Swedish~ Stereo~

SVT has presented first web-report from first rehearsal of Melodifestivalen-2011 today and if you've missed it, here are our thoughts about it.

Dilba - Try Again - if you don't know that it's Dilba, you could easily think that it's classic Therese club track, it's poppier than Terese usually does, with more strict pop-tune, soft Dilba's vocal makes it more dreamy to be related to classic Swedish pop. Unfortunately it can easily be 5th, when dance-music isn't quite schlagerized it's not praised my Melodifestivalen audience.

Swingfly - Me And My Drum - rap-verses of the song are quite recognizable Swingfly, verses sung by Christoffer Hiding also melodically close to usual Swingfly's songs, everything's in his classic tempo but without blasting female vocal in choruses due to sample and it's not that good because song can easily be lost.

Jenny Silver - Something In Your Eyes - Schlagerprofilerna mentioned that it's very "As Good As New", I confirm now, it's pure "As Good As New" chorus with heavy "hero"-beat along whole song, warmth of schlager-melody and utterly catchy chorus makes it very possible finalist.

Jonas Matsson - On My Own - song due to sample wasn't changed at all, so you can imagine how it sounds, it's charming, happy, but there are too much of well-established artists in this semifinal to leave chance to Jonas unfortunately.

Le Kid - Oh My God - I think song actually doesn't sound like any of previous Le Kid's single, it's retro-pop with Duffy's "Mercy" baseline in verses and "Uptown Girl" hook in chorus but a more modern production and happier production. Song can be anywhere, I don't see it flopping and don't see it winning semifinal as well, AC maybe?

Rasmus Viberg - Social Butterfly - verses sound like Adam Levine covering Lovestoned's "Thursdays" with some South-Eastern folk-drums when choruses are new version of Fairytale - in a bit more stretching version in places and different keys but still very Fairytale. It also can be anywhere - from 6th to 2nd place, I put on AC here.

Pernilla Andersson - Desperados - calm country-song in a style of Pernilla, no schlager-compromises at all, just warm beautiful acoustic track, and it's not a good thing for contest as it's not Snälla Snälla or Marie Lindberg, it's happy smiling track without touching factor.

Danny - In the Club - Danny was adopted by David Guetta and delivered back to Sweden! No, actually it's Peter Boström who made production of "In The Club" but it sounds like real international dance-hit. It's not that Danny you used to know on his first Swedish pop-delicious album and actually on second (as it was more like experimental with first one). It's Danny coming back in real hard international dance-sound. The only problem is repetitve chorus ("in the club" on repeat with speaking text in paralel) and too much of rap, not schlageristic enough to win final but quite strong to win semifinal and to be in the final not low.

To find photos of rehearsals check Schlagerprofilerna, Expressen, Poplight (+press-conference) and Tobbe Ek's blog.

Above you can see new Schlager-bible from Aftonbladet and below new promo-trailer of MF with Marie waiting with Rickard for her order when everyone in restaurant seems to talk about Melodifestivalen.