#35: Darin - Lovekiller

I was pretty much focused on kpop this year in terms of my reviews, but that doesn't mean that I completely disregarded my beloved European pop stars. That would be a crime against mankind, and maybe even Mel, Paul, PPG, and every other self-respecting music writer I know.


While I like my American pop nice and upbeat, I like my Swedish pop just the way it is. And Darin is the way it is. He didn't get very much coverage on the blog this year (even if I heard the epic album), but I can assure you that I was very much into Lovekiller, and a couple of other songs off the album. I mean, how can I not?

Lovekiller is well-produced, epic in all ways possible, Swedish pop. It being Swedish pop alone would make me want to listen to it, but then they just had to throw in the epic. I'm melting into a puddle of fangirl goo. I don't melt for everyone, you know.

The song starts out strong - a gorgeous, epic, OST-worthy string section with your epic percussion line laced with a smooth melody. Then as things slowly build up, you're literally holding your breath until it catches you unaware and everything just explodes into a mix of a gorgeous melody, an epic instrumentation, and the chorus behind. It's an exaggerated version of a lot of different things, but exaggerated in all the right ways, then delivered by a pro.

I'm suddenly reminded of why I love pop music - because songs like this, songs that are as much a pleasure to write about as they are to listen to, exist, and continue to.

Friday Night Post. I missed this.

Two guys for tonight's offering - Swedish and Korean. Hmm.

Darin - You're Out Of My Life

OK, for those who've been reading the blog since it's earlier days aka my pre-kpop era, you'll know that I absolutely ADORE Darin. Like, he's one of my top Swedish pop stars - as he is for a lot of my blogger friends (I'm talking to you, PPG).

This new single was his entry to this year's Melodifestivalen (has anyone won yet? I've been so un-updated on these things) but damn, I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG. It sounds like something my beloved Kevin Borg would have absolutely no problem covering but I LOVE how epic the song is.

The entire song screams SWEDISH - I can't imagine any other country masterminding this in terms of arrangement, melody and production. I love the string section and I love the heavy, 80's-like percussion with that hint of electric guitar - makes it like a pseudo-rock but not rock piece.

In short, it's got all the makings of my favorite song. Done deal.

See: Ken's review.

4.6/5

Brian - In My Head

Brian used to be in the duo Fly To The Sky with Hwanhee (whose single I ADORED), and honestly, he's the less talented one of the two. BUT, he's a mile better than a lot of boyband members nowadays AND he knows what he's doing on stage - he's pretty good.

His previous single, My Girl, took time to grow on me but over time I've come to appreciate it - now he's 'back' with a cover of Jason Derulo's In My Head.

To be completely honest with you, I listened to the Jason Derulo version again today and taste-wise, I like his delivery of the whole thing better. I dug up a live version and I loved the actual band behind him, you guys know I like bands. HOWEVER, even if I personally like the original version better, Brian's cover on it had a different vocal delivery - he "made the song his own", In My Head sounds like a Brian song.

For that, you gotta give the guy at least SOME credit.

4/5 for the song, 3.7/5 for the cover.

# 52: Darin - Breathing Your Love with Kat DeLuna

I had heard of Darin for quite a while before I actually started listening to his music. I remember seeing him on a few music blogs but I never really paid any attention to him, like a lot of other artists.

But when his new single was released, I got curious so I listened and adored it. The album rolled along and although I wasn't head over heels in love with it after one listen, it's slowly growing on me(kinda like GA, it took a lot of time for me to realize how brilliant they are..) and I'm starting to love it.

So this song is in my opinion, very Swedish R&B-ish. It's like Agnes Carlsson mixed with Chris Brown or Craig David or Usher(you get the point..). It's got a very Agnes-like melody but the elements are very R&B, something I haven't heard a lot of yet in other artists(maybe because I only really know a few Swedish pop singers..).

It's like you can get the melody and stick it into an Agnes arrangement/instrumentation or take the instrumentation and stick it into a Craig David melody. Got it? Got it.

Which is why I adore the song so much. It deserves to be on this list, a lot.

New Music..

Let's take a break from the countdown, shall we? Just a quick one though, there are still heaps and heaps of songs to write about and my brain, eyes and fingers are getting tired(I wrote like six reviews last night and another seven a while ago after I came from doing some experimental make-up on my classmates..)!

