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Favorites from the 20 Years of Onechord.net – Part Three

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Carrying on with posting some song and music video favorites from the 20 years that I’ve been making Onechord.net. Here’s the link to the monster playlist, because I don’t have the time to write a post about everything.

This is probably the song and video I’ve heard the most times during these 20 years of onechordnet. I fell in love with it the first time I heard it and I still listen to it all the time. That chorus is everything. I’m of course talking about Fuck The Government, I Love You by The Burning Hell. I will forever carry this song with me wherever I go. If I one day end up in a coma, you can play this song to me and if you don’t see a smile starting to take shape on my face when this hits the chorus, it’s time to pull the plug. Absolutely perfect song and of course only one example from their wonderful catalogue.

The Burning Hell at Facebook
The Burning Hell Website

Another artist that has caused serious song obsessions. Cheese and Crackers everyone. I don’t even particularly like that combo, but Freschard makes me convinced that I do. And that Tweet Tweet video below. It’s so perfect. If I had a time machine and could go anywhere, I would still skip all the historical events and just transform myself into that bar to sing Tweet Tweet with Freschard and friends.

Freschard at Facebook

Not a surprising transition here, because you can see Stanley also in that Tweet Tweet video. Back in 2014 Stanley Brinks and the Wave Pictures turned depression into joyous celebration of life. This one lifts my spirit every time everyday things try to drag me down. Whatever life, I still have orange juice and you.

Stanley Brinks at Facebook

Time to wrap this part with a great song and music video from Steven James Adams. I’ve always liked his songs starting from The Broken Family Band days. This is one of my many favorites and this joyous escape from the corporate life always bring a smile to my face.

Steven James Adams at Facebook

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Favorites from the 20 Years of Onechord.net – Part Two

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Carrying on with posting some song and music video favorites from the 20 years that I’ve been making Onechord.net. Here’s the link to the monster playlist, because I don’t have the time to write a post about everything.

Starting with a song from Steven Lambke’s wonderful album Days of Heaven that was a #5 on my aoty list back in 2015. I loved the whole record, but perhaps my favorite moment is the song Memory Forever. I also love this video that features Steven Lambke, Tamara Lindeman and Ian Daniel Kehoe.

Steven Lambke at Facebook
Steven Lambke Website

After that it’s fairly obvious where this blog post is headed. While J.E. Sunde’s I Don’t Care to Dance is my favorite song of the 20 onechordnet years, the favorite album might well be the self-titled The Weather Station album. I’ve listened it a million times and somehow it still holds true and feels fresh every time I put it on. What a magical record. Her new 2021 album Ignorance is also tremendous and one of my big favorites of this year.

The Weather Station at Facebook
The Weather Station Website

Not so surprisingly next one in line is Ian Daniel Kehoe. I’ve been a big fan since the 2013 Marine Dreams album Corner of the Eye. Both the earlier stuff under that moniker and the newer material under his own name is very dear to me.

Ian Daniel Kehoe at Facebook

I think I make this part centered around Toronto and wrap this with a spectacular live set from Luka Kuplowsky. This one has a Finnish angle too, because this is also a beautiful homage to Aki Kaurismäki. I love Luka (doesn’t everybody) and I love Aki (doesn’t everybody), so this one feels very special. These songs can be found from his 2020 album Stardust that came out on Mama Bird Recording Co (I think I’ll do one part with just Mama Bird family, because it’s my favorite record label in the world. But that will be so crowded, so Luka can have a good home here with this Toronto crowd).

Luka Kuplowsky at Facebook

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Favorites from the 20 Years of Onechord.net – Part One

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The blog hits 20 years this Friday. I don’t have any big celebration plans because I didn’t have the energy to set anything up nor did this feel like the time when one should ask favours from artists. But I’ve been making a bit of nostalgic trip through the years and making a monster playlist of favorite songs from the onechordnet era. You’ll find that still growing playlist from the bottom of this blog post. I also thought I post some of these favorites to the blog leading up to Friday’s blog birthday. Not a whole lot words, just some songs and music videos I’ve loved madly during the years. I don’t have clue how many I’ll have time to make, so this will be a random selection. A glimpse of the music that I’ve loved during the years.

If I had to choose my favorite song that has been released during these 20 years I’ve been making this blog, I think I would go with I Don’t Care to Dance by J.E. Sunde. Perhaps there’s a little bit of recency bias, because the studio version came out on his 2020 album 9 Songs About Love. However, I’ve loved it a while longer, ever since I heard the live at Pony Rug version. I just love this song as much as you can possibly love a song. It’s a dance at a wedding reception. A kind gentle sway against toxic masculinity. Subtle, but full of heart. I’m a shy, self-doubt ridden, overly romantic unmanly man and this song is everything to me. A very few songs have ever resonated with me as deeply I Don’t Care to Dance.

