Pensando que es pronto, que aun puedes llamar

Those of you who could be bothered to pay attention to Salvemos Eurovision, Spain's giant Eurovision selection process this year, may remember Anael and her song "Piénsame" or "Thinking" or "Piénsame (Thinking Thinking)" or whatever title you want to go with. "Thinking," despite not making it to the final, was a good solid "Bleeding Love" type song written by Thomas G:son, Tony Sánchez-Ohlsson, and Andreas Rickstrand.

Anael recently released the news that her debut solo album will come out in 2009 as well as most of the tracklisting and songwriter information for the album. See the whole thing here, but the gist of it is this:

• Nine tracks by G:son and Sánchez-Ohlsson, and eight of those with Rickstrand. Those three make up the team behind "Thinking" (which is one of those nine tracks) as well as the team behind Baltanás's "Te prefiero" and Coral's "Todo está en tu mente," also from Spain's preselection. With Rebeca, they also co-wrote Rebeca/D'Nash's "I Love You Mi Vida." G:son and Rickstrand have collaborated on songs like Jannicke Abrahamsen's "Rocket Ride," Sandra Oxenryd's "Superhero," and Man Meadow's "Viva La Musica." I am not expecting an all-out dance-fest, though, considering 1.) the style of "Thinking" and 2.) the album's description as commercial and contemporary pop-R&B ballads, mid-tempos, and uptempos.
• One track composed by Andermay
• One track by Fede Monreal (a former Operación triunfo contestant who did D'Nash's "Lo haré por ti")
• One track by people I should probably know for other things but one of whom--Mar de Pablos--produced D'Nash's debut album and the other of whom--Alejandro Parreño--was on OT as well
  
• A remix of "Thinking" (presumably the one by one-half of Andermay, a clip of which is on Anael's MySpace)

The disc is in post-production in Sweden right now.

There you go blowing kisses my way and I'm so in love it shows

Marie Serneholt definitely in Melodifestivalen with a Bassflow and Tony Nilsson track? AMAZING (hopefully). The artist I kept hoping would be in Melodifestivalen with the music creators I adore? How could I be anything less than thrilled?

Her song is called "Disconnect Me" and is described by its (fantastic) writers as having a pinch of John Barry (I must confess I had and have no real idea who this is referencing--a film score composer who did a lot of the James Bond movies, maybe?) with a little electro and as being warm with (and I may be totally misunderstanding this part of the description) Mediterranean influences and joyful and hopefully make you weak at the knees. I really hope it's a song that's as great as Marie deserves--I need more music from her A.S.A.P.

(Christer Björkman said of the track that it had a a very clear Eurovision style.)

Love love love

Another Tuesday, another set of confirmed Melodifestivalen performers. The information on the songs, as usual, comes from SVT, QX, and Gylleneskor, and the photos are all from SVT. As always, I strongly encourage all Melodifestival fans to read Schlagerprofilerna, the best blog out their for Melodifestival information. Most of this set of all-female artists have competed in Melodifestivalen before.



Velvet, "The Queen" (Tony Nilsson, Henrik Janson)
Velvet's competed in Melodifestivalen twice before, with "Mi Amore" and, last year, "Deja Vu." This year, she returns with a Tony Nilsson co-penned track; given my on-the-record love for his work (Ola's "S.O.S.," "Natalie," "Can't Get Enough," "Love In Stereo," and "Feelgood" and Elin Lanto's "Discotheque," among other songs), you can bet I'm interested to hear this. Hopefully her entrance in Melodifestivalen means that her second album will finally come out--it'll be something like two years since the debut of "Fix Me" by then (and with a bunch of in between tracks in the meantime)! The description for this song calls it (I think) a kind of stuck-up retro song which people will either hate or love. Velvet says that it's a Velvet-type song with attitude, an up-tempo song that won't disappoint people who liked "Deja Vu."



Agnes, "Love Love Love" (Anders Hansson)
After the drama of a disqualified track in 2007, Agnes is finally in Melodifestivalen. The former Idol winner will be singing a song by the man behind her latest album, so we have reason to believe him and be excited when he describes "Love Love Love" as a positive disco-pop song. Agnes says this song was the first she worked on with Anders and that it's a little (a little?!) in the same style as the songs on the album.



Shirley Clamp, "Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus" (Ingela Pling Forsman/Bobby Ljunggren/Henrik Wikström )
Shirley Clamp returns to Melodifestivalen for the first time since 2005 and fourth time overall. Quite a lot has happened since then, including a movement away from the schlager of her 2004 and 2005 entries, the former of which, "Min Kärlek," is the big keeper. Her entry this year is described by its writers as a melodic mid-tempo song which is demanding of its singer and which is about being in the middle of life and realizing its true worth. Shirley, though describing it as a ballad (in two separate sources), also agrees that you can almost call it mid-tempo and calls it powerful, adding that it is more like her previous Melodifestival songs (though more mature) than like her last album. Its creators are certainly big Melodifestival names--will that add up to something great?



