Bastille - Pompeii

"The walls come tumbling down"

I'm a sucker for choral elements in a pop song. Throw in a men's/women's/children's choir and I'm sold. And you better believe that's the first thing I heard in this Bastille track that's currently conquering the UK. I'm not sure if he's the type of artist I'd normally care about, or whether I'd enjoy any of his other tracks, but this is really something special. Those male choral vocals that form the backbone of the song's production add a massive, stately sound to what would normally be a forgettable indie-pop release. I swear, every track should have them!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Frankmusik - Map

"I never wanna find my way back"

You've gotta admire Frankmusik's work ethic. He releases more music than almost any other pop artist that I can think of. You get the feeling that we're allowed to listen to anything and everything he's worked on, which means there can often be a varying degree in quality. This new EP, aptly titled Far From Over, is actually pretty amazing. It hits the pop jugular while still retaining his more experimental electronic influences. The single Map has a real corker of a chorus. It actually sounds like something I'd expect to hear in Melodifestivalen. Just out and out pop. The song switches between quiet, slow verses and that enormous, propulsive chorus. It gives the hook the spotlight it deserves.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Download the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Nicole Sabouné - Unseen Footage From A Forthcoming Funeral

"The gate is wide and the road is straight"

Have you ever been in one of those phases where you just keep going back and replaying the same two songs over and over again because they're so amazing but also the only two songs that the artist has released so far? I am in this phase with Nicole Sabouné. Her music is really just becoming an obsession for me. It's the exact style of pop/rock that first drew me to Swedish music a decade ago. Conquer Or Suffer is my favorite new song of the year, and her previous single Unseen Footage From A Forthcoming Funeral is nearly as good. It's a fantastically retro slice of 80's alternative rock (with a cool/creepy video). Sometimes the most simple melodies are the most effective, and this is especially true with this song. Taken together, her two singles are an amazing statement of intent that I hope carries forward to a full length album soon. This woman needs to become massive, and I need a debut album ASAP, if only so I don't wear out these tracks.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the song here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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The Royal Concept - World On Fire

"The pieces come together and I let it all go"

I'm keeping the focus on Scandinavia today, because after months and months of underwhelming output, the region's position as the Motherland of Pop is reinstated. Seriously, more amazing songs have come out of this area in the past two months than in all of 2012 (and very few of them actually have anything to do with Melodifestivalen). The Royal Concept used to be known as Concept Store (they really like concepts, don't they?) and I wrote about them a long time ago. They've been chugging along since, and this is their most recent (and amazing) single. While past hits like Damn and D-d-dance were super-catchy, World On Fire is the one that really hits it out of the park. The production's bigger, the melody more focused and the lyrics more anthemic. This is the type of track that really piques my interest. See what you think. I can't wait to hear what they do next, as their progression so far has been very promising.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Melodifestivalen 2013: Heat Four

Up to this point in this strange 2013 competition, I don't feel like we've seen our winner yet. Yohio's the closest I can think of, but even that doesn't seem quite like it's going to happen. Will this week change that? Let's find out! Please, Sweden... vote wisely!!

* Every single pair of pants Danny has worn this year look... weird. But this opening is still fantastic. And I love Petra.

* Ulrik and Army Of Lovers getting the most applause at the outset. I would so love them both to progress, but the way voting has been this year, I'm not holding out much hope.

ARMY OF LOVERS: This is certainly the type of camp cheese that the contest has been sorely missing this year, and easily one of the weirdest performances the show's had for several years. This is, of course, an amazing thing. This performance had so much to look at, and the song wasn't bad either. Will the Swedes be as infatuated by it? Some of them surely will, but I just don't know...
(But I love it)

LUCIA: Now for the boring Adele rip-off. Can we just ban these types of songs from now on? To me, this just brings nothing to the table. Absolutely nothing. An eighth place finish would be suitable, but the way the voting's gone this year, you never know. Her voice sounds very grating on the chorus.

ROBIN: Okay, the song's alright, but the dancers are really funny and necessary. He hits the high notes well, and the performance is quite polished, but I feel like the song's just missing that little extra something. I know he's popular and may have a shot at Andra Chansen, but it was a bit underwhelming for me. The audience sure liked it, though.

AHHHH! SARAH DAWN FINER!!! Please come back and host!!