Another J.E. Sunde song A Blinding Flash of Light also ranks up pretty high on my imaginary all-time favorite songs list. And of course it’s not just that. I’m very fond of everything J.E. Sunde has released over the years.

J.E. Sunde at Facebook
J.E. Sunde Website

Next a couple of treasures from the Hezekiah Jones song vault. Absolutely love this Philly-based folk collective led by songwriter Raph Cutrufello. Here’s some personal favorites from their catalogue. Borrowed Heart can be found from their 2015 album In Loving Memory of oosi Lockjaw, Lift the Shadow from This Heart is an outtake from 2011 album Have You Seen Our New Fort? and Kings of People is a brand new 2021 single that should have gotten its own blog post weeks ago.

Hezekiah Jones at Facebook
Hezekiah Jones Website

Moving on to Sweden to post something from the first decade of the blog that remains oh so very dear. I fell badly for the first Hello Saferide album back in the day and have been a fan ever since. The song Anna is from the second album More Modern Short Stories from Hello Saferide and I still remember how this music video broke my heart into tiny pieces. I watched it on repeat for days and still return to it every now and then. Perfect song and perfect video. It seems like lightweight fun and then it hits you harder than a graveyard full of black metal guitarists ever could.

Hello Saferide at Facebook

And let’s wrap this first trip in Australia with a couple of songs from the wonderful Australian singer-songwriter Leah Senior. All My Friends is one of my all-time favorite music videos and the song can be found from her 2017 album Pretty Faces. Graves on the other hand is an outtake from her 2020 album The Passing Scene.

Leah Senior at Facebook

And here’s the still growing 20 years playlist. Far from complete, because I’m way too unorganized to handle 20 years of favorite songs. So don’t take any offense, if you are not on it and feel like you should. I still love you and probably just assumed that I had only added your song even though I hadn’t.

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OCTA Music Weekly – Episode #152

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Another week, another new music weekly.

I’ve been on bit of vacation mode, so my apologies if I missed a ton of new releases. Quite a big release week and there’s plenty to love and cherish.

My first pick is probably the new Icarus Phoenix album. I kinda slept with the first one last year, because it was cassette only at the time. But I’ve been loving that a lot this year and now we have a brand new beauty. It’s sure seems like long time favorite Drew Danburry has found a whole new level of brilliance with this Icarus Phoenix stuff.

There’s far more though. Daniel Romano hit a double with both a studio album and a live album and new Romano music never stops being a big deal. Riddy Arman album was one of the most anticipated country albums of the fall and it sure turned out to be a great one. LadyCouch led by Allen Thompson and Keshia Bailey finally released an album after a great run of singles. That’s super important and so is a new Kashena Sampson album. And then there’s also new albums by Dori Freeman, Smug Brothers, Bobby’s Oar (EP), Matthew Fowler, Kacey Musgraves, Low, Lauren O’Connell (covers album) and Jeshua Marshall.

Oh and one more that’s very dear to my heart. I just noticed that Steve Sloane has put his stuff back on Spotify and therefore I included a song from both of his magnificent 2021 releases Chewing the Shadows and Time is a Threat. They can also be found from Bandcamp where I bought them earlier in the year.

The Finnish section has some treasures too. Biggest one being the new Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L album. We also got an album from Lyyti and an awesome run of singles from Astrid Swan, Anis Kiitu, Arppa and Rohkeat Kuvat. I also included another song from last week’s gorgeous Mustat Kalsarit album.

Last but not least the international (should-be) hits. Some big album announcements in the americana spectrum from Lilly Hiatt and Charles Wesley Godwin and the new songs rule my world. Some other big faves came from David James Allen, I’m Kingfisher, Harrison Whitford, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Curtis Harding, Amanda Shires, Claire Cronin, George Is Lord, Charlotte Cornfield and so forth. As usual, all are worth a namedrop and some not mentioned here might even eventually become the biggest favorites.

That’s all for this week. By the time of the next music weekly, this blog has become 20 years old. A long time to do anything, let alone a music blog on your spare time. Let’s see if I manage to address it somehow. One thing that is already happening is that I’m making a playlist with somewhat random favorites from the 20 years of the blog. Random because making it complete is an impossible task. Tough to handle 20 years without forgetting some important ones (and well I might assume I already added some that I actually didn’t). You’ll find that here, but there will be more additions. And yes it will be longer than anyone will listen. But that’s it for now. Love from a distance.

