Du säger ja, jag säger nej

Charlotte Perrelli's song sounds like "Kempe-schlager and Kylie-pop with a splash of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' and S Club 7's 'Don't Stop Movin'." I have no idea how one song can sound like all of those things, but doesn't it sound BRILLIANT?! Plus, toss in a "Kalla Nätter" reference and I really don't know how it could get any more amazing-sounding.

Linda, despite falling during rehearsals, has a schlager song that will make a bunch of people religious after "Linda's three minutes of salvation" or cause the entire population of Sweden to become gay. (Also, the comparison to "Grace Kelly" did pop up again, in reference to the verses.)

Daniel has "the year's gay hit" (as well as a classic fifth placer; apparently it's overchoreographed).

Could I get any more excited? I really don't think so. And that's just three of the songs we've got to look forward to in this Saturday's Melodifestival semifinal.

One day, this blog will return to its only-semi-dominated-by-Swedish-music state, but as long as Melodifestivalen keeps going, I'm going to have Swedish music on the brain. Some day I really will finish that Fame Factory special I started, but until then, let's have another song from a Swedish group I love(d): Fame. Jessica Andersson, the female half of Fame, is off doing duets with Nordman now and the male half, Magnus Backlund--well, I've got no idea what he's doing musically, but he is talking to Gylleneskor about this upcoming semifinal.

Gjorda för varandra--I think Fame had some absolutely fantastic tracks. Oddly enough, most of those weren't on their only album (including one of my favorite Melodifestival tracks of this decade, "Vindarna Vänder Oss," their followup entry after winning all of Melodifestivalen with "Give Me Your Love"). "Gjorda för varandra," released as a single in 2005, was one of those. A mix of pop and schlager, it's not a schlager stomper in the sense of being some big uptempo song that you picture lots of big dramatic strutting across the stage to--though you could do that, if you wanted; it's just that it's more on the mid-tempo side. The song lists a bunch of things the (fictional) couple disagree on before concluding in each bridge and chorus that without those differences they wouldn't be attracted to each other and that, in the end, they're a couple, meant for each other (I think). Basically, upbeat catchy Swedish pop that, like many of Fame's songs, comes in right about at three minutes.

To buy Fame's single "Gjorda för varandra," go here (physical) or here (digital).

Next up: part of me wonders if maybe I shouldn't just skip the previews on Friday and hear them for the first time on Saturday--but yeah right, as if I have that much self control, so tomorrow will probably be writings about Melodifestivalen.

Men vi vågar igen

Sorry, another YouTube video, but, after writing about Jessica, I just have to reiterate how much I love this song. My favorite from Melodifestivalen 2004 (I know, I know, I'm sorry, Lena! And Shirley!), I think.




It's so fantastic, so hard-hitting, so perfect! Love it. Love the performance. Love everything.

Say a word, you got it

Bad news: Jessica Andersson's official site denies the rumors that she now wants to sing in Fame again (as an Aftonbladet article reported, or at least created some fuzziness about by focusing on the wrong or less important thing from an interview with its headline)--well, sort of; she doesn't rule out doing it some day, but there are no plans for it at the moment.

Good news: why are their no plans for her to do Fame again? Because she's currently focused on musicals...and her "solo career"!

I know, I know, I'm probably reading too much into this, and the likelihood of her launching an album at this point, off the back of no single or Melodifestivalen entry (though she could release I single, I suppose; there's no guarantee of how it'd perform though), doesn't seem that great, but I'm hoping that at least means the door is open to us getting some more non-musical music from her eventually. Grasping at straws and all that, but I can hope...even if who knows when it'll ever occur.

Anyhow, that aforementioned Aftonbladet article also reported that once the musical she's currently starring in ends, she'll think about what she wants to do. She wants to release her own album and, I think, enter Melodifestivalen again (though that part, like all of it, could be me misunderstanding). I don't think she has a record contract at the moment, though.

So basically, no one get too excited, but I keep hoping we'll hear more from her, so I can't help reporting it.

I've toyed with posting "Kalla Nätter" or "Du får för dig att du förför mig" for a while now because both are fantastic, but never done it mainly because I'm guessing most people who would be interested have them already. I might end up doing it anyway, though--they're must-hears.

I min fantasi

Oh no!

Please tell me "Musikal in, Schlager ut" doesn't mean what I think it does...

I think, if I'm understanding this article correctly, Swedish singer Jessica Andersson (soloist and former member of the duo Fame) is taking a break (though not necessarily a permanent one; the possibility for a return to her solo work or work with Fame is left open) from music of the commerical/Melodifestivalen/schlager sort and focusing on musicals instead.

I was really hoping we'd finally get an album from her this year. I may not have been a particularly big fan of "Kom," her Melodifestivalen entry this year, but I thought "Kalla Nätter" and "Du får för dig att du förför mig" were both great.

Tonight, we're back where it started

(Picture credit to Jessica Andersson's official site.)

Fulfilling a request (I really will post than Jonatan Cerrada song! Honestly!), it's back to Fame today (which is exciting for me). As I mentioned before, they won Melodifestivalen in 2003; they then entered again in 2004, making it to the finals but not winning. I sometimes wonder if they were planning on another album, as, in addition to the "All In The Game" single from late 2005, they released another single, "Gjorda för varandra," in mid-2005--does anyone know?