SYLVIA: Oh, Sylvia! How I love her! This song, not so much. I do enjoy watching her cavort around the stage. I'd imagine she'd get a few votes from her Sa Mycket Battre fanbase, but the song just isn't right for MF or Eurovision, so this will probably end up somewhere between 5 and 8.

RALF: A big favorite to progress this week. To be honest, I'm pretty sick of these "credible" hard rock artists entering the competition, but this song is alright. I was actually expecting a bit more after all the hype, but this and Army Of Lovers are my favorites so far. The audience responded well.

BEHRANG: The hook on this has actually grown on me. I just find the rapping kind of annoying. Not that I find rapping annoying in general, but his tone irks me a bit. But yeah... that hook. I'm getting Andra Chansen vibes from this. I think it has to be considered the dark horse this week. Oh, and that background singer was on last year's X-Factor, wasn't he? This song got a great reaction from the crowd.

TERESE: Oh god, this is so boring. Total fodder (at least I hope so). It's pleasant enough, but is just so forgettable. I can't imagine it stands much of a chance.

ULRIK: Oh my god!! He's entering to the Ark's Calleth You, Cometh I!!!!!!!! You have just made me very happy, Ulrik! He's in a dangerous place, being the "favorite." I just hope Sweden still votes. The song's alright... not quite as good as I was hoping, but the staging and performance was excellent (even though the stream conked out pretty bad for me).

My Predictions:
To Final: Ralf and Ulrik
Andra Chansen: Behrang and Robin (or Army of Lovers)

EDIT: TOP FIVE
Ulrik, Ralf, Robin, Behrang & Terese (ugh)
6th: Army Of Lovers :(
7th: Sylvia
8th: Lucia (thank god)

EDIT: I stick by my Ulrik and Ralf top two, but now I've got a feeling that Ralf is going to rack up the most votes this week. What does that mean for the final?

EDIT: Alcazar!!! reminding us of how MF used to (and should) sound! Stay The Night is such a massive song. Should've won that year. And Danny "joining" the band is the best thing he's done this entire competition.

EDIT: 
First act through to the final is.... Ulrik!! Yes!!!!!

EDIT:
Final results!
FINAL: Ralf
Andra Chansen: Behrang, Robin
Out: Terese

Pretty predictable results, but mostly correct I think. I would've replaced Army of Lovers with Robin, but otherwise I'm happy with the qualifiers (for once!)

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Melodifestivalen Heat Four: Preliminary Judgement

I have my preliminary judgement a day earlier, since SVT seems to be putting up the MF clips farther in advance. The quality of last week's entries was quite good, but the voting wasn't. Up to this point, I just don't see a viable winner. Will that change this week? Let's see!

(Listen to clips here)

Army Of Lovers - Rockin' The Ride
This sounds like a lot of fun--exactly what I would have expected. It reminds me more of Alcazar than Army Of Lovers, but this is definitely a good thing. Exactly the kind of Euro-cheese that this competition has been sorely missing this year. I don't hear a lot of melody (yet), but I can't wait for the full version. 4.5/5

Lucia Pinera - Must Be Love
Oh, jeez. It's yet another Adele/Duffy/Amy Winehouse rip-off. I'm so sick of this style of music, and I think others are starting to feel the same way. This feels pretty damn subpar. Not offensively bad--just very boring and expected.  2/5

Robin Stjernberg - You
If voters want to go for a soft-rock type of song, this is what they should go for instead of that boring State of Drama track last week. His vocals sound bad in this clip, but I like the anthemic production and (I think) I like the sound of the melody. Too hard to tell based on this clip. 3.5/5

Sylvia Vrethammar - Trivialitet (Triviality)
She's bound to get a bump from appearing on Sa Mycket Battre. Hell, I'm interested precisely because of her time on that show. I can't wait to see her, mostly because she makes me laugh, but this song is pretty much as expected. Jazzy and kind of boring. Love her... not sure about the song. 2.5/5

Ralf Gyllenhammar - Bed On Fire
Based on the voting so far this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see this go through. It's not really my thing, yet I like the drama of the song. It sounds like the type that builds up, rather than hit you right out of the gate. I'm gonna be cautiously optimistic. As far as rock goes, at least it sounds a bit different. 3.5/5

Behrang Miri - Jalla Dansa Salwa (Come On And Dance)
We haven't had much rap so far this year, and here we go. Unfortunately, it's just not the kind of rap I'm really fond of. The hook sounds alright, but everything in between is just kind of filler. I fear that this will make it through, though. 3/5

