No, you didn't end up on a goth rock website. Magenta Skycode may be a dark horse here, but their music contains enough melodic beauty to be listed here. Jori Sjöroos is a well-known figure in the finnish music business (This Empty Flow, Fu-Tourist, writing songs for PMMP etc) and Magenta Skycode is his latest group. There's plenty of gorgeous soundscapes, uplifting melodies and Jori sure can sing beautifully. Magenta Skycode writes devotional and captivating music that is full of melancholic melodies.


Magenta Skycode Website
Magenta Skycode at myspace

Marian Valinta started out as Ilja Karsikas' solo project, but has since grown to a full band. It brings possibilities and adds more depth to the sound, but the basics still remain the same. And thankfully so, because there wasn't anything wrong with Ilja's solo material. This is beautiful folky indie pop. Unashamedly romantic lyrics wrapped into their warm sound makes it all sound magical and tender vocals inject all that soft warmness into your heart.



Marian Valinta Website
Marian Valinta at myspace

Michael is an american who lives in Finland. He plays in two great finnish bands Treeball and Montevideo, but is also starting a solo career. And what a start his album called Finally will be. I consider myself lucky, because I already have heard the album. I got so excited that I even named it my album of the year 2006, eventhough it has not yet been released (It should be out in fall 2007)

My thought haven't changed since that and I still love the album. Michael is a wonderful pop singer-songwriter whose songs range from TFC-ish guitar pop to beautiful and atmospheric tunes that might bring Mark Kozelek to your mind.

Michael McDonald at myspace

John's music is warm, tender and truly beautiful acoustic-based folk music. It's very down-to-earth. His vocals are soft and his guitar playing is heavenly. I guess one could also compare him to swedish maestro Jose Gonzales. I could surely just listen them playing guitar and when they have lovely voices it's hard not to be moved to tears. John's music is full of heart, full of warmth and kindness. It's so bare, honest and real. There's magic in John's music. And most importantly, there's heart in John's music. Gentle and heartwarming songs and beautiful playing. There's no words capable of expressing the true value of this music.

John McGregor at myspace

Mikael H creates beautiful folky pop music with the help of some siberians. Carefully played and beautifully sunged tunes that effortlessly find your heart. Warm melodies and almost whispering vocals are in the centre making it so captivating and moving. Leaning towards american folk and country singer-songwriter tradition, but still not forgetting their finnish roots. This is what I call truly beautiful music.



Mikael H Website
Mikael H at myspace

Montevideo's Sam Shingler already charmed finnish pop audiences in a group called The Pansies. His latest group Montevideo is equally brilliant. It's beautiful atmospheric pop music, but they are also capable of creating simple pop hits like Storytelling. A best way to introduce your heart to Montevideo, will be to watch Kalle Kotila's wonderful music video. You'll find it on their myspace page.

Montevideo Website
Montevideo at myspace

Mummypowder is a wonderful group and each of their releases should be a must have item for fans of finnish guitar pop. Frontman Janne Lehtinen is one of the leading pop songwriters in the country. He has written lots of fabulous should-be pop hits and is also capable of writing moving ballads and doesn’t hesitate to get a little experimental every now and then. But mostly this just classic well-crafted and beautifully played guitar pop. It doesn’t really get much better than this.


Mummypowder website
Mummypowder at myspace

These guys have a long history in making wonderful pop music. It all started out with The Refreshments back in the early 90's. Few years later it was time for Mental Market and nowadays they make great music as The Phonies. During the years line-ups have changed, the music has changed and evolved, but the quality has never changed. It has been excellent all the time.

This is really strong pop music. Tom Stenman is a maniac with an angelic voice and a damn convincing vocalist. As songwriters these guys have always been excellent. In their songs the beauty & devotion and the madness & manic desires are in harmony, walking together under the clouded streets where dragsters and holy preachers are singing the most beautiful vocal melodies. If you want namedropping, Bevis Frond, Neil Young and Roky Erickson are usually names that drop when talking about the sound experience of The Phonies.

The Phonies Website
The Phonies at myspace

In the beginning it was just Pocket Knife himself, but nowadays Couch Potato and Janne Henrik Rinne III have joined him in the quest of writing beautiful music. Some of you may know that Pocket Knife can rock like a hell in Boomhauer, but this music doesn't put your pants on fire. Instead it melts your hearts. By the photos one might think that Pocket Knife is turning into finnish alternative to Kurt Wagner and musicwise they are probably not in the same building, but certainly around the same neighbourhood as early Lambchop.


Pocket Knife at myspace

"We immediately started to write our own material trying to sound something like the bands Fountains of Wayne, Teenage Fanclub and Weezer." That was quote from their website and as far as I'm concerned, a band couldn't have a better starting point. Those (with the likes of Matthew Sweet, Jason Falkner and Lemonheads) are the backbone of my music taste. But the reason that The Props are on this website is not that they like good music, the reason is that they make really good music. It is highly melodic music flavoured with power chords and even storming guitars. So Weezer is probably the best comparison out of those mentioned before. If you are into loud pop, here is a band that might give you precious moments and glorious days and you wouldn't sink to the bottom while listening to them.


