"Was it something you said, or my imagination?" Is BLITZKIDS mvt. not the coolest new band name you've heard in some time? I'm not sure about the capital/lowercase formatting, but it definitely caught my attention instantly. Luckily, the band's image and sound live up to the title. Inspired by avant garde fashion and 80's electro synthpop, this is one seriously awesome new group. The song Heart On The Line was in the running for Germany's Eurovision pre-selection contest, but there's nothing really "Eurovision" about it. Now don't get my wrong... you all know how [...]
"I dream a little dream of you" So, it's no secret that Melodifestivalen has been a bit of a bust so far this year, but luckily there are so many awesome non-MF Scandinavian releases coming out to make up for it. For the past month or two, it's really felt like a resurgence of my favorite musical region in the world. I've played this song by Finnish 12-year-old phenom Isac Elliot approximately twenty times already since discovering it from other like-minded blogs late last week. Yeah, it's easy enough to call him "Finland's Justin Bieber," but [...]
Yes, this week it's not exactly a "live blog," but I'm watching it now with no knowledge of the outcome, so it's gonna be pretty damn close! Fingers crossed for Martin!! * Eddie, Amanda and Martin getting the most applause at the outset. I certainly wouldn't mind that outcome! * I can't remember, did Italy really give Sweden no points in last year's Eurovision? I doubt many of the people she was interviewing even watch Eurovision... EDDIE: That's certainly an interesting stage outfit he's got. I like the bedazzled knees. This is a great song, though I [...]
Finally! After two weeks of below-average quality, there seems to be some winners in this bunch. Unfortunately, I'll be out of town tomorrow so I won't be live blogging. I will be watching later that day, though, and plan to "live blog" at a slightly later schedule (hey, it's habit!), so check back here several hours after the competition's ended. ( Listen to clips here ) Eddie Razaz - Alibi This sounds quite similar to previous solo-male tracks that have already been performed this year. For now, I'd say it's better than David Lindgren, worse than [...]
Seven friggin' years. I honestly can't believe it. I'm starting to think that I can't remember a time before I worked on this blog. And you know what seven means? Only three more years until TEN. Here's to another great year of music. For now, though, I'd like to highlight what I feel is the best song ever recorded. Now, "best" songs can change, and mine has quite a few times since I started writing the blog. But at this moment (and for... let's say the past year or so), I have decided that The [...]
"I don't want no other, she's my girl" It's been cool to see Willy Moon gain some notoriety in the States. I honestly wouldn't have expected, given how off-kilter his music is, but that was before I heard it used in a commercial. I'm not usually a fan of good songs being played to death in advertisements, but Moon's music actually kind of fits. Anyway, I've been playing the same 3-4 songs of his for months now, and it's nice to finally have something new. My Girl isn't officially out until March 3rd, but [...]
"They don't care for us, or anyone" This is just a wonderful surprise. It reminds me of the kind of music by bands like the Sounds, the Ark and Surferosa around 2004/05 that first inspired me to start this blog. I don't know a whole lot about Nicole Sabouné, except that she was in Sweden's version of the Voice on none other than Ola Salo's (lead singer of the Ark) team. That explains the sound of this song, which almost seems as if it could have been produced or written by Salo. Maybe it is... I [...]
I'm back for week two of the Melodifestivalen live blog! I can't say the song previews really impressed me much yesterday, but I'm hoping (and ready) to be surprised.
Last week's heat was pretty solid, if not spectacular, and resulted in winners that were probably the best we could have hoped for given the entries. Will this week's heat be the same? Let's see... ( Listen to clips here ) Anton Ewald - Beggin I have high hopes for this one. I like the sound of it and the fact that it's a young guy performing means that it probably has a good chance. That whole dubstep breakdown part is a little worrying, but the hook seems fun. 4/5 Felicia [...]
"You're used to always getting what you want" Last week, when I said that Give It To Me was my favorite new track on Darin's just-released album Exit , I was totally mistaken. It's still true that Nobody Knows towers far above everything else on the album (it's one of his top three best singles), I'm quickly becoming almost as enamored with Check You Out . Not only does it adhere to the new dancier sound he's establishing, but it doesn't skimp on the melody. This is big POP music, [...]