1. Icarus Phoenix – Madam Seawright (No Tree Can Grow to Heaven, 2021)
2. Daniel Romano – Still Dreaming (Cobra Poems, You’ve Changed Records, 2021)
3. LadyCouch – Future Looks Fine (The Future Looks Fine, Blackbird Record Label, 2021)
4. Riddy Arman – Barbed Wire (Riddy Arman, La Honda Records, 2021)
5. Kashena Sampson – Alone and In Love Again (Time Machine, New Moon Records, 2021)
6. Dori Freeman feat Logan Ledger – Walk Away (Ten Thousand Roses, Blue Hens Music, 2021)
7. Charles Wesley Godwin – Lyin’ Low (single, 2021)
8. Lilly Hiatt – Been (single, New West Records, 2021)
9. Smug Brothers – Abandoning Utopia (Application of the Twig, 2021)
10. David James Allen – For the Times (single, Garment District Records, 2021)
11. Curtis Harding – Can’t Hide It (single, Anti, 2021)
12. Kendra Morris – Catch the Sun (single, Karma Chief / Colemine, 2021)
13. Emma Russack & Lachlan Denton – Done My Time (single, Bobo Integral, 2021)
14. Steve Sloane – I Wish the Light Didn’t Feel Like a Miracle (Time is a Threat, 2021)
15. Steve Sloane – The Smile of the Lawn (Chewing the Shadow, 2021)
14. Harrison Whitford – Meclizine (single, Screwdriver Records, 2021)
15. Jessica Lea Mayfield – 72 Past Lives (single, 2021)
16. Charlotte Cornfield – Partner in Crime (single, Double Double Whammy / Polyvinyl, 2021)
17. I’m Kingfisher – Sundays and Dailies (single, Fading Trail Records, 2021)
18. Matthew Fowler – Marianne (The Grief We Gave Our Mother, Signature Sounds, 2021)
19. Erin Enderlin feat Terri Clark – If There Weren’t So Many Damn Songs (single, Black Crow Productions, 2021)
20. Claire Adele Stevens – If You Were Gone (single, La Mesa Hills Records, 2021)
21. Amanda Shires – You Don’t Get to Go (single, Silver Knife, 2021)
22. Astrid Swan – Luxuries (single, Soliti, 2021)
23. Anis Kiitu – Kaunis (single, Humu Records, 2021)
24. Arppa – Oulu (theme) (single, Johanna Kustannus, 2021)
25. Lyyti – Tulen sinua vastaan hautajaisiin (Toiveet ja helyt, Luova Records, 2021)
26. Pekko Käppi & K:H:H:L – Korvennunko jo kohta? (Aamunkoi, Svart Records, 2021)
27. Rohkeat kuvat – Mayday (single, Soit Se Silti, 2021)
28. Bobby’s Oar – I’ve Been Lost (3 Songs: EP, 2021)
29. Blue Wilson – Come Back Soon (single, Acrophase Records, 2021)
30. The Lodger – Bewildered (single, Love At First Sight Records, 2021)
31. Andy Reed – Hangin By a Thread (single, Reed Recording Co, 2021)
32. Trace Mountains – 7 Angels (single, Lame-O Records, 2021)
33. Reb Fountain – Foxbright (single, 2021)
34. Bea Troxel – When I Lean (single, Ruination Record Co, 2021)
35. Claire Cronin – Bloodless (single, Orindal Records, 2021)
36. Big Thief – Certainty (single, 4AD, 2021)
37. Humbird – Plum Sky (single, Green Thumb, 2021)
38. Kacey Musgraves – camera roll (star-crossed, UMG, 2021)
39. Mac McCaughan – Burn a Fax (single, Merge Records, 2021)
40. Low – Days Like These (Hey What, Sub Pop Records, 2021)
41. Guided By Voices – Dance of Gurus (single, GBV inc, 2021)
42. Lauren O’Connell – Game of Pricks (Covers Three, Sugar Glider, 2021)
43. Megan Nash – Chew Quietly / Clean Slate (single, Acronym Records, 2021)
44. Jennifer O’Connor – Who Can You Kiss (single, Kiam, 2021)
45. Matthew McNeal – Sweetheart (single, Matte Black Sound Company, 2021)
46. Jeshua Marshall – Go Go (Shoot the Moon, FVZZ, 2021)
47. The Lonesome Paradise – Needles & Pines (single, American Standard Time Records, 2021)
48. George Is Lord – Behind that Locked Door (single, Curation Records, 2021)
49. Andy Bilinski – Help Me to Help You (single, 2021)
50. Mike Etten – Drive (single, Dull Tools, 2021)
51. John Blek – Empty Days (On Ether & Air, WARR, 2021)
52. Karine Polwart & Dave Milligan – Heaven’s Hound (single, Hudson Records, 2021)
53. Tasha – Perfect Wife (single, Father / Daughter Records, 2021)
54. Holy Hive – Great Chains (single, Big Crown Records, 2021)
55. Pokey LaFarge – Drink of You (single, New West Records, 2021)
56. Mitch Dillon’s Compulsive Ramblers – Best Friend (Mitch Dillon’s Compulsive Ramblers, Ragged Gum Records, 2021)
57. Nico Hedley – Lioness (Painterly, Whatever’s Clever, 2021)
58. Mustat Kalsarit – Puu (Yö, Hiljaiset Levyt, 2021)

Playlist link

Playlist Archive

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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