I've had it with shame, I've had it with sorrow

There are, oh, a few dozen songs already released this year that I feel I need to cover at some point to give even a half-accurate impression of where I'm at with music in 2011. I've never been particularly timely with my coverage, but you may see a few more egregious examples pop up in the future (and it's only going to get worse--I'm still thinking about discussing not just my favorite singles from 2010 but also my favorites from 2009...because there's nothing more thrilling than reading some random person on the Internet's personal reactions to two year old songs you're tired of hearing discussed).

Breaking Up With God by theark

Case File #1 is the Ark's "Breaking Up With God." The bad news: it's one of the last songs we'll ever hear from the Swedish rock group--they're calling it quits after they finish promoting their greatest hits. The good news: it's their best single since State of the Ark's one-two punch of "One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young" and "Clamour For Glamour."

"Breaking Up With God" also pulls off the tricky feat of sounding thoroughly in keeping with the group's previous work while also filling a musical niche none of the Ark's previous singles did. It has the energy of the aforementioned State of the Ark singles, but it achieves the emotional release of earlier songs like "It Takes A Fool To Remain Sane" and "Calleth You Cometh I."

Unlike those songs, though, "Breaking Up With God" goes about creating that release through the closest the group has come to a party song. The cleverness and opaqueness of the Ark's lyrics means I've never really thought of them as band whose songs work in the "lost in the music" way associated with the best dance songs, though their work performs the traditional "rock outsider" role of creating a communal feeling that transforms even your bedroom into a packed gig full of people reveling to anthems.

While it has a high tempo and kicky beat, "Breaking Up With God" is clearly no dance song. It can be danced to, though, as lead singer Ola Salo proved in his characteristically flamboyant way at last week's Melodifestival semifinal (I hope this isn't the last we'll see of Ola as a recording artist, by the way--hard as it is to imagine him without the rest of the band, the world would miss the effortless charisma he gives off even when he seems half-bored). No, "Breaking Up With God" is definitely pop-rock, albeit with a sound that pays less clear homage to the '70s than some of the Ark's earlier work. That's "Breaking Up With God"'s second trick: while bearing guitar work and occasional vocal harmonies that wouldn't sound out of place in the '70s, more than anything it sounds timeless.

The best trick of all, though, is that previously mentioned sense of uplifting, lost-in-the-music release, the kind you never would have expected to find in a song that deals seriously with concerns about religion. How the Ark pull off comparing the Sword of Damocles to a cross and then singing "I heard the call, but I won't follow 'cause now I'm breaking up with God...and the Devil too" without seeming preachy or pretentious but instead like the best party band you've ever heard is something I'll never understand. "Breaking Up With God" is well-written in all areas--music, melody, and lyrics--and grand in smart ways, too, without dwelling on the grandness. In short, it's the epitome of everything I've ever loved about the Ark.

I have a history of overhyping songs released in the first quarter of the year and then considerably dialing back my opinion by December. Still, if there's been a better expression of synth-free pop-rock joy in the past five years, I can't think of it.

The Ark's greatest hits, Arkeology, can be purchased here (physical) and on iTunes internationally here. Alternatively, it's available at this digital music store that has no country restrictions.

(Photo credit to Sven Lindwall of Expressen.)

How can you leave me now?

I got back just in time! The final is just about to start! I'm hoping for a Måns victory, but expecting the Ark to win.

If you want to watch, you can do so (through Windows Media Player--there's also a Real Player feed) here.

Edit: acoustic version of "Evighet." Andreas up first. I might not write that much, unless I start to lose my feed and start complaining (which I'm very worried about).

Edit: thank goodness someone restyled Sebastian--he couldn't really look worse than he did during the semifinal. I really like his song--a lot. I always liked it, but it's been a grower, too. I felt Anna Book seemed a little...off, or something, maybe vocally. I like Sonja's song as well. The stream was pretty bad during Sebastian's song, but it seems to have improved.

Edit: that acoustic guitar part in Marie's song really is lovely, and it's a nice song. Since I'm not worried (that much) about it winning, I think I'm able to enjoy it more. But Måns is up next!

Edit: oh. Maybe I've just listened to the studio recording so many times, but...is it just me, or did this not seem as good as his semifinal performance? I felt like he dropped some letters or words, some of the gestures just seemed a little off, sounded breathy at bits...I think I'm always harsher on what I'm supporting the most, though. Don't get me wrong--I love the song, love the performance, but... Still, Måns to win! Up next we have the one song I absolutely under no circumstances could live with as the winner.

Edit: thank goodness we have something exciting after that performance from Tommy--Sanna's up next!

Edit: for a big ballad, Sarah's is good. I think I heard somewhere that Andreas Lundstedt is supporting her? Sanna's performance was full of strutting, fireworks, and general fun. The Ark up next.

Edit: boy, they put on a good performance, don't they? They make it look effortless. Now, how long do we have to wait for the results?

Edit: vote for song 6, Sweden! 099-239 06!

Edit: I love this musical. I wish I could understand it. Now they're singing "Alla Flickor."

Edit: the first set of results is in...and Måns wins the first 12 points! The Ark get the 10 and Sarah gets 8. Andreas only got 1--I'm surprised; isn't he predicted to be in the top 3?

