Here we go again!

It only took a couple of days! Now Slagsmålsklubben gives you 'Synthpopper', the sixth version of the song (I think). Only problem is; it sucks. Why didn't Le Sport, Tough Alliance, Lo-Fi-FNK, BWO, Cat5, Firefox AK, Pay TV, West End Girls, Universal Poplab or literally any other electro-act than the rubbish Slagsmålklubben do it instead?

Anyway, you can download it from Micke Orgel's blog.

posted by Chrille @ 5/28/2006 0 comments

Album review: Amy Diamond - Still Me Still Now

I know there was only a few days ago since the last song I posted by Amy, but I picked up her new album today and I simply can’t help myself but to post some more from it. Because, basically, it’s one of the best teen-pop albums I’ve heard in years! I liked her last one, but seriously – this is fantastic! It beats Marie Serneholt’s album (which I also love) by miles. The productions have gone more original, and Amy’s really getting her own ‘style’ on this album. And there’s 100% proper pop tunes. I don’t dislike one song.

I would probably have been Amy’s biggest fan if I was thirteen today, since she has everything that appealed to be at that time (and, obviously, now too, but to a lesser extent). Her songs are feel-good pop with strong melodies, and her image isn’t too ridiculous compared to other underage popstars. You can’t dislike this girl.

Amy Diamond – Big Guns

The album starts off with the absolutely amazing ‘Big Guns’, which easily is the best song on the album. It’s a big cheeky kid-anthem with lines like “What do you know man? Get with the program! The real truths come from the youth.” Everything “pop for children” should be lyric-wise. And melody-wise also, because it has the best pop chorus of 2006. I’m imagining a powerful music video with Amy running down a street with her “young allies”.

The album continues with the also very strong up-beat songs ‘Don’t Cry Your Heart Out’ and ‘My Name Is Love’, but it’s on track number four the next amazing song comes. It’s called ‘That’s Life’ which with a pop circus production and pleasant lyrics manages to be the most fun song on the album. You could say it takes off where ‘Welcome To The City’ ended.

Amy Diamond – That’s Life

I even love the ballads. ‘All The Money In The World’ is about the fact that you can’t buy happiness. There’s something remarkably cute about a thirteen year old singing that. A possible Christmas number one? I think so! ‘It Only Gets Better’ has a slightly mediocre chorus, but the amazing verses saves the song, and overall it’s really beautiful.

Amy gets funky on tracks like ‘Diamonds’ and ‘Don’t Lose Any Sleep Over You’, where she plays with trumpets and other sounds from the 1940’s (and earlier). Without sounding dated (like Westlife).

The only negative thing I can come up with is that the album is a bit samey, but it's samey in a "Prototype" by BWO kind of way, ie strong pop tunes only, so that's not such a bad thing.

If you like the songs posted you should buy the album here. Or here. Or here.

posted by Chrille @ 5/28/2006 10 comments

Hush! Don't.. speak. Just dance with me.

I couldn't decide which song of The Attic I would post today - 'cause they are all so damn good. These guys are without a doubt Sweden's best "dancegroup". Did you watch Melodifestivalen this year and noticed the tune Lena entered the stage to every time? The Attic is behind it and here it is plus a bonus.

The Attic - Human Rights
The Attic - In Your Eyes

Ann is sugarsweet in all ways. The voice, the look, the music.. it's all sugar and it's all so sweet! And you really can't dislike it. I'm still waiting for Ann's breakthrough in Sweden, c'mon, I know you can do it! The track I'm posting is one of my favourites. It's very different from the singles but that doesn't mean it's not as good, in fact, it's better.

Ann Winsborn - Stay

To end this sparkling popupdate here's some fantastic ABBA. Or is it? The song is ABBA, for sure, but who is actually singing? If you know the answer please let me know!

Nameless - Angeleyes

posted by Alexander @ 5/27/2006 0 comments

I'm a popstar, I love myself

Montt Mardié – Prom Night (Sporty Fred Remix)
I love sad disco stompers. Like ‘Crying At The Discoteque’ with Alcazar, or ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ with Ultravox. Well, this is the newest in the ‘gang’, and it’s really quite good. What’s a bit funny about this song, though, is that it’s becoming a big hit in the cool indie clubs, despite the fact that it’s so obviously pure euro-pop. Funny how they (ie the indie clubs) would touch this and not anything by BWO, don’t you think? Anyway, I love it. I love the catchy chorus, the high-pitched vocals, the brilliantly cheesy teen-lyrics, and the poppy electro-production.

