Tag: Ola Salo

Ola Salo & Peter Jöback – Sing Me Out

“Two great vocalists harmonising.”

Tim: This was one of the interval performances on Saturday’s Andra Chansen; I’ve no idea if it’s going to get a proper release, but it does seem a bit of a waste if not, particular with a number of people hoping it could be voted through to the final as well.

Tom: Oh, that’s excellent! Two great vocalists harmonising, some good black-and-white styling, and even a couple of gurning-into-the-steadicam shots. That’s a really good song, too.

Tim: Ola Salo, of course is best known as the lead singer of glam rock band (and former Eurovision representatives) The Ark; Peter is less well known, working as he mostly does with musical theatre, though he did compete in Melodifestivalen back in 2011. ANYWAY, I don’t know if it was just that this was a rock-oriented track coming after eight pure pop tracks in a row, but this sounded great.

Tom: It does sound great. That chorus! That astonishingly good middle eight! Trim it to three minutes, this could have been a really good Eurovision contender.

Tim: The glam rock stylings look fantastic as well, and that backing vocal line that comes in towards the end just bring it all in to create a perfect ending to a great track.

Ola Salo – Go On Go On

“That sounds like so many other songs.”

Tim: Have a listen to this, why don’t you. I’m a tad conflicted, sort of, maybe, I’m not sure.

Tim: Actually, that’s not quite true, as the more I hear it the more I like it.

Tom: That sounds like so many other songs. The intro is the strings from every Pachelbel’s Canon ever, just in a different order; the opening verse is “Whenever, Wherever” by Shakira, over the synths from an OMD track. I swear I’ve heard every bit of that somewhere else, even that “won the war” pre-chorus bit, but I can’t quite place them.

Tim: You’re not wrong really, but it works. One immediate comparison that springs to mind is Andreas Johnson’s Glorious, though to be honest I’m not sure why. It’s partly the tone of the vocal, but I think also the manner of it.

Tom: Ah, in tone possibly — I just can’t get over how many musical associations it fired off in my head.

Tim: That vocal comes out in full force in the chorus, clearly intended to take the focus, but doesn’t quite manage it and instead the song is defined by the very very good instrumentation underneath.

Tom: Yep, if I can actually get my brain to concentrate on the actual song itself, I find myself agreeing with you. This is a really good track.

Tim: Right – especially when they both come along at the end, and it all combines into one wonderful section when every single component is desperately trying to be heard above the rest. Marvellous stuff, even if it does take a couple of goes to work properly.

Ola Salo feat. Kleerup – I Got You

“A bit of late-90s-Matrix-electronica about it”

Tim: Ola Salo, frontman of The Ark.

Tom: Him off the 2007 Swedish Eurovision entry! Good start.

Tim: Also Kleerup, a producer who we’ve not featured previously. Together, the official Stockholm Pride 2014 song.

Tim: It starts out as a bit of a racket, but soon becomes really very good indeed.

Tom: Bit of a racket? That’s a brilliant start: it’s got a bit of late-90s-Matrix-electronica about it, and I’d say it’s a damn sight better than that first verse.

Tim: Well yes, because if I’m be honest: the verses somewhat washed over me, partly because there’s not much to them and partly because whilst trying to listen to it I got distracted and started trying to find somewhere I could buy this GLORIOUS cover of Let It Go.

Tom: It is a good cover. But let me guess…

Tim: Regardless of how distracted I got, that chorus kept permeating my brain, because it’s just great.

Tom: Agreed. That is everything you want from a chorus in a song like this: the melody line is gorgeous, and the rest of the instrumentation — and that voice — back it up well.

Tim: Great in itself, and great as a message for a Pride festival. It’s raucous, it’s powerful, it’s a clear statement, and it’s just marvellous.