In my ears

I have to say my taste in music is quite eclectic.

There's quite an odd mix of songs on my playlist right now.

I've very originally called it 2014_1, ha!

Here's a taste for you:

Avicii- Wake me Up

Redrama feat. A.J. McLean- Clouds

Christophe Maé- J'ai Laissé

Daughtry- Waiting for Superman

Pauli Hanhiniemen Perunateatteri- Siipeen jos sain

Ellie Goulding- Burn

Naughty Boy feat Emeli Sandé- Wonder

Eminem- Cinderella Man

Ed Sheeran- Give Me Love

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- Can't Hold Us

Linkin Park- Burning in the Skies

Pitbull feat. Ke$ha- Timber

ENVY- Am I Wrong

Tim Finn- Persuasion

What would you add to this list?

What do I need to hear?

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This post was brought to you courtesy of a fun project called
Lists with friends 2014. A project that documents this year with lists of all kind.

Out and about

Sitting at the computer right now, I'm enjoying music drifting in from my neighbor across the street. They are having a party, plenty of cars parked out... birthday, confirmation or engagement party? Could be any of those, really. I'll have to ask when I see them next. But they do have someone with a great voice playing the guitar, right now it's a song by Eagles. Makes me smile... unexpected moments like these.
I was going to walk to the grocery store, but now I think I'll wait a bit.
And enjoy.

And type :)
I was downtown yesterday with my camra in tow to see if I could find bits that felt like Helsinki to me during Helsinki Day. I found out I'm one picky photographer. The spots where the people were weren't talking to me at all. I either had to look up:

..or venture into the sidestreets.

I was taking this photo and it made an old lady stop and start looking at the wall.. and then me.. in confusion..
I left her guessing ;)
And smiled as I walked away.


Just a few steps away I found this gate.
I've no idea if the lady was still looking at me...


One of my favorite things in town are our green trams.

Inside too.

Now the song is Suspicious Minds.. and it's two guys with guitars.

I need to take my camera into town more often. Especially to the sidestreets. And high points. As we have no skyscrapers the city is defined by church steeples. Take the girls with me, plan a route to include an icecream kiosk, and shoot pictures with Saara. Haul my big ass zoom along.

Switched to a Chris Isaak song... good tunes.. beats the radio hands down. Nice harmony here. Wish you could here this with me.

Mika went to pick up the girls, they'll be home in three hours or so.

It'll be nice to have then home again. Although I have enjoyed the quietness of the house, the wind and birds have been my radio.

Lay down Sally...

Fixing tupos here. hah. Ridiculous how many I make.

On the road again...

Do I have you singing along yet?

Dancing in the dark..

*grin*

When you read this leave me a note on your favorite summer tune.

I'll have to insist.

Because I know Laura isn't the only person reading...

Would a little prize make you show yourself?

Well why not?

It's time for a little summer blog fun.

I'll add a picture of the prize tomorrow, I'll keep this open for a week.

For me... anything by The Eagles.

The Boss is in town tonight...

.. I can hear the E-Street Band playing.. hear the lyrics...

..I'm 8 kilometers/5 miles from the stadium where he's playing..

Calm summer evenings are fun.

*grin*

My ears like.

This cd.

Very much.

This album has one of the best cover songs I've ever heard.

When I heard it the first time, I kept thinking... these lyrics sound so familiar.

But just couldn't place them.

Until.

BAM!

NO.WAY.

WOW.

I never knew Michael Jackson's Billie Jean could sound so good.

Plus Chris Cornell has a very sexy voice.

Right up there with Michael Hutchence in my book.

Piano Man

Or the reason why my iPod is now filled with Billy Joel's greatest hits.
Finnish Idols 2007.

And mainly these two fellows:

Ari Koivunen

and Kristian Meurman. (he was my personal favorite... sigh)

Ari just won the whole competition.
He could have won hearts by that babyface alone.
But then there's that VOICE.
It stops you.

If you feel adventurous go check his Deep Purple cover of Perfect Strangers on You Tube.
Ian Gillan, watch out!

Once You Tube has tonight's vocals on there I'll share Ari's opposition: Anna.
That girl can sing.
Our third run of Idols was the best yet.
I enjoyed watching every episode.

But is there an upside for Idols being gone from Thursday nights?
Yes there is.
ER is back on.... [grin].