Terese Fredenwall - Breaking The Silence
A palate-cleansing ballad after that rap track. It's pleasant and boring, like a less-interesting version of Lisa Miskovsky's entry last year. If it wasn't for the Dead Fish song, this might have a better chance, but this sounds too similar and not as good. 2.5/5

Ulrik Munther - Tell The World I'm Here
Now, here we might finally have a winner. Not only does it sound like the most melodic track this week (though I'm guessing the clip we get here isn't really doing it much justice), but the epic anthem nature of the song, combined with Ulrik's popularity, could seal the deal. I hope voters don't become complacent, because I'm guessing this will end up as a worthy winner, especially in a weaker year. 4.5/5

It sounds to be an okay heat, with a couple of clear standouts (AoL and Ulrik). I'm going to guess that Ulrik and Ralf go through, with AoL, Behrang, Robin and Sylvia duking it out for Andra Chansen. If I could vote, at this point it would definitely be Ulrik and AoL!!

Don't forget, I'll be live-blogging the heat Saturday morning right here!

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Ben Ivory - The Righteous Ones

"You can close your eyes if you want to"

Who would've thought that Germany would be the country to watch this Eurovision season? Straight off of yesterday's track, I've got another non-Eurovision sounding song that competed to represent Germany in the contest. This time it's from Ben Ivory, who's constructed a biting, dark (yet ultra catchy) anthem for the freaks and weirdos. This kind of dark electronic music is the exact style I'd expect from Germany, yet it has the rock 'n' roll melody to give it wider appeal. The full album isn't released until March, but I'm hoping that this is a harbinger of the type of thing we'll hear from him. Artistic, yet mainstream. Unusual, but incredibly well produced and easy to sing along with. Think Patrick Wolf meets Depeche Mode.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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BLITZKIDS mvt. - Heart On The Line

"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 much I love Eurovision. But this is so much cooler. It's got incredibly funky production, a hooky melodic structure, and a real strut throughout. It's like Goldfrapp mixed with Chromeo mixed with Bertine Zetlitz mixed with Lady Gaga. And the good news is... the album's just as good! I think it's gotta be 2013's first qualifier for my top ten album list at the end of the year! They even manage to include a cover of Ladyhawke's brilliant My Delirium that equals (and honestly might even trump) the original.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Isac Elliot - New Way Home

"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 this is so much better. This song is freaking amazing. It borrows heavy from the type of dance production that singles like Rihanna's We Found Love and Jedward's Luminous have used, but honestly it's not really the production that I'm interested in. It's that AMAZING melody. The chorus is truly one of the best so far this year--propulsive and huge and sung really, really well. I hope the album, when it's released, is more of this and not just subpar Bieber-esque teen fodder. Because this is something really special.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the song here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Melodifestivalen 2013: Heat Three

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 feel like it's going to suffer a bit because it sounds so similar to the previous weeks' opening performances. It's no Euphoria, but at least it's in the right vein. Staging could've been more interesting. 

ELIN: Oh my god she looks awkward during that intro bit. There's not much to say about this song or performance. It's pleasant, but very boring. Of course, that worked for Anna Bergandahl a couple of years ago, so you never know. Still, this seems like an obvious seventh or eighth place.

RAVAILLACS: Old men haven't been very successful in this year's competition. Could a supergroup of them fair better? I fear that they might, as this kind of act always seems to get through to at least the top four. Still, this is a strong heat, so who knows? The song is actually pretty catchy and they're an amusing bunch. I just hope they don't knock one of my favorites out.

AMANDA: I like her stage outfit, definitely, and she's already got more charisma than all tonight's previous performers before even singing one note. The song's pretty good and she's definitely got presence, but it's hard to understand what she's saying! Still, I'd be happy to see this go through. It's not winner material, but at least it's different.

MARTIN: Oh yeah! I've had this song in my head all day and I hadn't even heard the whole thing yet. It's impossibly catchy. I loved the performance, too. It worked very well on TV and the staging was original/cool. I just hope he gets the votes. I'm scared for him, even though this was the best song of the night so far, easily.

CAROLINE: I really do love this woman and think that she's so fun to watch perform. That said, this isn't nearly as good as her last entry. I really think that, if people are voting for her, they're voting for her as an artist and not the song. I do think the staging was very effective, though, and I could see this going through very easily.

