After posting the great new songs from Finnish pop group Heartjet, it’s time for some amazing Swedish pop music. I also know that Heartjet guys are into this next band, so that’s another good reason to write about these two during the same evening.

The band in question is obviously The Genuine Fakes who played a stunning concert at Flavour Of The Month earlier in the fall. Certainly one of the highlights of my year. The Genuine Fakes marvellous debut came out last year and currently they are in the process of making the follow-up. While waiting for that pop masterpiece, the band decided to put together a new digital ep. Liner Notes EP came out on 11/11/11 and contains leftovers from the debut album sessions, one new song and a couple of covers (Andreas Mattsson and The Posies). Most of these have appeared as bonus tracks on US and Japanese versions of the debut, but everything has been remixed by the band and then remastered by Anders Hellgren (from the legendary Swedish pop group The Merrymakers).

And don’t worry. These are not some barely decent tunes that didn’t make the debut album, because they weren’t any good. I think these are ridiculously amazing considering that fact and many power pop groups would have been proud to have written even one of them. While the debut was a loud power pop album best suited for friday nights, these new mixes might bring some melodic greatness to sunday mornings as well. I’m totally loving this. You can stream the whole thing on their bandcamp and/or follow my example and just buy yourself this digital pop treasure from the same place.

This is the opener Time Is Slight. Check the rest on their bandcamp.

The Genuine Fakes Website
The Genuine Fakes at Facebook

The Genuine Fakes from Sweden will play at Flavour Of The Month club here in Turku on 3.9.2011 (unfortunately the Helsinki show did not work out) like you may have noticed. Therefore I’ve been also listening to some older swedish powerpop favourites of mine. There are plenty of them, because 90’s Swedish power pop is extremely important to me. Popsicle has always been my biggest Swedish love affair, but all of these are huge favourites of mine. I’m sure you will hear some of these at the next Flavour Of The Month also, because I’m one of the DJs.

Popsicle: Sunkissed

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

The Wannadies: Might Be Stars

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

The Merrymakers: I’m In… Love!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4qvCgGphEo]

Blissful: Factory Girl

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

Tommy 16: Baby’s Got

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU8f-gmunDw]

and some newer stuff:

Mellowmen: Sunshine Shell

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-1Rh_LksMQ]

The Swedish Polarbears: Norman Blake (<- These guys really capture the TFC sound perfectly) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LML8_RT4ed8] and obviously the wonderful The Genuine Fakes who will play at Flavour Of The Month (Pikku-Torre, Turku on 3rd of september) The Genuine Fakes: I Don’t Want It

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnLhR8STW3Y]

The Genuine Fakes: When Reality Hits You

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr0EnPimx-Y]

And obviously this was just a start. There’s so much more. Like Atomic Swing, This Perfect Day, Eggstone, The Drowners, Bear Quartet, Happydeadmen, Beagle, Hardy Nilsson…

Flavour Of The Month and One Chord to Another joined forces and are celebrating their anniversaries at Pikku-Torre, Turku on saturday 3rd of september. The host of the evening, Flavour Of The Month club turns 13 years old and this little blog is celebrating 10th anniversary. And we have something very special to offer. Two fabulous Finnish pop bands/artists The Sugarrush and The Wonderminers sharing the stage with our Swedish friends, the wonderful Stockholm-based power pop group, The Genuine Fakes.

FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH presents:

One Chord to Another 10th anniversary / Flavour of the Month 13th anniversary
The Genuine Fakes (Sweden)
The Sugarrush
The Wonderminers
la 3.9.2011 klo 21-03
Pikku-Torre, Yliopistonkatu 30, Turku
liput 4€

The Genuine Fakes (Sweden)

The Genuine Fakes from Stockholm, Sweden will headline the evening. They are one of the best nordic power pop bands at the moment and actually their debut album entitled The Striped Album is even one of the best power pop albums I’ve heard during the recent years. I’m extremely excited that they are coming to Finland (update: The Helsinki concert didn’t work out, So they will only play in Turku on 3.9.2011). They are marvelous and remind me of Popsicle, The Posies, The Merrymakers.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnLhR8STW3Y]

The Genuine Fakes Website

The Sugarrush

A huge favourite of mine and it was totally obvious that if there will be some kind of onechord.net party, The Sugarrush had to play there if they were willing and able to. Thankfully they were and it will be so great to see this hardest rockin’ pop band in the world play a live concert.

