Saturday, February 07, 2009

Lock you in my heart

Five minutes! The stream for Melodifestivalen is on this site.

Edit 1 (post-the top five): WHAT?!?! I'm in shock...

Edit 2: Alcazar to Globen! Yes yes yes! Oh, thank you thank you thank you.

Edit 3: I'm redecorating my room to look like this...



...and that doesn't even begin to get across what it actually looked like. TWENTY DISCO BALLS.

Edit 4: I have to run, but I'll be back with thoughts of more than one sentence in length.

Edit 5: what did we do when this group wasn't around? I really don't know.



(These videos are getting pulled quickly, so it might not be there by the time you read this. There is a volume jump about a minute into the performance.)

I cheered for them when they won their duel against Scotts to make it to the final. They deserve, with this song and this performance, to be there and I hope this helps that long-awaited new album of theirs sell. Can you believe I've never posted an Alcazar track here before? It's not for lack of loving them and I've posted just about every sort of related track you can think of, as well as loads of news.

Well, that won't be changing tonight; much as it's going to kill me, we'll have to wait for this new single of theirs now that they're still in the conversation. I can, though, offer up a song for a short time that, although not as good as "Stay The Night," was another of my favorites from the night.



I thought catchy pop-rock song "Tick Tock" (which is so much better than I was anticipating based on earlier descriptions) had a really solid--no, great performance to go with it. In the typical fashion of the first week of Melodfestival semifinals, though, the Swedes eliminated most of my favorite tracks. That a song like this one and as well performed as this one can get eliminated in its semifinal in Sweden speaks to just how high the quality of choice is there (or that the Swedes and I have pretty different taste in Melodifestivalen, one or the other).

The other song I was really praying would survive the night was Marie Serneholt's "Disconnect Me."



Up until the moment when the international jury announced their choice--Caroline af Ugglas--I was hoping against hope that Marie would survive in the contest. For someone we were all so uncertain about in the singing live department, I thought Marie was great (and though it doesn't bear at all on how good the track is, I love how genuinely happy she seemed to be to be competing in the contest, as revealed in all the run-up to it). I'm further convinced of deserving her pop princess title. I do understand all the criticisms and concerns people were expressing and, when I've got a bit more time, I'll try to get across why, if I was choosing results, I would have put your through to the final (part of it is, admittedly, probably some sort of emotional attachment)--because I would have, along with Alcazar.

I do have more to say on the other entries (I'll mention them tomorrow), but for lack of time, I'll end for now with a random question: did anyone else find it kind of...surreal to hear obviously recorded backing vocals (for example, done by the artist him/herself)? Maybe they've used those in earlier years and I never noticed. It's not a complaint, mind (I actually like it at points)--it's just different (in a Melodifestival context).

All of these songs will be on the album for Melodifestivalen 2009, out March 8, which can be preordered here (physical).

14 comments:

Bas said...

loved Alcazar's track :) really good performance! they deserved to go to Globen. I'm quite shocked Shirley finished last :o it was a great track!

Jamie said...

Cant believe Shirley finished last. She so didnt deserve that. At least she stayed good humoured about it.

Alcazar...I had my doubts about them but they turned in a solid performance and the full song sounded a lot better. Maybe it's their time!!!

Laura (EuropeCrazy) said...

Well done Alcazar! A professional performance, and finally they get their reward - direct to Globen!

Really surprised about Shirley - maybe it wasn't her best song, but she didn't deserved to be last. Caroline af Ugglas - what was that all about???

Anonymous said...

What a superb performance from Alcazar! This is clearly going to be one to beat in Globen. Poor Shirley :o(

Robpop said...

Weirdly, the song and performance is actually to trite. Too traditional. Too basic. They need to pull out the stops. I am completely at odds with other comments....i thought it was actually pretty boring/lazy (and a tad messy-theres actually a bit when Andreas is off the screen-wonders off somewhere-WTF!).

Take your mind back to Charlotte. Great song. Great performance. Similar dance moves. Fists punched in the air. All perfect.

Then.......a certain Shady Lady came on and completely upstaged her with her dancers and "light boxes". Upstaged actually doesnt quite describe what happened...people just forgot about Charlotte and Hero.

I have to say, naturally....I love Alcazar and i love the song. But that performance...it will not win Eurovision. Eurovision has gone beyond performances like that. Its too boring. (I know! Its not actually boring in the context of Melodifestivalen and the brilliance of the track but here me out: its boring when taken out of context and put next to gimmicks).

I also have a problem with the verses. And the middle eight where they strut around. This is so weak. They do very little.

Helena wowed Eurovision with a strong song, gimmics and great choreography (the number one at the end..the huge string instrument/fiddle she played-all were perfect).

At the moment...all Alcazar have...is a VERY strong song. Now they need to seriously work on getting gimmics on stage and/or sorting out the choreography. Doing disco moves and punching the fist used to work...but no more...

Taken by itself...this could the pop song of the year...