STATE OF DRAMA: That lead singer's facial-expression entry was very... um... interesting. I could describe this song in many ways, but a "state of drama" is definitely not one of them. It just needs a little more oomph. It's not bad, but it's pretty boring. "Inoffensive" would be a good word. The singer's got a good voice, though. It all hinges on whether or not the voting public are in a soft rock mood or not.

JANET: Now that's quite a bodysuit! Wow, you've gotta be pretty confident to wear something like that on TV. I definitely like the song a lot more now that I've heard it in full, and she put on quite a performance. This feels like a winner (of this week, not necessarily the whole competition), but it's such a strong heat! Ugh... predicting is going to be hard.

My PREDICTIONS: Final - Caroline, Janet Andra Chansen - Amanda & Ravaillics (and maybe Martin, though State of Drama could sneak in, too) I'm pulling for Martin, but the competition is so stiff!
The only act that feels truly out of the race is Elin. God, who knows. My hopes? Martin and Janet through.

UPDATE:
Top Five (or as Danny said, "resultation" ?) - State of Drama, Caroline, Martin (yay!!), Ravaillics & Janet (yay!) 
6th Eddie
7th Amanda (surprised it was this low, but I guess it was the vocals)
8th Elin (knew it!)

Now, I'm hoping Martin and Janet go through to the final and Caroline and Ravaillics go to andra chansen, though State of Drama feels like an "andra chansen" act if ever there was one...
One thing's for sure: this is gonna be TOUGH. Strong songs, all around.

EDIT: The transition to this retro interval act was very nonexistent. Is every interval act this year going to be the hosts performing? Hate to say it, but it's getting a little predictable. It's basically just been a chance for Danny to show off different styles of dance, and none has been as entertaining as the first week.

EDIT: I'm missing that "family band" from last week. I think you need to have a better grasp on the Swedish language than I do to find this dansband sketch funny.

EDIT: The first act through to the final is... State of Drama
Ugh. Really? It's an okay song, but first to go through to the final? Against the four others? Not cool. As it's shaping up, we're gonna have a weird, underwhelming Final this year.

EDIT:
Andra Chansen - Martin (should've been to the final), Caroline
Out - Janet (WTF?!?)
2nd to the Final - Ravaillics

Jesus... so our Final thus far looks like this:
David Lindgren
Yohio
Sean Banan
the Dead Fish lady
State of Drama
Ravaillics

Seriously??? This is one WEAK final so far. I hope Ulrik has a good song next week, because otherwise I really don't know who's supposed to win this thing (even though I kinda like the stupid Ravaillics song - sadly)

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Melodifestivalen 2013 Heat Three: Preliminary Judgement

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 Anton Ewald... but that can definitely change when I hear the full version. 4/5

Elin Petersson - Island
Well, she's continuing the tradition of the "webbjoker" by being really boring. It sounds like there might be a pleasant melody in here somewhere, but it's so damn slow.  2.5/5

Ravaillacz - En riktig jävla schlager (A Real Damn Schlager)
We haven't had any old man "dansband" type of music this year (which is surprising), so I guess this fits the bill. It sounds okay, but a little "backyard hoedown" for my taste. I hope it's not a threat to some of the better acts this week. 2.5/5

Amanda Fondell - Dumb
Since she's a Swedish Idol winner, I'd imagine she enters with a certain amount of favoritism. I really like the sound of this song (very Marina and the Diamonds), but it doesn't sound like something that fits with this competition. It'll be interesting to see what happens. 3.5/5

Martin Rolinski - In And Out Of Love
Yes, yes, yes! This was probably my most anticipated track in this year's competition and it doesn't sound like it's going to disappoint. Even from the small clip, I can tell the chorus is incredibly catchy and fun. I PRAY that this advances, though I imagine it could have a bit of trouble in a strong heat. 4.5/5

Caroline Af Ugglas - Hon har inte (She Doesn't Have)
I'm a huge fan of her last Melodifestivalen track, and while this doesn't sound like it's as strong, it's still nice to hear her again. I reserve judgement until I hear the final version, as it's really hard to "get" her songs from a short clip. 3/5

State Of Drama - Falling
For some reason, I was expecting a much poppier, uptempo track. This is like 90's grunge rock minus the grunge. I don't know how to feel about it. It's not horrible, but seems an odd fit this week. 2.5/5

Janet Leon - Heartstrings
This arrives with high expectations (as in, it's been forecasted by some to win the entire thing). I don't see that happening. I mean, it's certainly no Euphoria. It sounds like a nice uptempo dance track with a competent, if not overly excited female vocal. Should be good, but nothing groundbreaking.  3.5/5

So there you go! I don't hate any of the songs, which is refreshing. If I had my way, Martin and Eddie/Amanda/Janet would make it through. I'm thinking Caroline and Amanda have a great chance here, but we'll see tomorrow.

