Len mentioned him in the comments recently, and it's really far past time I dedicate a post to Jonathan Fagerlund on this blog (I did mention him over in my former HotStuff Files column in April [and credit as always has to go to here for introducing me to him], but I don't think I ever mentioned I was writing that over here).(Listen to his songs on his MySpace)
He's Swedish (shocking, me liking a Swedish singer, I know) and only sixteen years old, something that usually makes me feel uncomfortable about liking a singer's work, but I've decided the songs he's got means there's no way I can help liking him. He also has a very good voice for pop and has been smart enough to work with some very good producers and songwriters (Andreas Carlsson for one) after deciding to leave the Lou Pearlman-managed boy band he used to be a part of when the group "did not develop the way he had hoped for."
I'm completely in love with his debut single "Angeline" (which you can listen to a clip of on MySpace or a higher quality clip--and this is the sort of song that very much benefits from that--on his official site). If you like any of the "boy pop" sort of songs I post, you should love this--it's perfectly produced melodic pop, mid-tempo--a ballad, I suppose, but one of the ones that dances between sweet wistfulness suitable for its subject and enough catchiness to give it the perfect singalong feel.
I'm eagerly awaiting his debut album, whenever it's due to come out; though "Playing Me" is still the song I'm most dying to get my hands on (probably not surprising, considering it's one of the more upbeat songs on his MySpace, but it could quite possibly end up being my favorite song of whatever year it comes out), I've now decided I love everything he's got put up, with "Damn Lonely Night" currently being a little behind the rest, though I think that's my natural upbeat preference speaking and could easily change in the context of the album.
I briefly toyed with posting "Angeline," but--and I'm not sure why--I'm really worried about how he's going to do commercially, so instead I'll just urge everyone to go buy it, because it's really worth it; it's available on all countries' iTunes store (click here for a direct link to it) and regardless of where you live, you can buy a DRM-free mp3 copy of it from Klicktrack.
"Angeline" comes strongly recommended and, with songs like "Playing Me"(which, by the way, you can hear a full version of at the MySpace page of the man who mixed the album) already recorded and waiting for release, you know he's a popstar worth supporting.
(And can I just say: you all know I like boy bands, but I'm so glad he left the boy band he used to be a part of--his new material and promotion has so much more...class.)
5 comments:
Let's hope that Jonathan was one of the lucky boys who escaped from the Lou Pearlman empire before the walls came crashing down on Pearlman's years of embezzlement. I know some bands were left holding the bag with unfinished albums and no one to turn to.
Oh PG, I love reading your blog.
It's sometimes that every word you write could have come out of my mouth!
:)
Angeline and Playing me are really gems, I really need the album, hope it comes out!
turnaround
Gosh, Robyn looks really butch in that photo!
!!!!!!!!!! @ D'Luv!!!
Let's hope so, too--it sounds like he just left so many...problems in his wake.
Aww, thanks, turnaround :) Well, I have you to thank for writing about him to begin with!
Oh, I wouldn't expect anything else after comments like this ;) Compare to the slide show of fake magazine covers at his old boy band's home page, though, which must seriously be some of the most awkward and discomfort-inducing advertising I've seen.
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