Taken as a Eurovision song...I am not sure at all. Yes, I am being a harsh judge but i think Sweden keeps on sending great songs and great acts only to be shocked that they get rebuffed because of this...Great song, great look...but thats it......they need to think big.

They need to look at Kalomoira and her secret unfolding garden. Look at Ani and her light boxes...these work....they will propel them up the leader board. We want to be dazzled now. Punching the fist in the air/disco moves/windmachines won't help them..it needs more than that...

Its not a case of "must try harder" but rather must give the song, the amazing song it is, all the ATTENTION it just deserves.

Anonymous said...

I think this song is a great pop song and will definitely propel the new Alcazar album to the top of the charts, but I don't think it will get closer than third place at MF. Well done to Andreas, Tess and Lina for escaping the previous curse of Andra Chansen!

Shirley's song was pleasant, though the lyrics were like all of Ingela "Pling" Forsman's greatest hits of the past whirled in a blender. And her throat problems this week did leave her upper range curiously thin. I had hopes that she might be saved by the jury, and she deserved better than jumbo platsen, but I wasn't too surprised that her performance tonight didn't carry her through.

Poster Girl said...

Bas, I didn't love Shirley's track and I know her performance wasn't her best, but I was shocked, too.

Jamie, I wouldn't have placed her last either. She really does seem like she'd be a great person to hang out with (that's a comment completely unrelated to the sentence before it). I know I'll be buying at least the new English versions on her greatest hits album.

Bobby, you win points for predicting Caroline! If I'm remembering correctly, last year you called something I didn't see coming, too.

Alcazar, in general: I loved their performance. I love the song. I've never thought of it in terms of going to Eurovision--I'm not sure that it would get the Swedes the best possible result there. I may end up loving it more than whatever song is the ideal best Eurovision choice, though. Bobby, I know what you mean about Charlotte/Ani (and I would say more in detail about Alcazar's performance had my stream not been jumpy at points). I think Sweden, after last year, is looking to revamp whatever the winning performance is--the whole "eight people allowed on stage" is supposed to help force that (though with Alcazar it's not a factor). Really, though, what I was hoping for them was the publicity and support (and hopefully sales) that'll come with making it to the finals. Len, I was so excited they escaped that curse!

Poster Girl said...

Oh, one more thing: eurovisionessex, I'm sorry to hear about your canceled trip...but very glad it wasn't for unhappy reasons!

Jump! said...

I was really hoping for Marie to at least go to second chance but alas, twas not to be. The Alcazar track is pretty average to me but their success is testament to the melodifestivalen audience's love affair with them. I wasn't surprised by Caroline moving forward given the reception she received and the song is really great (even if snalla snalla sound strange to english speakers ears). Hope Marie continues her pop comeback.

Myfizzypop said...

Ok, i'm really disappointed in you PG. I've followed your site for years and not always agreed with you but always been entertained, and now.... you are telling me that your bedroom ISN'T already like the alcazar stage set? This is a blow from which i may never recover :P

Jonathan - not the strongest song of the night, but i really like. Poor lad must have been freezing in that skimpy top he was wearing! And Marie - i like the whole song A LOT more than i liked the clip. Loved her dress, some slightly awkward foot moves as she came out, but over all a great performance, looked amazing. Parts of the song remind me of Kiss Kiss!

Robpop said...

I am very harsh on Alcazar. But I think they have a top notch song. That will certainly secure the album release. These are all brilliant things!

But I naturally I want Sweden/Alcazar to actually go far at Eurovision. And not be shamefaced...can you imagine if they went to Russia with an amazing song and flopped? The push the album will still be there (its Alcazar!) but the funds put aside for its release might suddenly be reduced. The gimmicks don't have to be huge like those light boxes. He could rip off their skirts and then they rip off his trousers to reveal sexy hotpants. Equality of the sexes and all that ;-)

Poster Girl said...

Jump!, I'm glad to hear someone else was hoping Marie wouldn't be totally eliminated! I hope she continues too. After seeing Caroline's performance, I understand why the Swedish public voted for her, even if it's not a song that works for me (and I still wouldn't have been certain about it progressing).

Paul, if it makes it any better, the reason it doesn't already look like that is we've only just fully moved into and taken control of a hotel and haven't had time to redecorate yet. Marie looked fantastic in that dress. Ooo, I hadn't thought of "Kiss Kiss" until now...

Bobby, I love that you gave that much thought to the song and the performance--that's great! You can't ask for a better comment than that. Constructive harshness is always fine. And I'm all for equality of the sexes ;)

Anonymous said...

I was really pleased for Alcazar and Hanna's incredible hot pants. I'm gay but almost wanted to have schlagersex with her after that hot performance. And maybe Andreas. Tess - no.

My full thoughts about this heat are on my blog - in now way as comprehensive as Poster Girl's but pithy nonetheless:
http://stornisse.squarespace.com/journal/2009/2/8/melodifestivalen-mondays-so-why-do-you-need-to-go-quick-head.html

Poster Girl said...

Rick, I can always count on you for pithy! You mean Lina? She did look great!