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Alienhits turns Seven! (+ my favorite song of all time)

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 Ark's Calleth You, Cometh I is the best song ever recorded.

I know many people will scoff at me for picking a track that was only recorded ten years ago, but music is highly subjective and often tied to memories and moments. I'm only 29 years old, so it would make sense that my favorite song would come from my own lifetime. I'm certainly a fan of music from the 80's, 70's and 60's, but I don't have the same perspective on those tracks that others might.

For my taste, and the tastes of this blog, you just can't beat Calleth You, Cometh I. It is the definition of life-affirming, galvanizing pop music. It includes everything I love in music: bombast, piano and guitar, choirs, glamour, strong/theatrical vocals, melody with a capital "M," anthemic lyrics, and that elusive, triumphant, transcendent sound. The last two minutes of this masterpiece may just be the most awe-inspiring, gorgeous sound ever recorded. At least, it is in my eyes. I'm not a religious guy, but to me it sounds like the gates of Heaven opening up. I still get chills. And as someone who's had the privilege of seeing it performed live on more than one occasion, I can say that nothing compares to a crowd of hundreds around you, singing it back.

If you're a longtime follower of this blog, I'm sure you've heard the song before. If not, I hope you find at least a little of what I do.



And a recent stripped down, orchestral version if you're feeling a little more reflective:

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Willy Moon - My Girl

"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 we get to hear the whole thing now. It, like his other material, mixes the retro and current in fresh and exciting ways. The melody of the chorus is especially good--very reminiscent of 70's power-pop bands like Bay City Rollers and Cheap Trick. Now when are we gonna get an album?



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy his EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Nicole Sabouné - Conquer Or Suffer

"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 haven't been able to find any info on that. Regardless, the song is an absolute stunner. The chorus, in particular, is that kind of big, brash anthemic refrain that we don't hear enough of in rock music anymore. Its production is very similar to one of my favorite Ark songs, Absolutely No Decorum. It's fuzzy, yet polished. Bratty, yet super pop. I'm totally smitten. It's definitely in my top three favorite new singles of the year so far.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the song here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Melodifestivalen 2013: Heat Two

* 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.

* Anton, Joacim, Erik/Tone and Sean getting the biggest cheers at the beginning. Will these be the final four?

* Cute granny version of Eric Saade!

ANTON: This is definitely one of my favorite songs that we've seen so far in this year's competition and will probably be my favorite by far this week. It's a great song and the dancing was fantastic. I can't see this missing out on the top four. I just hope it makes top two. Vocals could have been a bit stronger, but that's not really what he's know for so I don't think it matters so much.

FELICIA: Ugh... I already hate the song she's entering to. I'm just predisposed not to like this. This kind of midtempo soul is so not my thing. The hook is alright, but overall this is just not something I would ever listen to. I hope it comes somewhere between 6-8 in the ranking, and that's also what I'm predicting.

JOACIM: I get the feeling that this guy is a big favorite tonight. And I can never remember how to spell his name. I'm betting this guy takes the annual "old man" spot in either the final or andra chansen (bad news for tonight's second old man). I actually quite like this song... much more than the preview led me to believe. It's no Eurovision winner, but it's a fine folky Swedish rock track. Kind of reminds me of a laid-back Moneybrother track.

SWEDISH HOUSE WIVES: The thing about them is... they need a better song! This could have been (should have been) legendary, given the pedigree of everyone involved. But, just like the preview hinted at, this is just so boring melodically and production-wise. I have a feeling they're going to struggle tonight. Fifth or sixth place, I'd bet.

ERIK/TONE: Danny has a lot of connections to this week's performers, doesn't he? These two have the best intro music yet (Icona Pop), but I wasn't feeling the song preview yesterday. Like song #2, this is just a genre I don't like. Strummy, inconsequential, cutesy acoustic pop. I have a feeling they may score an andra chansen place out of this, but it's not my cup of tea. I'm still team Anton this week.

LOUISE: Now this is a pleasant surprise. I love that it has perhaps the most awkward title in Melodifestivalen history ("Only the dead fish follow the stream"), yet manages to be super catchy and accessible regardless. I don't see this making much waves in the competition, but it's probably my second or third favorite track tonight so far (well, maybe fourth once that damn harmonica came out).