You should check out Montt Mardie, he is a brilliant popstar. He recently released his debut album “Drama”, which includes several poppy, melodic, danceable and catchy highschool-themed songs, and an excellent English ballad version of Håkan Hellström’s ‘Kom Igen Lena’. I highly recommend it, so go on and buy it here.

Cat5 – You Go Girl
I don’t think I’ve come across a pop act so desperate to be cool as Christina and Hanna in Cat5. Everything about them is just so damn cool! Their image, sleeve graphics, interviews, hair styles, clothes, and even the music is so enormously cool. But luckily the music is not only cool but good. It’s hypermodern indie-disco with kitsch lyrics and ace vocals, very likeable with other words. At least it’ll do until (or if) Pay TV decides to release an album later this year. ‘You Go Girl’ is about them growing up, getting back-stabbed by their friends, the indie music business, jealousy and things like that. Very fierce, I love it. Buy!

Bonus: Skipped A Beat – Beautiful electro-ballad. Or mid-tempo might be a more suitable name. Anyway – it’s really good.

posted by Chrille @ 5/25/2006 4 comments

'Cause I'm a poptimist yes I am!

Iggy Pop feat. Teddybears – Punkrocker
When is it gonna stop!? First Tomas Rusiak makes this song an anthem for all hiphoppers, then Torgny Melins makes it an anthem for all dansbanders, and now no other than Iggy Pop(w00t?!) records a new version, very appropriately called ‘Punkrocker’, though Iggy changed the lyrics a bit so that it would be a tribute-song to Joey Ramone (or something). It’ll be on the ‘Bears’ new album, which will be released in USA soon (they’re doing an A*Teens and will release their new CD there first), and according to a ‘source’, they’ve skipped the STHLM-part of the name for the states, and are simply calling themselves Teddybears. But seriously. What’s next? BWO doing ‘I’m A Poptimist’? Or Marie Serneholt doing ‘I’m A Bubblegum’? Or maybe Pay TV doing ‘I’m Electropop’? This is becoming a phenomenon! But, it’s a great song, even when Iggy sings it, you can’t argue with that.

Amy Diamond – Don’t Cry Your Heart Out
The amazing pre-teen sensation Amy Diamond is back in the charts! Now with the reggae stomper ‘Don’t Cry Your Heart Out’, which is just as good as her previous singles. I predict it’ll climb up to the number one spot within the next few weeks, and will get a high position at the end of the year (‘What’s In It For Me’ was the second biggest selling single in Sweden last year, only beaten by Darin’s ‘Money For Nothing’). I’m well excited for the next album, ‘Still Me Still Now’, which is released in a couple of days. I really liked the last one. [Purchase]

PS: This is irrelevant but, right-click here and save target as to download the debut video from Bobby Baby. It’s quite sad.

posted by Chrille @ 5/24/2006 2 comments

In case you missed them...

Mikeyla - The Lie
David Lindh - Dare (If I Fall In Love)

The links went dead after only a couple of hours, so here they are again. Click here for the actual post.

posted by Chrille @ 5/23/2006 0 comments

Mother’s got a hairdo to be done

West End Girls – Suburbia
As the third single from the new generation of teen pop cover groups West End Girls, they’ve chosen to release one of my absolute favourite Pet Shop Boys-songs – Suburbia. And although I absolutely love the original, I think the “Petshoppers” makes the song justice. The chorus is simply one of the best in pop history, and it suits well with the new electro-poppy bubblegum production.

I’m From Barcelona – We’re From Barcelona
Get ready for a song you might have on your brain for the rest of your life! Because this is possibly even catchier than ‘In The Sand’ (which I posted a while ago). I’m From Barcelona is an indie act who can be called an A*Teens for men over 40. They’re ridiculous, yet “cool” to like. They’re a Swedish choir actually, with over 25 members, and their debut album was released a few weeks ago, which I unfortunately haven’t heard yet. Their songs are about collecting stamps, riding a bike all day, late summer nights, having glasses and other nonsense. ‘We’re From Barcelona’ was their debut single, released earlier this year, and it became quite a hit!