Revolt Now!

Suburban Tribe - Frozen Ashes

Get this video

I'll be at Suburban Tribe's gig tomorrow night.
The guy behind the drum set is an old classmate of mine. Since he always says he has a gig when we get together, we decided to meet up at his gig.
Should be good fun.
I've been hearing a lot of their music on the radio station I listen to.
Which sadly is going off the airwaves next week.
I've no idea what I'll be listening to from now on. That station has been a part of my life since it started in April 1985.
Sniff...

Hell has frozen over.

Winning the Eurovision Song contest still feels surreal.
We rock.

After 40 years of trauma being last or second to last. Being happy for the one or two consolation points our dear Nordic neighbors send our way.

Lordi scored alltime record points.
SWEET!

I mean we had never ever even scored the full 12 points from anyone. Now we got them eight times. I still understood the full points from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. But from Greece and United Kingdom too? Way way way cool.

Hard to wipe this grin off my face.

(that is a traditional Lappish four wind hat on Mr Lordi's head. He is from Lapland)

Here are a couple links for you:

Helsingin Sanomat (our newspaper, in english..lol)
The official Eurovision site.


Rock really is a natural high.
Hallelujah!

EEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYA!

The monsters did it!!!
They flippin' won the Eurovision Song Contest!

Holy crap.

I'll post some pics tomorrow.

(our hockey team didn't fare as well... they are playing for bronze against Canada)

Wish I knew Spanish

Just so I'd know what Juanes was singing about on his new cd.
This is my new happy music.
Makes me dance around the house :o)

* Eurokitsch *

kitsch n.

1.Sentimentality or vulgar, often pretentious bad taste, especially in the arts: "When money tries to buy beauty it tends to purchase a kind of courteous kitsch" (William H. Gass).
2.An example or examples of kitsch.

What is the ultimate example of Eurokitsch?

The Eurovision Song Contest.

This is something I have watched every May since I was a kid. Mostly because it is just sooo bad. You know.. like an accident waiting to happen... you just can't turn your head away...

3 minute songs that make you wonder what really makes the Ukrainians tick (cute boots though)? Or why oh why is Carola (of Sweden) obsessed with wind machines? Just who choreographed the Armenians (I'm guessing someone into bondage...)? And what designer had a nervous breakdown dressing the Polish (I'm not even touching the green and silver hair...)?

All in all good fun. And so KITSCH.
You need a bottle of wine and a open mind to watch this event.

For us Finns it has become a national trauma not to have placed better than #6 (back in the 70's). We have sent in songs that make you want to throw yourself in front of a car, they were so bad. Songs so bad you shook your head in wonder when the Swedes gave us the : Finland, one point. Finlande, une point. I think I would have preferred the zero... lol.

So this year... makes an exception.
BIG exception.
The Finns decided to kick some Eurovision ass.
We sent in the hard-monster-rock-scare-old-grannies-silly-band Lordi.
Singing Hard Rock Hallelujah!
These guys (and one gal) look like orks escaped from the Lord of the Rings film set...
They are publicly never seen without their masks.

Yesterday was the semifinal.
And we got into the final.
Too cool!

Then it's time for the most talked-about entry in this year's contest: Lordi, the hard rock monsters from Finland. Wearing platform shoes that must be 12 inches high, lead singer Lordi growls out 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' in front of a stunning display of pyrotechnics- this isn't just a few sparks; we're talking huge jets of fire. Huge bat wings unfurl from Lordi's back and by the end the now-smoke-filled arena is stunned. Terrifying but brilliant.

They have gotten so much publicity out of this. Very clever move of the band.
And they are the protest vote. The song to vote for to change the contest from kitschy eurodisco/ballads to music that people actually listen to more than once.
I hate to say this...but... they might just pull it off.

And there are more possibilities in the air for this weekend.
A hat trick.

Winning the Eurovision Song Contest.
Winning the World Championship Hockey tournament (preferably against the swedes, ha!) However we first have to beat the Chzechs tomorrow.
Aki Kaurismaki winning the main prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Oh it's nice to dream... lol...

PS. if is hasn't been obvious, the green parts of the text are links.

Good thing

If you want to listen to something beautiful sung in portuguese, check out Mariza's album Transparente.
I'm listening to it now.
Lovely.