RIKARD: I pretty much fell asleep during his intro, and I don't think the song's going to do anything to change that. This is like Professor Snape singing. The general feeling is kind of creepy, and the song really is just one decibel above a whisper the entire time. Not my thing.

SEAN: Why are people continuing to support this act? Just looking at his facial expressions makes me want to slap him. He could sing the most amazing song ever written and I would still despise him. I just want him to leave this competition forever. Permanent ban. He will win tonight, and I have no idea why. I only hope people think that he's safe and don't vote.

My guess: Sean and Joacim in the final, Anton and Erik/Tone in andra chansen
My wish: Anton and Joacim in the final, Swedish House Wives and Louise in andra chansen

EDIT: Here come the Swedish grannies again for some interval entertainment. It's at least nice to hear these songs again, though this is certainly an odd shtick.

EDIT: Results!
Top 5 - Sean (ugh), Anton (yes!), Louise (wow!), Erik/Tone, Felicia (woah)
6th: Swedish House Wives (as expected) 7th: Rikard 8th: Joacim (surprised at this)

EDIT: Does the female presenter have a cold or something? What's with all the sniffling?

EDIT: I'm feeling Sean and Anton for the top two, now, with Erik/Tone hot on their heels followed by... who knows? I didn't expect Louise or Felicia in the final five. I much prefer Louise, though.

EDIT: The much-hyped Bollywood version of In The Club is upon us. Danny looks like he's playing Aladdin in a cheap school play. I've never liked this shouty song and it fairs no better here, but whatever...

EDIT: I don't know what this "Swedish House Family" bit is about but it is seriously freaking me out.

EDIT: SERIOUSLY freaking me out.

EDIT: Results!
First through to the final is... Sean. I have no words for how much I hate this result.

Final results: 
2nd in final: Louise (wtf?)
Andra Chansen: Anton, Erik/Tone
Fifth (and knocked out): Felicia

EDIT: Bad heat, terrible result (though Louise was a nice surprise). I hope that Anton can take that Andra Chansen Final spot. I need the third Heat right now, just to inject some life into this year. Can you imagine if Sean wins the entire thing? It would be the worst result in the history of the contest.

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Melodifestivalen Heat Two: Preliminary Judgement

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 Olsson - Make Me No. 1
Boring ballad number one. This is a vintage sounding soul song and, from the clip, sounds like a real snorefest. This just isn't my kind of music at all and I don't see how it has a chance of qualifying.  1/5

Joacim Cans - Annelie
I imagine this guy has a good chance of progressing based on his pedigree, but this isn't anything like I thought it was gonna be. It's so gentle and folky. I don't think he'll be another Nikke Borg, but he may easily move on to Andra chansen. 2/5

Swedish House Wives - On Top Of The World
I was really excited for this one, but I'm finding the clip a little underwhelming. The sound is pretty much as expected, but the melody doesn't do anything interesting. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. 3/5

Erik Segerstedt & Tone Damli - Hello Goodbye
Duos have never done well in Melodifestivalen, and I don't expect this to really break the trend, despite the fame of each of its singers. The song is just super cheesy/boring. Ugh... why? I want this to be good! 2/5

Louise Hoffsten - Only The Dead Fish Follow The Stream
I did not expect to like this (I mean, look at the title!), but I'm actually really enjoying the clip! Finally! The melody is instantly catchy and has that sort of polished acoustic sound that Lisa Miskovsky used last year. A nice surprise. 3.5/5

Rikard Wolff - En förlorad sommar (A Lost Summer)
Boring ballad number two, the boring-er version. This is so typical of Melodifestivalen. They have one of these horribly slow Swedish language songs sung by some old man that always does well and ends up growing on me. For now, it's a 1.5/5

Sean Banan - Copacabanana
Ugh. Hate this man. Seriously, it wasn't enough that he inflicted his painfully unfunny shtick on the competition last year? They had to bring him back? To his credit, as a song this actually sounds a lot better than last year. Kind of a Gangnam Style influence. It's still gonna suck, though. 2/5

Not a very good heat based on the previews, I'm afraid. I hope to be surprised tomorrow, but I'd imagine we'll see Sean through for sure (ugh), with Anton, Rikard, and Joacim fighting for second.

