Swedish~ Stereo~

Not to leave you without news today because of my especially high activity in office and MF not letting my melosoul miss any piece of this celebration I'm sharing with you new video for fresh single of I'm From Barcelona "Get In Line" that I told you about before. Video is actually nothing but cut of multiple band's members recording vocals for "Get In Line" but the song is really cheering up thing for all exhausted in the end of working week, isn't it?

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.

Breaking news today were delivered from Denmark where finalists of national Eurovision final were announced. As always we can find there some familiar Swedish songwriters names like Henrik Janson (responsible for Melodifestivalen-hits like "You're Out of My Life", "The Saviour", "The Queen") and Hanif Sabzevari ("Unstoppable") who have written song "You'll Get Me Through" for Sine Vig Kjærgaard. Thomas G:son, Erik Bernholm and Henrik Sethsson who composed "In a Moment Like This" last year this year participate with the song "25 Hours A Day" for disco-project Le Freak and Justin Hopkins with Patric Jonsson and Joakim Övrenius previously involved in Danish MGP and MF (Michael Michailoff "That's Love", Thomas Barsøe, "Just like rain") have also written "Black And Blue" for Kat and Justin Hopkins.
But really crazy news are that Jenny Berggren is wildcard of selection and what a great team of songwriters behind her!!! Thomas G:son who wrote the most successful entries of both Denmark (Chanée and N'evergreen "In A Moment Like This") and Sweden (Carola "Invinsible") for the latest 8 years (if we forget about Fame and Lena with the same results). But Thomas also gets help of Jeppe Federspiel (part of producing tema Providers) who delivered incredible hits for Medina lately ("Kun for mig", "Velkommen til Medina", "Ensom", etc.). Perfect combination to wait for national final on 26th of February! More information here.

Swedish participation wasn't so successful in Norway though. Last year Fredrik Kempe's song "My Heart Is Yours" has won MGP and this Jennifer Brown with Simone Larsen, Moh Denebi and Bjørn Djupström have written song "Gone with the wind" for soul-artist Noora Noor who hasn't reached final but still provided brilliant performance!

Maltese selection is also full of Swedish entries this year:
- Fabrizio Faniello - No Surrender (Johan Stentorp, Johan Bederholm)
- J.Anvil - Topsy Turvy (Jonas Gladnikoff, Niall Mooney, Andrew Zahra, Deo Grech, Natasha Turner)
- Kelly Schembri - Love Me Like Your Money (Erik Rydmark, Sven Lundholm, Gerard James Borg)

Our favorite here is clearly pop-rock schlager from Fabrizio.

Jonas Gladnikoff's song "Tensão" written with loads of his other friends (Daniel Nilsson (m), Henrik Szabo (m), Johnny Sanchez (m), Jonas Gladnikoff (m), Michael Eriksson (m), Filipa Ruas (l), Pedro Sá (l)) this year competes in Portugeese preselection performed by Filipa Ruas. Nice dance song

Set Fire Run starts new year with fresh hits and another wave of positive responses from pop-blog community. Swedish Stereo isn't gonna be exception here!
First presented track was "I Don't Mind At All" - crazy tempo track with Set Fire Run making their own type of rock'n'roll - electrified, impulsive, spiced with falcetto and catchy choruses as always. Definitely cool, uplifting but what broght us to complete rapture was second track "Undeniable (Blaming the Flaming Youth)" unleashed last week - truly anthemic pop-song with happily killing doze of cosmic synths wrapped in beautiful melodic harmonies of Set Fire Run. You should love it, you have to love it, don't you?!

I Don't Mind At All by Set Fire Run
Undeniable (Blaming the Flaming Youth) by Set Fire Run

Press has tasted songs of Melodifestivalen-2011 first semifinal in studio-versions and as it happens every year Schlagerprofilerna is our most informative source to get information and reviews about rehearsals, prelisten-conferences and so on. As guys post in Swedish I'll combine their posts with another great schlager-bloger Aftonbladet's Tobbe Ek, will compress and write here.

Songs are definitely better than year before and there's actually no obviously bad songs.

Dilba - Try Again - great opening in a style of The Attic's "The Arrival" with Kylie's vibes, modern dance track with positive atmosphere and strong chorus. Tobbe also compares song with Sibel's "Stop" with stronger choruses.

Swingfly - Me And My Drum - song in a style of previous Swingfly's single (for example "Singing That Melody"), built on "boom chicka boom" background with rap-verses and compared also with Teddybears going party. Earlier today also ex-Idol Christoffer Hiding who previously refused from performing "Killing Me Tenderly" (Maria Haukass & Anna Sahlene - 2009) revealed that he sings with Swingfly. Much better than previous rap-attempts but still difficult genre for MF and extreme need of wow-effect.

Jenny Silver - Something In Your Eyes - poor classic ABBA/Perrelli-schlager a la "As Good As New" in modern wrap almost on the verge of parody that can gather loads of schlagerfans votes. Completely different track comparing with previous Jenny's song.

Jonas Matsson - On My Own - simple catchy singer-sonwriter's pop winning on contrast with previous heavily produced songs and though Jonas isn't such a big pop-star with massive experience and portfolio but simplicity and charm of the song can take audience and surprise everyone by result.

Le Kid - Oh My God - positive enrgetic song growing during all track with "Mercy Mercy" meets Motown impression, catchy "O-o-o o-o-o-o o-o-o oh my God" part and production breathing upgraded BWO and Alcazar.

Rasmus Viberg - Social Butterfly - raggae-pop with folk-elements, East European feeling and Fairytale meets Lovestoned impression about girl flying from guy to guy like social butterfly. Song can surprise everyone with result.

Pernilla Andersson - Desperados - classic Pernilla's calm country-song in style of "Johnny Cash & Nina P" sounding a bit Håkan Hellström that can become hit on Swedish radio but doesn't look like schlager-breakthrough.

Danny - In The Club - modern club song with heavy dance beat breathing David Guetta, Rihanna and RedOne. Impressive and smelling like Globen-finalist but can be too much as well. It starts with slow tempo rising to catchy strong chorus consisting of repeating "In The Club" string.

Artists arrive to Luleå one by one, don't forget to check pics on Schlagerprofilerna, Elsa's blog, Tobbe Ek's one and Rickard Engfors' also.