• Darin's new album is out, and I'm loving some of the tracks. I'll get to writing that review sometime in the next few days, I've got too much to do at the moment!
• Believe it or not, Orlando Brown(That's So Raven?) has an album. Gui over at Pop Music Zone posted it, and I'm surprised. He can sing! But the songs all sound the same and I haven't listened to the whole thing yet.
• The new Same Difference album is out tomorrow so if you liked my review, go out and BUY IT! You know you want to...
• I just posted it a while ago, but let me say it again, I CAN'T BELIEVE AGNES CARLSSON'S SECOND SINGLE IS RELEASE ME!! Haha.. freak out mode, sorry.
• Speaking of singles, The Saturdays' third single is Issues, a gorgeous song. The Sugababes are releasing No Can Do and Girls Aloud are releasing none other than The Loving Kind. Amazing stuff, can't wait for the second part of the battle of the girl groups!
• Leona Lewis' new video for Run is out. Nothing special, I don't really like the song to start with and she's getting too popular and compared to Mariah and Whitney too much for me.
• The Westlife DVD is number one in Ireland, HURRAH! And Sony BMG Pilipinas better bring it here now, or else face the wrath of a whole mob of angry Westlife fans who demand for their beloved DVD, me included!
• I've already written about my favorite song of 2008, and I can assure you, it's gonna be amazing. Haha..

New Music!

School for me's starting tomorrow, so let's recap on stuff that's come out since the last post!

• A new Taylor Swift song just came out, and it's confirmed my thoughts, Taylor Swift is going to wow us with her second album. If we all thought her first album was amazing, this one's looking to be mind-blowing!
• Why has almost everyone in the blogging world heard the new Same Difference single in full? WHY? I'll wait, but beware, I'm not that patient!
• New Hannah Montana songs have been circulating, and I absolutely loathe them. She's trying to do something she can't, mix country with Britney-like pop. I know that kind of pop is popular now, but look at Taylor Swift! Hannah/Miley has forgotten how she became popular in the first place, nice, catchy, distinctly Disney songs. Oh, well. Let's hope there's at least one good song on the soundtrack.
• Sara Bareilles has a new live album. I'm loving it! Obviously, I adore the songs! Some new songs were included, and I'm once again loving them!
• Not directly related to music, but Kian Egan from Westlife, Anthony Costa from Blue, Kenzie from Blazin' Squad, some guy from East 17, Jenny Frost from Atomic Kitten, Mutya Buena from the Sugababes, A girl from All Saints and someone from this 80's girl band were all on Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong. I love the part when Ant and Coleen mimed Flying Without Wings in mid-air! Plus the fact that Kian was there(eep!).
• A new Corbin Bleu song's out. It's an OK song, but it's slowly growing on me.
• I'm loving Amy Diamond's Music In Motion. Seriously! I might review it later in the week if I have the time..
• Natalie Bassingthwaighte's new single, Alive is amazing! I wonder if her album will be any good..
  
• Not so hot about this week's episode of Britannia High, but it might get better later in the series. No particular songs that I'm loving, and the dance routine in the canteen was all too predictable. But Nicola and Kimberly(GA!)'s visit was nice. But Danny(is it Danny?) screwed the whole thing up. Gar.
• Mariah Carey has a new song, but I haven't heard it yet. Downloading at the moment, so it'll take a few minutes. Will edit the post when I've listened to it already. EDIT: I don't like the song. It's a ballad, but the melody just doesn't cut it for me. Plus it reminds me a bit of When You Believe or some Spanish-like song(Westlife's I Cry? something like that..)
• The video for David Cook's Light On is out. It's a generic video, with clips of the story and Cook singing, nothing special. The song is OK, but I expected more from Cook. I adored him on AI so what happened to that guy? Right. He got controlled by a bunch of record company executives who know nothing about music!

• Darin has a new single out, and the video premiered sometime last week. The song is nice, I haven't listened to it enough to say it's amazing, but I like it.

What to expect this week:

• MAYBE a review of Amy Diamond's Music In Motion
• My very own countdown to Taylor Swift's Fearless, out next week!
• MAYBE a review of Sara Bareilles' new live album, Between The Lines: Live At The Fillmore
• Something to get us all into a Christmassy mood, maybe?