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Darin - Check You Out

"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, especially the chorus. The lyrics are great fun, too. It seems that Give It To Me is the next single and, if itunes charts are to be believed, quite beloved by the Swedish public. It's a fine choice, as I outlined last week, but this is better. It should be single #4--just in time for Summer.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Michael Feiner & Caisa - We're Still Kids

"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. This year, even though We're Still Kids is a spectacular single, I can understand why it didn't progress further in the competition. It all comes down to the live vocals by Caisa, who just seemed such an ill-fitted match with this particular song. The recorded version is fine, but it really didn't come across well in the performance. This track is all about the saxophone riff, which is totally 80's and undoubtedly the catchiest of the song's many hooks. But that doesn't mean the rest of the song is chopped liver. I especially love the melody in the verses. For some reason it gives me slight Boys Of Summer vibes. This is just further proof that even the "losers" of Melodifestivalen often give us amazing songs.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Joshua Micah - When The World Ends

"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 become so trendy the past few years, but the big production and polish really help it stand out. I love the melding of dance and rock--sort of a Cobra Starship gone even more clubby.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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A Great Big World - This Is The New Year

"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 songs are. It doesn't even take a full listen to sink into your brain, though you'll want to stick around until the end because it just builds and builds. My only slight problem, and I've gotten more used to it on further listens, is the vocal performances. This is a two-vocal band, though they sound pretty similar. Both have that kind of reedy, indie-boy tone that's so popular right now. That's totally fine, but I'm not sure it necessarily fits this huge of a song. Imagine how much power it would have if it had been sung by a real powerhouse in the glam/theatrical rock genre (I'm thinking Ola Salo of the Ark, Eric Nally of Foxy Shazam, or maybe even Adam Lambert back in his Idol days). Still, it's an amazing track -- an instant favorite of mine.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy their EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Melodifestivalen 2013: Heat One

The live blog has begun! Fingers crossed for a nice stream and even better performances!

* Opening with a shot of Danny Saucedo. I keep forgetting that he's one of the hosts this year. It'll be interesting to see how much of a sense of humor he can have about himself. And of course we get a reminder of the epicness of Loreen. Sweden must be so proud.

* As a sight-gag, this Euphoria is pretty funny, but I wish I understood the lyrics apart from a few words. Also, that Tron suit on Danny still looks stupid a year later.

* David, Yohio and Michael & Caisa getting the most cheers before the performances. I'd be happy if that continued.

DAVID: I approve of the NKOTB played as he walked to the stage. I still find him oddly needy when he performs, but the staging of this was pretty cool (loved the fractured camera "collage") and the song's decent. Not as instant as last year's entry, but still a competent dance track. His vocals sounded a bit shaky to me, though. And he certainly didn't have that enthusiastic response from the crowd after the performance that he had last year.

COOKIES N BEANS: Walking out to Bowie. I wish they would do a Bowie-esque song, but they're really not that kind of group. Cookies N Beans is the worst, yet somehow best, band name ever. Overall, I'd say that I liked their previous entry better than this. The verses are okay but the chorus is pretty boring. It really doesn't sound like a Kempe song. I could still see them progressing further if they get the "old" vote over Anna's song. We'll see...

JAY JAY: This was one of the songs I liked least from the previews, but it also seemed that it needed to be heard in full to be appreciated. But... hmm... this is just odd. Rhyming "Paris" with "where is" annoys me straight off the bat. Does he really think this is the kind of song that would represent Sweden in Eurovision... especially after Euphoria? Can you imagine? It sounds like a song a 9-year-old wrote. In two minutes.
reluctant applause at the end.

MARY: I am SO feeling her entry music. Maybe being a contestant on the Voice will help her with voters? I hope so. This is a refreshing change of pace from the last two acts, but it still feels like it's missing something and I don't know what it is. She seems like she's just short of pulling out all the stops. It's energetic but it feels too much like going through the motions, if that makes sense. Audience seems to agree.

ERIC: This seems like an obvious contender for the "serious indie swedish" vote, and if any of the non-dance tracks this week is getting in, it better be this one because it's the best. The production's gorgeous and the melody pleasant, if a little expected. It won't be my favorite for the week, but it'll probably be top three.

YOHIO: Well, you can't beat that stage get-up. I wish the song was a little more remarkable (does it work without the accompanying visual?), but I would still be happy to see this progress, if only to get a successful album from him. And strangely, I get the sense that this could do well today...