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

The Wonderminers

And last we have The Wonderminers going solo. Their drummer Olli Moilanen is currently investigating the indie pop scene in Bangladesh, but Petri Nakari from The Wonderminers is able to create a lot of pop magic also on his own and will start the evening with some high quality guitar pop songs.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/15055848″]

The Wonderminers Website

And the FOTM DJ Team will also be there playing (for example) a whole lot of nordic power pop, finnish pop music. See you there.

And the Finnish press release:

FLAVOUR OF THE MONTHISSA JUHLITAAN KYMMENVUOTIASTA ONECHORD-BLOGIA

Turkulaisen Flavour Of The Monthin syyskausi käynnistyy lauantaina 3.9. juhlatunnelmissa, kun klubi itse täyttää 13 vuotta ja klubin DJ-ryhmään kuuluvan Vesa Lautamäen One Chord to Another-blogi juhlistaa kymmentä toimintavuottaan kolmen live-esiintyjän voimin. Lautamäen kuratoimassa tapahtumassa esiintyvät tukholmalainen The Genuine Fakes, vaasalais-helsinkiläinen The Sugarrush sekä vielä varmistamattomalla kokoonpanolla esiintyvä pääkaupunkilainen The Wonderminers.

One Chord to Another aloitti suomalaista kitarapoppia käsittelevänä nettisivustona ja muuntui blogiksi muutama vuosi sitten. Erityisesti blogivuosina sivustolla on käsitelty enenevässä määrin myös ulkomaista musiikkia, kuten vaikkapa ruotsalaista Genuine Fakesiä, jota voitaisiin kuvailla sekä Flavour Of The Monthin että One Chordin prototyyppisuosikiksi. Kvartetti työstää häpeilemättömän klassista, yltiömelodista powerpoppia, jonka ilmeisiä vaikutteita (Popsicle, Merrymakers, Wannadies, The Posies jne.) bändi ei pahemmin peittele.

The Sugarrush puolestaan on vuosien varrella esiintynyt FOTMissa useasti ja Lautamäen kaikkien aikojen lempibändinä itsestään selvä valinta illan esiintyjäkaartiin. The Wonderminersin jäsenet ovat niin ikään esiintyneet eri kokoonpanoissa (mm. Red Carpet ja Sister Flo) FOTM:ssa useasti ja edustavat osaltaan One Chordin ja FOTM:n käsitystä laadukkaasta popmusiikista.

tapahtumatiedot:
FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH esittää
ONE CHORD TO ANOTHER 10 V!
THE GENUINE FAKES (SWE)
THE SUGARRUSH
THE WONDERMINERS
+ Flavour Of The Month DJ team
Pikku-Torre, Yliopistonkatu 30, Turku
La 3.9. klo 21-03
Liput: 4€

10. The Posies: Blood/Candy

The greatest band in the world according to One Chord To Another made a most welcome return with this wonderful album. Sure I wished there would have been a little bit more distortion & grit on the record, but it doesn’t change the fact that the album contains a huge amount of magnificent pop songs like The Glitter Prize and Take Care Of Yourself.

.

9. Sweatmaster: Dig Up The Knife

The finest Finnish rock band Sweatmaster was once again in top form. Dig Up The Knife introduced a little darker and heavier side of Sweatmaster. That might sound a little scary for a pop fan (well based on this list I probably should start calling myself country fan and not pop fan), but there was no need to be worried. I trusted them and they didn’t let me down. Dig Up The Knife is awesome.

8. The Genuine Fakes: The Striped Album

Swedish The Genuine Fakes are a power pop band that hasn’t forgotten the first word of the term. Power chords, catchy melodies, killer choruses and a lot of fantastic pop songs. Sure it might too typical power pop for some, but I don’t mind at all. This is the kind of music I love the most and The Striped Album is a brilliant album. If you love 90’s swedish power pop, you will love this one as well.