The Wind Has Turned Around--Fame's entry in the 2004 Melodifestivalen was the absolutely glorious "Vindarna Vänder Oss." Up against Lena Philipsson's microphone-dancing "Det gör ont," they were never going to win, but how they only came 6th baffles me--I mean, "Tango! Tango!" beating them? Really? At any rate, there's also an English version of "Vindarna Vänder Oss," which is "The Wind Has Turned Around." The Swedish version is loads better, but for some reason, I find myself listening to this version sometimes, too (I know...). Posted at request and because, if you're not into Swedish-language music, hopefully this will at least help you get a taste of the amazingness that is "Vindarna Vänder Oss."

Rivers Of Gold--once again, I came so close to posting "Sending Out An MMS" (and I probably will in the next few days), but this song is just so schlager and upbeat and fun that I had to share it. That said, as upbeat as it is, there's somewhat of a ballad element about it, too, or maybe it just feels like it could easily be a ballad (I'm glad it's not, though!). There's a backing effect in the chorus that reminds me of something that I can't place at the moment but definitely should be able to.

These songs can be found of Fame Factory compilation albums; to buy Fame Factory Volym 8, go here (physical) or here (digital) and to buy Best Of Fame Factory, go here (physical) or here (digital).

Next up: maybe a Swedish singer who's competed in Melodifestivalen before, but is not from Fame Factory.

You just have to believe there's a place where our dreams come true

(Picture credit to Jessica Andersson's official site--when are we getting an album, Jessica?)

I love(d) Swedish duo Fame, made up of Fame Factory contestants Magnus Bäcklund and Jessica Andersson (now pursuing solo careers), but I do have a couple of issues. First, though I like and probably love "Give Me Your Love" (which ended up taking 5th place for Sweden at Eurovision), it was part of preventing Alcazar's "Not A Sinner, Nor A Saint" from winning Melodifestivalen in 2003. Second, though their album is nice and worth picking up, most of their best songs aren't on it. Originally, I was going to post a song from the compilation albums I just bought--"Sending Out An MMS," among others, is wonderful, and where else will you get to hear Jessica Andersson "rapping"? (it's poppier than that makes it sound); "Rivers of Gold" is excellent, too--but I think I'll go with another song instead. (For my first post on Fame, go here.)

All In The Game (Radio Version)--there are two versions of this song, and I'm often not sure which I prefer; this version sounds more like a remix (I know, saying "radio version" sort of automatically means it's been reworked, but a lot of single mixes make small subtle changes--the changes here are more along the lines of what you'd expect from a "real" remix, though not a full-fledged one) and the other version sounds more...inspirational, maybe? This song is more beat-oriented than, say, "Vindarna Vänder Oss," but still nothing but pure pop, upbeat and fun. Actually, the beat (probably because of the crowd effects) makes me think of sports, which was probably intentional, as apparently this was Sweden's official song for the 2006 Winter Olympics.

To buy Fame's single "All In The Game," go here (physical) or here (digital). If people want to hear more from them, just let me know; I'll take any excuse I can get to write about Fame (before anyone asks, I don't have " Låt Kärleken Slå Rot").

Next up: probably the singer I said I was going to write about yesterday; another Fame Factory contestant, she's been to Melodifestivalen twice.

Can't get away from my one-track mind

After a run of songs that seemed to all be serious, hip, or rocky, today we're returning to "pure pop" that is, most importantly, incredibly fun and happy. Fame (who should really be shown in a color picture, because black-and-white just doesn't represent them) were a Swedish duo made up of Magnus Bäcklund and Jessica Andersson, two contestants on Fame Factory, a reality show singing contest. Though Magnus won (Jessica dropped out), the two would team up to form Fame and ended up representing Sweden in the 2003 Eurovision with "Give Me Your Love," which took fifth. Supposedly, from what I've heard (which could very well be out of date--does anyone know?), the duo is still sort of together, but Magnus released a solo album this year (it's more pop-rock than Fame's music) and they each competed separately in Melodifestivalen. Though the studio recording of "Give Me Your Love" on their album (also called Give Me Your Love) lacks some of the energy and emotion of the live version, the album nevertheless has some really great songs on it--it's incredibly poppy.

Anyway You Want It--some of the album's songs have, like "Give Me Your Love," Magnus and Jessica singing together. Others, though, feature just one of the two. This is one of those--it's a Jessica song. "Anyway You Want It" starts out with this neat overlapping, harmonizing effect before it jumps into the energetic, upbeat part of the song. The whole song is cheery, poppy fun, but the chorus deserves special mention--it'll have you wanting to sing along with it.

Like The Sun After Rain--a little more balladish than "Anyway You Want It" (though catchy and still not really slow), "Like The Sun After Rain" features both Jessica and Magnus. It's sweet and, though still very pop, it's a little more toned down--not quite bursting with exuberance like some of their other songs, but still happy.

To buy Fame's debut album Give Me Your Love, go here (physical).

Next up: Give Me Your Love also has a surprising (though I can guess why it's there) cover on it that will be appearing here in the near future. For now, either a song in Spanish or a couple of songs from the new album of an artist who often sings in languages besides English, but is American.