ANNA: I swear, that strings melody is borrowed from another song. I'm afraid of this going through, particularly since it's the only ballad and won't probably be splitting votes with any other entries. As far as MF ballads go, it's just really boring. Nothing offensively bad, but nothing of note whatsoever.

MICHAEL & CAISA: This was my favorite based on the previews, and it's still my favorite track of the heat. That said, the performance was a bit underwhelming. Caisa's vocals just didn't sound good, in my opinion. I can't wait to hear the studio version, as the song itself is awesome. Why was the performance so underwhelming, though? Argh... frustrating!!

** My brave predictions: 
I'm finding it really hard to predict this week, as nothing really stood out. I feel like I could be totally wrong, but here goes nothing:
Direct to Final: David and Cookies & Beans
Andra Chansen: Yohio and Eric (or Anna? Or maybe even Michael/Caisa?)

If it was me, I'd probably pick Yohio and David or Michael/Caisa

TOP FIVE: Cookies N Beans, Mary (shocking!), Eric, David and Yohio!
Kocked out: Anna (seventh), Michael/Caisa (sixth), Jay Jay (a deserved last place)

EDIT: Now, I'm feeling it might be Yohio and Cookies N Beans through, while David and Eric take Andra Chansen. Ahhh... I really can't predict this.

EDIT: I imagine the Swedish press will have a field day with the multiple graphics mistakes on tonight's broadcast. Mostly because there won't be much else to write about. A pretty underwhelming heat overall.
Also, this "Mean Ukuleles From Hell" bit is really weird.

EDIT: First to go through the the final is... David! I had him in my initial predictions, but really I wasn't sure in the end. It's deserved in an underwhelming heat, but it has no chance of winning in the final.

EDIT: Next to the final: Yohio!! (very well deserved)
Andra Chansen: Cookies N Beans and Eric
Knocked out: Mary

Overall, though this wasn't a very strong heat (week one usually isn't), I'm pleased with the results. I still love the Michael/Caisa song but that performance was terrible so it pretty much disqualified them. I like both David and Yohio's songs, and particularly Yohio's anime/glam-rock image. Bring on next week!!
Oh, and despite comments to the contrary, Yohio is NO Ola Salo. Not even close.

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Melodifestivalen Heat One: Preliminary Judgement

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 great uptempo start to the festivities, though maybe not as instant as Shout It Out was. I think in the long run, I'll like it better, though. 4/5

Cookies 'N' Beans - Burning Flags
Another act that's not new to the competition. This sounds bigger than I expected it to, and I could easily see it progressing onward. It doesn't mean that it's my favorite track, though. 2.5/5

Jay-Jay Johanson - Paris
A well-respected artist in Sweden, but as far as I can tell, a pretty boring song. It just seems too subdued for a contest like this. I'm not getting a lot of melody from the clip, but maybe the full song will be better. 2/5

Mary N'diaye - Gosa ("Cuddle")
Quite a departure from the past two tracks, this Brazilian dance song will certainly stand out. While I like the sound of it, I'm not sure that hook registers as strongly as it could. We'll see. 3/5

Eric Gadd - Vi kommer aldrig att förlora ("We'll Never Lose")
I've always liked this type of indie Swedish rock, and while I don't think it belongs in MF, this sounds like something I might enjoy after the competition. Nice production flourishes throughout, though I do fear that the full version will get a little boring. 3.5/5

Yohio - Heartbreak Hotel
I love the general weirdness of the look and the sound (if not the strength) of the vocals, but I was hoping fora bit more melodically. The text below the preview references The Ark, but The Ark would never write a melody this dull. I hope the full version is better! 3/5

Anna Järvinen - Porslin ("Porcelain")
The only real ballad of the heat, and it's pretty boring, as expected. There's a chance that Sweden might go for her on name recognition alone, but (although there's a hint of a nice, familiar melody), the song's pretty darn sleepy. 1.5/5

Michael Feiner & Caisa - We're Still Kids
Now we're talking! Despite the shaky live vocals, I am loving what I'm hearing so far. The saxophone is unique (and super 80's) and the melody is exactly what I'm looking for. This could easily end up being a five when I hear the whole thing, especially in studio version. 4.5/5

Well, based on the previews, this is definitely stronger than last year's first heat. Although, that week had the eventual winner in the line-up, and I don't think our 2013 winner is amongst these eight. I hope Michael and Caisa sail through, but I'm thinking it's more likely that we see David and Cookies 'N' Beans straight to the final, which would be odd considering they're the first two acts.

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