Sofia, "Alla" (Nina Karolidou/Irini Michas/Dimitri Stassos/Henrik Wikström)
Sofia returns to Melodifestivalen after 2007's underrated "Hypnotized" (which, along with Andreas Lundstedt's "Move," was my easy favorite from that year's first semifinal). Her song for 2009 is described as a rock-inspired ethnic (Greek) pop song and heavy pop-rock with a cool riff, which sounds like a switch away from the maybe more Greek dance sound of "Hypnotized."



Lili & Susie, "Show Me Heaven" (Susie Päivärinta, Calle Kindbom, Thomas G:son, Pär Lönn, Nestor Geli)
The return of '80's pop duo Lili & Susie! And their song is described as longing '80's nostalgia with a strong chorus and clear melody, a song which won't disappoint those who like the duo; it's said to be a little like their earlier hit "Bara du och jag" in a dance version and have the happiness of "What's The Colour Of Love." I really need to do a post about them at some point--they really did have some great fun hits; I'm hoping "Show Me Heaven" will be great as well, as opposed to some of the not-so-great comebacks that have taken place. They'll be releasing an album of old songs but also with new material.



Amy Diamond, "It's My Life" (Alexander Bard/Bobby Ljunggren/Oscar Holter)
Just look at those writer names--that's some real pop and/or Melodifestival royalty right there, especially in the first two (Bard of Army of Lovers, early Alcazar, and BWO and Ljunggren of too many Melodifestival entries to name, though he was incredibly successful in last year's Melodifestival). I loved Amy's Melodifestival song last year, too, as well as the album that preceded it (and her earlier work), so I'm hopeful "It's My Life," described by its writers as an uptempo electro and dance song with attitude, will continue her growing up process while still being great.

Aftonbladet is also reporting that Marie Serneholt will be the next joker announced, which would be amazing news--I really want new music from her. Interestingly, apparently--in addition to the (not coming to fruition) rumored idea of her and Agnes dueting on "Love Love Love"--there was a proposal/interest from the contest in reuniting A*Teens to compete, but the group's members said no. Aftonbladet also says that Thorleifs, a dansband, will take over "Den första kyssen," the track Lasse Stefanz declined to sing.

Tant que le sang coule dans nos veines

Ever since Digital Technique introduced me to Julian Cely and his single "Pour Elle," I've half-followed him; as arguably shamelessly designed to "appeal to young girls" as "Pour Elle" was, it was still a completely adorable catchy mid-tempo piano-featuring pop song, one that stole my musical heart. Last year's "Billy" (also good, though musically not quite as much so) was both a lyrical and musical switch for Julian--a song about a boy in love with a boy who doesn't love him, who sees him as a just a friend, it was a little darker and more electronic. It was an interesting direction for him, but given the song's failure to properly take off in France (I think he's had a little more success in Indonesia)--fully in keeping with Julian's track record there so far--we've yet to hear anything more from him on the commercial release front...unless you count the more R&B "Plus fort," which was scheduled to be his next single. I'm not sure if it ever got a proper release beyond inclusion on a compilation album. It and "Mantra," presumably another song from his planned more R&B next album (edit: French Wikipedia says "Mantra" was released in Indonesia), can be heard on his MySpace.

Luckily, in Julian's attempts to establish himself, he landed a small-ish role on Sous le soleil, a soap opera which has given him the opportunity to make a few more songs (though chronology wise they aren't post-"Billy"). My favorite of those is like neither "Pour Elle" nor "Billy," but rather that upbeat-yet-gentle pop-with-guitars I seem to keep mentioning these past few weeks.

Pour le présent--kind of pop-rock, but maybe more properly just pop with guitars, "Pour le présent" has this lovely melodic feel to it. Upbeat, uptempo, and uplifting (even if arguably cheesy), it's very pop, very accessible, and exactly the sort of thing I can never get enough of. It's absolutely not a song to change the world, not a song with an exciting new sound, but for me, it's a song that makes the sun seem like it's shining just a little brighter on a gray day, as well as the sort of thing I'd absolutely be singing along with if I knew any French at all.

I know of nowhere where you can buy "Pour le présent," but you can buy a few singles of his here (physical) and a few songs of his here (digital).

Next up: maybe something British and amazing but very well-known.

I don't know what addictive hold you have on me

I can't say it enough: even if most of the disco and pop from Sweden usually tends to get a little too generic for you, give Agnes's "Release Me" (wisely the second single choice from Dance Love Pop and now with music video--embedded below) a try. It's classy, breezy modern disco, a string-featuring breath of fresh air with a chorus that sounds like the best day you've ever had. Pure joy in song form.



The song can be purchased from all countries' iTunes music stores here, as can the whole album.

Speaking of "Release Me," Nikki of Pop Reviews Now has started her countdown of her favorite songs of 2008. I adore this year end rundowns in general and am looking forward to Nikki's in particular--follow along here or via the main blog itself.

