what can I do. I just love Matthew Milia’s literate songwriting and both the folk rock of Frontier Ruckus and the more pop-orientated approach of the solo records appeal to me. This new album contains beautifully sung and arranged melodic folk songs about the everyday life in the suburbs and it’s by far the album I’ve loved the most during this strange year.

Apple Music Playlist

Tidal Playlist (Rose City Band and Mitch Dillon weren’t on Tidal)

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