Anniela – Party Crusher

Less repetitive than before?

Tim: Will we find it less repetitive than Elektrisk?

Tim: A bit, yes.

Tom: Only a bit.

Tim: Towards the end it still goes on a bit. Doesn’t help that I’m not entirely certain what a Party Crusher might be, but still. The verses are okay, and there’s a decent tune there. The only problem is that there’s no YEAH moment, and yet I feel this song is crying out for one – whether it be a key change, a sudden return from a quieter middle eight, or even just a loud noise somewhere.

Tom: “Formulaic” can mean good or ill; if the formula’s really good, then there’s nothing wrong with pushing out a track that follows it – heaven knows there are plenty of cracking songs that have little originality to them. But this is just a by-the-numbers album track, and my word if she says ‘party crusher’ one more time…

Tim: Basically, it’s a nice enough song – background of a party, album track, whatever – but a bit uninspiring.

Anniela – Sin Of My Own

Unexpected in-bridge swearing.

Tim: We last saw her being kicked out of Melodifestivalen after singing Elektrisk, and now she’s turned up with a cover of of September album track.

Tom: That’s not the most promising introduction you’ve ever written.

Tim: This is somewhat different from the September version, and weirdly sounds more like September than that one did.

Tom: Add a few more people singing harmony, and I reckon this could sound a bit like Steps.

Tim: Whoever it sounds like, I think it’s alright – it does still sound a bit album trackish, though.

Tom: Especially the unexpected in-bridge swearing. It did wake me up, though.

Tim: Fairly vibrant, building slightly throughout, but never really enough to get properly going. Not something I’d turn off, but equally not something I’d go wild for in a club.

Tom: Half marks?

Tim: Half marks.

Saturday Reject: Anniela – Elektrisk

She’s got a small hedge on her neck

Tim: Her first entry into the competition, this came sixth in the second heat of Melodifestivalen.

Tim: Staging: brilliant. I think it is, anyway.

Tom: You’re absolutely right: compared to Jimi’s trade show booth last Saturday, this is… well, it’s electric, isn’t it?

Tim: Aptly put, sir. I do have a couple of reservations about the costume: I’m not entirely sure why she’s got a small hedge on her neck for one thing, and those bow ties are obscenely large. Musically, the choruses are quite good, and there’s a decent beat to it, although the verses just sort of drift along a bit, so the song as a whole seems to be left wanting.

Tom: There is a bit too much ‘Elektrisk’ in there, simple as that. It’s repeated about a hundred times during the song, so by the time it gets to the bridge it’s already starting to grate. Even the key change can’t rescue it.

Tim: Having said that, if it’s any consolation for her, one minor music TV station did at least enjoy it, and with a disturbing number of exclamation marks as well.