I wish there was a reward, but she took it all

Over the past few weeks, my heart and my head have been filling up and up with excitement about the music of Frankmusik. We've long passed the stage at which I might have had a chance at writing eloquently and with restraint about it--any sparks of verbal inspiration about the songs themselves stand no chance against the tidal wave of desire to write "Oh my gosh, I LOVE this" that's been steadily building. At this point, all I can really do is allow it to crash, and maybe try to spread the impact of that crash out over a couple of days--sure, it's going to be over the top and make a giant mess, but maybe somewhere among the debris some points will get across.

I've been reading in several places the feeling that this has been an underwhelming year for albums and I'd have to agree. If we had an album that looked something like this, though (in no particular order)...

3 Little Words
Just Fine
Missing You
Pinch Myself
Gotta Boyfriend
Made Her Smile
In Step
Done Done
Beep Beep
Run Away From Trouble
In My Shoes
Save My Tears
That Much Is True
Vacant Heart
Waiting
When You're Around
Better Off As Two

...you'd not only have one of the longest albums ever, you'd also have an easy best album of the year winner. You'd still have more than enough other great tracks to toss out b-sides and EP tracks right and left. To be fair, that's taking tracks from both 2007 and 2008 and you'd have a lot of sample or interpolation clearance to go through, but given how long people work on albums and the prevalence of samples nowadays, I don't think either of those facts is ultimately a restriction.

It's certainly been at least more than a year since I've been this excited about a new pop talent. The fact that someone is making music this fresh, this clever, this catchy, this fun, this gorgeous, this able to bring out both the side of me that wants to dance (on a giant keyboard) and my...earnest side, equally the perpetual romantic and the perpetual broken heart, is something I can't stop marveling at. That someone can make pop this good, this un-boring (I know, what an endorsement--"Un-boring" is the sort of quotations artists live for)--and even write lyrics I love--is almost unfair for other pop acts. How can a song with a great chorus possibly compete with a song that is great throughout? If I get used to quality like this, can everyone else compete with my new higher expectations?

For that matter, can he even compete with those expectations? Placing too much hope, too much faith in an artist can be a good way to get your hopes crushed, to end up feeling let down--but sometimes you just have to be that romantic and rush in, give yourself up completely and sincerely, in the hopes that this time, maybe, just maybe, it's for real. After all, if we didn't, no one would make and we wouldn't deserve music like this.

Buy the 3 Little Words EP here (physical) or here (digital). Edit: see also: XO's review of it (the physical version). His debut full-length album, Complete Me, is due out in March 2009.

You're flirting with the music like it's your beau

Important facts about Darin's new album Flashback that you need to know (there will be a proper review--you know, written in an attempt at measured language--coming later):

• "Seasons Fly," Darin's favorite track, was co-written by Linda Sundblad and Johan Bobäck, the team behind Elin Lanto's "Speak 'n Spell." It's also co-written by Darin.
• Darin's co-written all but two tracks, in fact (those two being "Karma" and "What If").
  
• The bridges (pre-choruses) to "See U At The Club" and "Girl Next Door" are AMAZING. Or maybe I should just say that I love them--I'm always anticipating when I'll get to hear them again and, if you think I don't mime singing along to the "sexy body" and "naughty naughty" bridge of the former, you are crazy.
  
• "Road Trip" is SO. CUTE. and SO. POPPY that finally listening to it in proper quality was what turned me into the aforementioned pile of goo.
• There are additional bonus tracks (besides "What If"), though they may not be on all editions of the album--probably just digital, I'd guess. The important thing is that they are a good quality recording of that live ballad version of "Breathing Your Love" I linked to a while back, a radio edit remix by The Attic of "Insanity" (I ADORE their reworking of "Who's That Girl," so getting another remix of a Darin track from them is like someone has and a new track, "Brought Me Back," co-written by RedOne.
• "I lost my license, but I could still drive you crazy, baby" is ALMOST the new "not only does your body bang/but I miss the conversation too."
• If I am not obsessed with some of these tracks for quite some time to come, something is wrong with me.
• You can buy it digitally right here, right now, regardless of country (albeit in DRMed WMA format, but that's easily remedied by burning to CD and ripping back). Did I do that the instant I discovered it, regardless of having already preordered an autographed copy of the album? Without a moment's hesitation.

I should really post something like "See U At The Club" or "Girl Next Door" or "Flashback" or "Seasons Fly"--all edgier, more mature, or more dancefloor friendly--but I simply cannot resist posting "Road Trip." I've been craving this track since we first heard a clip of it back in that making of video, and I literally could not be any happier now that I finally own it. Pure uncorked pop joy.

OK, scratch that: I think I'm going to go with "Girl Next Door" instead, even if it isn't necessarily the most original track on the album (there are a few moments of kind of "really? There was nothing better to say?" lyrics, but it's all made up for by the whole "but I never made it to your crew" [or whatever he's saying there] section and the song's general greatness). If you love pop, though, you NEED to hear "Road Trip."

It'll only be up for a really short time, though.

Next up: as if I'll have the ability to think about anything other than this album for the next few days. Tomorrow I'll probably be gushing about some other track.