The Props at myspace

Puny is a strong group and never lets you down. Teemu Into is a very convincing vocalists and the songs are always excellent. Perhaps they shouldn't be categorized as a pop group, but there's a needed amount of beautiful vocals and catchy tunes to win my heart over. Basicly this is gorgeous melodic guitar-driven rock music. There's plenty of wonderful rockers, but also beautiful ballads that hold a bit of country inside them. I love them. You can judge yourself by hitting those links.


Puny Website
Puny at myspace

Puumaja gives you some beautiful folky pop music. It's soft and truly captivating. Gentle pop melodies and warm vocals. Songs crafted with love and arranged with care. Perhaps occasionally some sort of stripped-down shoegazing without noisy guitars. Hard to tell what is the current direction, because the new material hasn't yet found the surface. While waiting for those to arrive, make sure you check out their wonderful early material at myspace.


Puumaja Website
Puumaja at myspace

Now this is heavenly pop music. Red Carpet has three great pop songwriters in the band. Petri, Veli and Samuli are all capable of creating amazingly beautiful pop tunes where sweet vocals and heartbreaking harmonies take the spotlight. Guitars shine brightly and it all sounds so refreshing and pure. Plenty of rich and harmonic pop hits, but also heartwarming and tender ballads. Think of groups like TFC, Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash. Well just think of perfect pop music and hit the links below.

Red Carpet Website
Red Carpet at myspace

I want something I can dance to and not just pretty boys singing about their broken hearts. Some 80's synth pop would be nice, Pet Shop Boys makes me smile and japanese pop culture continues to charm me. Say no more, say no more. Just try Regina's electro pop. Sweet pop tales, electronic beats and really good songs.



Regina Website
Regina at myspace

Yeah, all that is great, but could I get some colourful lo-fi indie rock for a change. Certainly sir, just get back from offside position and have a coffee break with The Rollstons. They'll give you some lo-fi weirdness, witty wordplaying and gorgeous rock tunes that end too soon. Think of groups like Guided By Voices. Think of joyful indie rock that doesn't play by the usual rules. It's refreshing and delightful. Highly melodic too so there are no worries for popsters.


The Rollstons website
The Rollstons at myspace
The Rollstons Fansite

The Royal Piss doesn't follow the same path as Ove's and Antti J's earlier groups Graceskull and The Sugarrush. This time they've been more into Dinosaur jr and shoegazing bands of the early 90's. Here you will find beautiful soundscapes, noisy guitars and well-crafted songs. As far as I'm concerned, these Vaasa popsters never fail to impress and eventhough stylewise The Royal Piss isn't closest to my heart, this is still pretty damn impressive once again.


The Royal Piss Website
The Royal Piss at myspace

Musician, producer, radio DJ and what not. Nick Triani is english, but because he nowadays lives in Finland, I think he needs to be included. You already know him as Treeball's frontman, but nowadays he has been working on some solo material as well. Demos are available at myspace and I really love them. Some of the best stuff I've heard from him and I'm certainly looking forward to the solo album. And don't forget Nick Triani's radio show 8 1/2 on radio helsinki every thursday at 7 pm.

Nick Triani at myspace

Dreamy pop music from Matador Jose. Matador Jose is Axel Ekström who is also a member of excellent finnish pop group Le Futur Pompiste, but has recently started to make own material as well. Lucky for us, because this is just brilliant. Bands like Trembling Blue Stars comes to mind when listening to his songs, but it doesn't sound too much like anything else. A wonderful newcomer.

Matador Jose at myspace

This is the new group led by brother of light Mikko Valo (The Rollstons). So far there hasn't been any official releases, but they've played a few concerts and their myspace does contain some excellent recorded material. If The Rollstons doesn't rock your heart hard enough, New Maps might be capable of doing that.


New Maps at myspace

Minidriver is a new group led by Panu Jaakkola, who has been playing in guitar pop groups for the past ten years (Ben's Diapers, Mouth Odour etc). The other members aren't rookies either and therefore you could say that they are an experienced group eventhough they are just starting their engines as Minidriver. Not much recorded material yet, but I think we can expect something that could be described as a mixture powerpop, 90's US indie rock and alt.country. We'll see what the future holds for them.

Minidriver Website
Minidriver at myspace

Markus Nordenstreng also has a band called The Latebirds, but for me his solo material has always been more important. It just seems more sincere and more beautiful. This is strongly influenced by american songwriting tradition. He probably could give you lectures about The Band just for fun. Anyway, this is beautiful and traditional piano or guitar-driven singer-songwriter material. Even a bit of gospel seem to flavour the latest material.

Markus Nordenstreng at myspace