7. Elvyn: The Decline

I instantly fell in love with Canadian pop group Elvyn and it wasn’t just a little crush. Our relationship has only gotten stronger during the year and The Decline is definitely one of the greatest pop albums of the year. Kind of like Teenage Fanclub with a little country influences. What a lovely, harmonic and extremely beautiful  pop album.

.

6. Laura Veirs: July Flame

This one came out already in january, but such a fabulous and magical album like July Flame can’t and won’t be forgotten. Laura Veirs made the finest album of her amazing career. She’s such a wonderful songwriter and this time the production and arrangements also work perfectly. The album just sounds warm, rich, unique and colourful.  Intriguing music.

.

5. Teenage Fanclub: Shadows

Teenage Fanclub once again made a magnificent pop album. Especially Norman Blake really hit the jackpot. Baby Lee and When I Still Have Thee are future classics. Not that there was anything wrong with Gerald’s or Raymond’s output either. Songs like Shock and Awe and Past were almost equally perfect slices of pop heaven. Pretty much perfect pop music from start to finish. I also loved their concert at Nosturi, Helsinki.

4. Two Cow Garage: Sweet Saint Me

Probably the band I’ve listened to the most during the year. I bought the whole back catalog early in the year and in the autumn it was time for a brand new Two Cow Garage album. Sweet Saint Me turned out to be just as great as I had hoped. It’s a fantastic rock album that causes a beautiful havoc in your heart. There’s some acoustic beauties and power pop choruses as well. Micah Schnabel is a brilliant songwriter and a fabulous vocalist. Lydia is one of the songs of the year.

3. Penniless: A Cab To The City

A Cab To The City is the best finnish album of the year and should have gotten five hearts when I reviewed it. I don’t know why I was such an ass back then and only gave four and a half. Penniless have always been fantastic, but this is their finest album so far. Extremely convincing stuff and full of stunning songs like The Missing and Hail Of Bullets. It definitely would be about time to make that pilgrimage to Nakkila.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wIBlGviglI]

2. Micah Schnabel: When The Stage Lights Go Dim

The top two albums were in their own league. Of course someone could say that this #2 pick isn’t eligible, because Micah Schnabel self-released this back in 2009. However, Suburban Home Records re-released it in 2010 to wider audiences and therefore it easily qualifies. If it’s possible, I love this solo album When The Stage Lights Go Dim even more than I love Micah Schnabel’s band Two Cow Garage. Micah is a real hardcore troubadour and he just sings his heart out. He is passionate, honest and truly convincing. Brutal views about the glory of touring life delivered with emotion-filled vocals. Marvellous stuff.

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

1. The Fox Hunt: Long Way To Go

And the album of the year award goes to… The Fox Hunt. In the end it was an easy decision. I’m just totally addicted to Long Way To Go and I love every second of it. It just feels so damn good to listen to it. Even during the times when the lyrics are heartbreaking. A string band playing old-time country music. Fiddle, mandolin, upright bass, banjo and guitar. That’s what I love to hear. The best part is still the singing. Vocals and harmony vocals are amazing throughout the record. It just doesn’t getting any better than this. Long Way To Go is a perfect album.

Listen to Troublemakin’ Woman:

[audio:http://www.onechord.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-trouble-makin-woman.mp3]

Listen to Lower Than I Should Be:
[audio:http://www.onechord.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/10-lower-than-i-should-be.mp3]

Mountain Stage Interview:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFUX8n23CQA]

The Fox Hunt Website

That’s it. Thanks for reading. If anyone actually red the whole long list. Hopefully someone did, because it took hours to make it. A lot of good records are missing from the list. I’m especially a little bit sad that I had to leave out lots of good Finnish albums. Maybe I should do separate top 20 lists for foreign and finnish albums instead, but somehow I prefer this method even though there won’t be enough places for all good finnish albums. Anyway, that’s all for now. I didn’t buy enough EPs to make even a top 10, but I’ll write something about the ones that I loved (=Nopat & Heartjet) before christmas. Best of Retro/reissue list will be coming after christmas. I will get a few of those for christmas present (I know because I bought them myself, heh) so I can’t do it before that. Take care.