Edit: Måns gets 6, Andreas gets 8, and the Ark get 12. Sarah's doing well.

Edit: is this going to going to end up being Sarah vs. Andreas vs. the Ark? Sarah gets 8, Andreas 10, and the Ark 12, with Måns only getting 6.

Edit: Magnus Backlund presenting results. Måns only gets 2 points! Oh no...the Ark only get 6 here...strange....Sarah gets 8, 10 to Sanna--that's nice to see. Andreas gets 12. I'm getting really worried.

Edit: 2 for Sarah, 8 for Måns, 10 for Andreas, 12 for the Ark. Is Måns no longer a contender? Magnus Carlsson to present the next results--bring some good ones!

Edit: only 1 point for Måns! Shock. 8 for the Ark, 10 for Sarah 12 for Andreas. Total, Måns has 33, the Ark 60, Sarah 46, and Andreas 53.

Edit: oh goodness--Jessica's hair! Only 2 points for Måns. 4 for Sarah, 8 to the Ark, 10 to Sonja, 12 to Andreas. Sebastian's catching up to Måns.

Edit: 4 for Måns--is there even any point in me reporting what he's getting? Total, the Ark have 80, Andreas 73, Sarah 60, Måns 39, and Sonja and Sebastian tied at 31.

Edit: points are all over the place, but it seems to be a pretty set Ark victory. I'm so surprised (and disappointed) Måns isn't doing better, though.

Edit: Marie gets her first points (4). 8 for Andreas, 10 for Måns, 12 for the Ark.

Edit: Carola's presenting now...brings it all up to Andreas at 101, the Ark at 116, Sarah at 78, and Måns at 61.

Edit: we're seeing the phone numbers again. Sebastian's song is so much better than Andreas's.

Edit: telephone votes in, and the Ark win! I am happy for them, and my mood is somewhat improved by the fact that poor Måns got the second highest number of the public's votes. Andreas got the third highest and Sarah the fourth. As for overall results, Andreas came 2nd with 189, Måns 3rd with 171, and Sarah 4th with 122. It's probably just as well for any breakable objects nearby me that Mans didn't win--I think they would've ended up thrown up in the air in excitement. Can I hazard a guess that Måns would've got more votes from the public if he'd been in the top 3 after the juries' results? I would've thought the lead the top 3 had would've encouraged people to vote strategically for one of those, not for Måns. Congratulations to the Ark, though! The stream was generally great, too--skippy during Sebastian's performance, but that's about it.

Don't let them take your life

My last minute hopes, before seeing the performances: Jimmy and the Ark to the final, Cosmo4 (what was I thinking yesterday when I said the chorus needed to be a little catchier? It's already incredibly catchy!) and Regina to the second chance. All the predictions seem to have the Ark making it to the final, though, so I'm throwing the weight of my "wishing and hoping" energy behind Jimmy and Cosmo4, but Regina is catching up fast.

Edit: worst. stream. ever. I missed Regina, saw a couple seconds of the end of Marie's (it seemed like she got an awful lot of applause...I'm worried), missed the first half of Jimmy's, missed most of Jessica's, missed all of that duet, and missed the last two-thirds of the Ark, and what I did see of everything was basically a series of still pictures. Sheesh. I've switched over to the radio now (P4 Melodifest here), but I can't even begin to evaluate the performances. Hopefully someone puts them up on YouTube soon. We're in the first round of voting now.

Edit 2: the top 5: Marie, Cosmo4, Jimmy, Jessica, and the Ark--I'll take that! Actually, I'm very happy with that. Now, let Marie place fifth, and I'll be thrilled.

Edit 3: the stream is back for me, though it's not very good...

Edit 4: the Ark go direct to the final...

Edit 5: Jimmy and Jessica to the second chance round...Marie's probably going to beat Cosmo4, but there's no justice if she does...

Edit 6:...yup, Marie to the final. It's not that I hate the song, but it's not exciting, it's not what I want from this contest. Poor Cosmo4--I absolutely love their song! I hope it does well on the charts afterwards. Out of all the girls, they were easily the best, and they're somewhere in my not-yet-mapped-out top 3.

Edit 7: final edit, I think--Jessica will be facing Elin in the second chance round. With one exception (maybe two), I'm not really excited about the final yet, despite a lot of songs in the contest I like. I'm so glad Jimmy made it to at least the second chance round, though--I really like his song (but then, I adore McFly, so that's probably not surprising). It's really a shame about Cosmo4, though--I was really hoping they would do well! If Regina ended up eight, I'm guessing there was something wrong with her performance, as the song was great, but maybe not, given last week--I'm still upset about Andreas's placing, even if the whole "Dandy Andy and the Funky Nuns" thing was sort of weird ("Move" is out as a single on March 5, by the way!).

Next week has a lot of people I actually know, too--Nanne Grönvall, Magnus Carlsson, Sebastian Karlsson, Sonya, the Attic feat. Therese, and a former Idol contestant from the same season as Sebastian, Måns Zelmerlöw (I've never seen him sing before, though), who also won Let's Dance. I can't wait!

Next up: probably Swedish dance music.