Tag: Linda Sundblad

Linda Sundblad – Bridges

“Nice surprise, wasn’t it?”

Tim: A request to anybody who starts reading below straight after pressing play: please don’t. Let it play out.

Tim: Nice surprise, wasn’t it? I was close to switching off after a while, when it became clear that there wasn’t a huge amount going on in the chorus.

Tom: Oh, you say that, but I really do like that chorus melody. It feels like a builder to me, and… well, yes, it was. I’m surprised the chorus didn’t keep you interested.

Tim: Soon afterwards, though, I realised what a stupid decision switching off would have been, because man, I do love a gospel choir. And when those trumpets come in? Oh, sublime.

Tom: It’s a textbook Big Inspirational Song, and it’s done very very well indeed. Although I could have sworn that was a string section, not trumpets, they’re so buried in the mix. Good, though.

Tim: A shame, then, that it ended when it did – ‘verse/chorus/chorus/middle eight type thing’ is a very odd structure indeed, particularly when the middle eight type thing is so quiet and coming off such a big second chorus. Close it with a final chorus, ideally with a soaring vocal from her over the choir, and this’d be a sweet 💯. As it is…it’s close. Very close.

Linda Sundblad – Trasig

“That kicks in with a vengeance, doesn’t it?”

Tim: Means ‘Broken’, this does, and it’s rather good.

Tom: That kicks in with a vengeance, doesn’t it?

Tim: Sound of Arrows instrumentation (ALBUM ALERT), gentle soothing vocals that match it faultlessly, with the extra effort being applied in all the right places.

Tom: If I wanted to be uncharitable, then I’d say it was Owl City instrumentation, but the song’s too lovely for that.

Tim: The middle eight is an excellent lead-in to the closing section, and lengthwise it strikes me as exactly right.

Tom: That’s what she said.

Tim: Quite probably, yes. After all, if she thought it was too long she’d have chopped bits out. Wait, no. No, please don’t say it.

What this song is perfect for, in fact, is a sunny day, when you’re lounging around in a quiet park, perhaps doing something vaguely relaxing and enjoyable. Coincidentally, right now it’s a sunny day and I’m lounging around in a quiet park doing something vaguely relaxing and enjoyable. What do you know.

Tom: A note for readers: Tim wrote this last weekend in London. I’m betting that the heavens have opened as usual since then.

Saturday Reject: Linda Sundblad – Lucky You

The whole song is a bit 80s Kylie

Tom: Sadly not a cover of the Lightning Seeds classic. Europlop reader Roger writes in to suggest this reject, which he reckons is better than Le Kid’s performance.

First of all, Tim, I will buy you a drink if you can tell me what that opening guitar riff is lifted from.

Tim: Do you know, that got me when I saw this on the night, and I still haven’t worked it out. I have a feeling it is Red Hot Chili Peppers; which song it is, though, I do not know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmxq6c8GixI

Tom: Full marks for choreography, although the fact that none of them are actually playing annoys me more than it reasonably should.

I saw the ‘LUCKY’ spelled out in sequins on the back of her jacket, and thought “that’s a bit 80s Kylie, isn’t it?” Then I realised that really, the whole song is a bit 80s Kylie. Triumphant bridge exit and key change, with a proper breakdown before it – this could be a lost Minogue track.

Tim: I’m not so sure about the bridge exit – I’d have preferred a rerun of ‘lucky lucky you’ rather than an ‘o-oh o-oh’. Having said that, if we’re going for things I want we should also chuck in an extra key change at 2:33. And it’s not so much any more, but the first time I saw it I wanted one halfway through the second chorus (1:50), because I felt the song was dragging a bit. Would three key changes be too many?

Tom: On this song? No it wouldn’t.