Bonus 2: The Painter – don’t give up on your dreeeams, boy! Don’t give up on your dreeeams buddy!

CTOS Classic: Popshop – Careless (2001)
I’ve been aiming to post this song for an extremely long time, but somehow kept forgetting about it. ‘Careless’ was the second, and best, single of Popshop, a pop band who released a couple of singles and an album back in 2001, but unfortunately flopped. And that is a shame since ‘Careless’, along with a handful of their other songs, is a masterpiece! The singer in Popsie, Cornelia, competed in the first season of Idol, and ended at number five. Last autumn it was reported she’s working on an electro-pop album, and from the snippets they played it sounds promising.

posted by Chrille @ 5/21/2006 1 comments

Album review: Lo-Fi-FNK - Boylife

My “male electro-duo guide” went a bit tits up due to my laziness, but I was to feature Lo-Fi-FNK next. Their debut album, “Boylife”, which was released here in Sweden a few days ago, is up there with “Halcyon Days” and “Silent Shout” in brilliance. Which was a huge surprise since Lo-Fi-FNK’s earlier EP’s has been pretty average.

What surprised be even more was how personal the album is, many of the songs feel like they’re written directly to me. ‘City’ is about being a city boy and not feeling “home” on the country, ‘Steppin’ Out’ really hit a nerve since I’m a teen malchik gay in the closet, ‘System’ is about not learning from mistakes, and ‘What’s On Your Mind?’ about feeling generally down. And what’s the most amazing about this album is that the boys’ often are singing to someone, and not about themselves. This is one of the most empathic albums I’ve ever heard.

Steppin’ Out – This is Lo-Fi-FNK’s current single, and it’s a true masterpiece. And I’m not just talking about the lyrics, which are about coming out of the closet, but the melody is fantastic. I’m expecting to see this song on a few more than my top 2006 singles list. It’s also been remixed by the ace electro-group Hot Chip from the UK.

Wake Up – Probably the catchiest song on the album. This was actually released as a single by Lo-Fi-FNK earlier this year, but criminally didn’t even reach the top 60. There is an ace remix by Jens Andersson and Ola Salo (out of The Ark) floating around, but I lost the mp3 of it so I couldn’t upload it. It's better than this version so try to find it!

What’s On Your Mind? – “Tell me the last time that you cried, and the last time that you smiled, it must be something going on inside”. Lovely.

I haven’t felt like this for an album since Darren Hayes’ “The Tension And The Spark” back in 2004. It’s great from start to finish! Purchase it here. You won’t be disappointed.

PS1: Sorry for the serious lack of updates. I've just installed wireless internet and it's not working properly, and most of the time not working at all. Hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

PS2: Vote Carola tonight!

posted by Chrille @ 5/20/2006 1 comments

Invincible pop!

The Swedish duo who released Oh Lord late last year, are now back with their new single Hardcore Life. And thankfully it's a lot better than the quite dreadful first single. Dominika has apparently left the band, but she's on the cover of the single.. The wonderful Camilla Brinck (surprise!) has replaced her, but I don't think it's her vocals on this track.
Never mind who they are, just listen and enjoy this great single!

Download: Nouveau Riche - Hardcore Life
[ Purchase ]

The album to the left could be one of the best popalbums released in 2005, in Sweden anyway. If you haven't got it - get it.
No real single has been released from Pandora's ninth album apart from You and Runaway. If they had asked me to pick the next single I'd go for I'll Be Gone, a perfect radiohit.

Download: Pandora - I'll Be Gone
[ Purchase ]

In 1983 a star was born in Sweden. Her name was Carola. 16 years old. Amazing 85 % of the population watched her land a 3rd place in the Eurovision Song Contest with Främling. She later won the whole thing in 1991. And now she's back in Eurovision again, singing Invincible for Sweden. A real good old Swedish popschlager! You just got to love it. As a bonus you get The Light from her most recent popalbum in 2001.

Carola - Invincible
Carola - The Light
[Purchase]

posted by Alexander @ 5/04/2006 2 comments