Eurovision Song Contest entrants usually either sink without trace, or end up being ridiculed to the end of their days...or at least that's the way it tends to go in the UK. It wasn't always like that; acts such as Sandie Shaw, Lulu, Bucks Fizz, Celine Dion and, most notably, Abba were embraced by the British and had musical success, but since the nineties this seems to have taken a turn, and now the Eurovision is seen by some as somewhat of a poisoned chalice.
So it was with trepidation that I listened to this year's winning entry from Sweden, performed by Loreen. Whatever misconceptions I had were immediately extinguished, because "Euphoria" is an absolutely fantastic trance track. Heartened by the fact that I actually liked a Eurovision track, I found myself browsing her album, "Heal". And because my misconceptions were completely turned on their head I decided to do an album review... Here goes....!
First off, if you're looking for every song on Loreen's album to be a dancefloor filler like the mighty "Euphoria" you will be disappointed. Instead, the album shows off her versatility across several styles, from ballads to R&B to dance. It charts the journey through a relationship, from the excitement and anticipation at the beginning, to the complacency of the partner who fails to appreciate the other as the relationship progresses, to the doubts of whether the relationship is right, and finally concluding in its demise and all of the pain and bitterness that comes with it.
Kicking off the album with "In My Head", this is a great opener with an unusual beat and bassline combination which turns it into somewhat of an earworm, charting the dizzying euphoria felt in the first flushes of a romance. This is followed by the dancefloor friendly "My Heart Is Refusing" which is reminiscent of Avicii/Tim Berg and Afrojack, and contains a good singalong build up and chorus. It tackles the conflict of being in love and refusing to believe that there is a reason to mistrust your partner.
Loreen's vocals are unfaltering, and particularly exceptional in the third track, "Everytime". With an acoustic start it is a refreshing twist and a very beautiful, haunting, downbeat song. For me it is the jewel in the album and tells of the emotional struggle to leave someone. The mood is lifted by "Euphoria", the dance anthem with a slightly baffling ship fog horn at the start.
"Crying Out Your Name" is an upbeat song with another good singalong chorus, and describes the torment of searching for the answers to a crumbling relationship at the bottom of a bottle. "Do We Even Matter" follows, and continues the theme of questioning whether the relationship matters to her partner. In a strange way it reminds me slightly of "Mama" by Genesis.
The realisation that her partner is actually a snake hits her in the following "Sidewalk", which contains a dubstep style break that really suits the song. In the upbeat "Sober" she seems to have reconciled with her partner, hoping that it is not a temporary thing. But it clearly is with the inevitable acknowledgement of the "other woman" that follows in the R&B tinged "If She's The One", with her imploring her partner to make a choice.
A more upbeat "Breaking Robot" follows, where the final throes of the relationship are laid bare. This track is reminiscent of "Get Together" by Madonna in terms of style and contains some cracking vocals from Loreen. In an effort to get the toxic relationship out of her system she embarks on a one night stand "See You Again" (which again has hints of Avicii/Afrojack's style), with all the danger signs of a rebound relationship rearing their head in her desperation to see her conquest again.
The final song of the album, "Heal" is, for me, the weakest. It's a downbeat number in which the topic of trying to salvage a relationship is touched upon, but the lyrics lack the depth of those in the rest of the album, and the song feels more laboured and lacks the strong hook of some of the others. The song also seems out of place given the story that is told throughout the rest of the album.
Overall, this album contains some poignant lyrics that are conveyed articulately and passionately by Loreen. With a good mix of ballads and upbeat songs across different styles it shows that not all Eurovision winners should be written off by my fellow countrymen without at least giving them a listen. It's certainly changed my attitude!
Have you heard the album? What did you think? Leave your comments below...
No comments:
Post a Comment