Lopez Blogs

I was up at 5am this morning. Not in a just rolled in from the clubs sort of way, more in a pounding headache, bright light bright light sort of way. This was not fun. However, I have taken some Naproxen (amazing), played some Miss Kookie and am now on my way to get a revitalising Starbucks so I can feel even more perspicacious. Ooo and new Professor Layton has arrived so that will keep me occupied until X-Factor (read Mark's choices for guilty pleasure songs here)... In the mean time here are some amazing swedish pop tunes you really should be checking out!!

Swedish pop amazingness, etc.

• Eric Saade ~ It's Gonna Rain: I knew this would happen! Back when Eric's poptacular debut album arrived, the stand out track was the HungUpByABloke-esque It's Gonna Rain and I had to treat it as a single straight away and it rocketed to no. #2 on my playlist (even though Eric in his wisdom had gone with the ballad Break of Dawn). I felt that ballad song would be better suited til Christmas so have held off playing it. Yet now that Eric has a nice live concert montage video (click here) and is performing the track all over the place (and looking dead spiffy in a suit - above), I'm in love with the gloriously uplifting dance number all over again. Definitely a contender for one of my top 5 pop songs of the year. So get ready to be obsessed all over again. Thank you.
• Ola ~ All Over The World (acoustic): If Ola were massive in the UK (and he really should be, but what can you do), he would be performing this song as a deliciously tender piano-ballad on the results show of The X-Factor and have it rocket to the top end of the charts. It's an absolutely heavenly toned down reinterpretation of the solid disco-pop number that was the highlight of his Overdrive EP and more recent Ola album. Amazing how Ola can make this joyous uptempo romp sound so delicate, fragile and heartbreaking. Someone give that guy a hug...

• EMD ~ There's A Place For Us: YAY! Despite all the financial wranglings, I do get to see one of my favourite History Boys (Ben Barnes) back in Narnia. Even better, Swedish super-boyband E(rik)M(attias)D(anny) have recorded an entirely anthemic theme tune for the forthcoming Voyage Of The Dawn Treader flick. It's a very stately, traditional type ballad - much like you'd find on a Westlife album - and has some glorious use of strings and horn laden throughout to make it sound very uplifting and regal. Can't wait to hear the studio version. PS, don't the boys look handsome above? Love their little sway as the track fades out near the end then comes back in as a sweeping instrumental. Oh and little Danny is back in Melodifestivalen this year. YAY!
• Darin ~ Microphone: This should absolutely have been the type of song Shayne Ward came back with to blow the cobwebs of his sadly faltering pop career (where the ecky thump is his latest pop video?) It's such a strong statement of independence and one of the few uptempos on Darin's amazing Lovekiller album. He performs it with such passion too, as evidenced in the video below (despite some sound problems). Oh - and a dance routine? What more could I ask for?! (End note - do check out Scandipop and Swedish Stereo for always comprehensive and brilliant swedish-pop updates that put mine to shame. I thank you!)

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ A1, In Love & I Hate It (NE)
20 ~ Le Kid, We Should Go Home Together (NE)
19 ~ Nadine Coyle, Insatiable
18 ~ Maroon 5, Give A Little More
17 ~ Elouise, The Winner Takes It All
16 ~ Gravitonas, Religious
15 ~ James Blunt, Stay The Night
14 ~ Charlotte Church, Back To Scratch
13 ~ McFly, Shine A Light
12 ~ Joe McElderry, Ambitions
11 ~ Brandon Flowers, Only The Young
10 ~ Westlife, Safe
09 ~ JLS, Love You More
08 ~ Jessie J, Price Tag
07 ~ Pink, Raise Your Glass
06 ~ Robbie Williams, Shame
05 ~ Deborah Gibson, I Love You (NE)
04 ~ Shayne Ward, Gotta Be Somebody
03 ~ Robbie Williams, My Heart & I
02 ~ Take That, The Flood
01 ~ Andrea Lewis ft Simon Curtis, Talk To Me (2 weeks)

Coming soon: X-Factor! New boyband albums (in order of brilliance - A1, Big Time Rush, The Wanted)! Joe McElderry! More video breakdowns!