"I was drawn by the sparkles in your eyes" Oh, god... this song. This song is all about Michael Feiner, who's one half of Swedish dance/DJ act, The Attic. I've been a huge fan of the Attic's work since they first gained popularity about the time this blog started six years ago. In addition to composing the current theme to Melodifestivalen, they've released two excellent albums of melodic dance-pop. You'd think, given his connection to Melodifestivalen, the contest's voters would cut him some slack. Unfortunately, neither of his entries have made it through during their week. [...]
"We'll tear up the town" I feel like this song just kind of came out of nowhere--an effortlessly catchy and supremely produced radio-pop track by an unknown artist. But if Joshua can keep up this standard, I don't think he's going to be unknown for long. Yesterday I complained a little about the vocals in an otherwise flawless song. When The World Ends isn't as interesting as yesterday's song, but Joshua's vocals have that kind of urgency and presence that really sell it. Lyrically, it borrows the "world ending" theme that seems to have [...]
"I will give the world to you" This song was featured on last week's episode of Glee and, like with Fun.'s We Are Young , I hope it's the beginning of a popularity explosion for it. This is an astonishing piece of pop/rock, the kind of track that's finally starting to come back in vogue. This is theatrical piano rock (aka: my favorite kind of music EVER). It has that kind of powerful, driving propulsion with a focus on strong, anthemic melody and power chords throughout. It's absolutely life-affirming in the way the best pop [...]
The live blog has begun! Fingers crossed for a nice stream and even better performances!
February is great for two reasons: the Oscars and Melodifestivalen! Sweden's biggest musical month is back, and I am more than ready for it! As usual, I'll be live blogging tomorrow during the show, but for now I'd like to offer my first thoughts on the song clips provided by svt. As always, my opinions are likely to change when I hear the full things tomorrow... ( Listen to clips here ) David Lindgren - Skyline I'd imagine he will do well just based on his success in last year's competition. The song sounds like a [...]
"To the left, to the right" Have you been wanting a K-Pop remake of Miley Cyrus's infamous Hoedown Throwdown ? Of course you have, because one of those catchy monstrosities is never enough! Well, this isn't quite that, but it's pretty close. This addictive little trifle borrows a hook from American line dancing, melding it with a bubblegum melody throughout the verses and chorus. It's pretty much impossible to hate. So well produced and so fun. 2Yoon is comprised of Gayoon and Jiyoon (hence the "2"), and is a subgroup of popular girlband 4minute. Why [...]
"Say you want me like I want you" Darin's that rarest type of popstar--one whose music actually gets better with each year of his career. He's the type of male artist we just don't have in the US, and with his recent performances on Så Mycket Bättre (a show that needs to come to America), he may have just reached his peak. Though I haven't had a chance to spend much time with his new album, I can confidently say that nothing is as good as the final track, Nobody Knows (released as a [...]
"The whole world is mine" It seems like forever since I've listened to Margaret Berger. I was really into her 2006 album Pretty Scary Silver Fairy , which surprisingly is her most recent full-length release. That's a long time between albums! Now it's time for her big comeback, as part of Norway's search for their 2013 Eurovision entry. She's well on her way, as this track progressed onward during the weekend. It's an odd choice for the contest, as it has a real dark electro vibe to it that isn't as instantaneous as what we'd [...]
For the nerds out there, this is the kind of music the Transformers would listen to on their home world of Cybertron. This is like robo-dance, all augmented, metallic vocals and fuzzy dance beats. It's not the usual thing I'd go for, but the production on this is too good to pass up. I often look for workout music, and I can see this fitting the bill. It kicks off with a burst of energy and never lets up. It has a real dark, otherworldly sound to it without sacrificing a sense of giddy freakout fun. If you're a fan [...]
As a new K-Pop devotee, I've mostly been researching the pop and hip-hop sides of things. And honestly, this track is more "pop star gone rock" than true rock music, considering Kim Jaejoong is also a member of the boyband JYJ. This is quite a departure for him, though. It's all big, crunchy guitars and goth sensibilities. It's worth hearing if only for the accompanying video, which is stunning. Korea does music videos so much better than the western music industry. This is like a mini-movie. Artistically shot and filled with intricate, amazing costumes and surprisingly effective special effects. Add [...]
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