Ace Wilder – Wild Child

“Several good bits and several bad bits.”

Tim: This one got to the final of Melodifestivalen this year, and has several good bits and several bad bits.

Tim: First bad point: that opening couple of seconds, and the times later on when that bit’s repeated. God, I find that jarring, and it just sounds wrong. Second: the shouting in the verses. Sometimes it can work, as Icona Pop have demonstrated many, many times; other times, like here, it just grates, especially when you’re combining that apparent anger with cheeky nods to the camera.

Tom: There’s promise in the instrumentation under that first verse, though, which is why I didn’t dismiss it immediately. And I’m glad I didn’t, because… well, I’ll let you finish the point you started in your last paragraph.

Tim: Good bit, though: every single moment of that wonderful chorus. The tune, the lyrics, the everything. Other good bit: the middle eight. It shows there’s a proper melody there, and that she’s got a good voice.

Tom: Which makes it odd that she has to switch into the weird not-quite-Icona-Pop voice, really. This could have been great, not just good.

Tim: Overall: yeah. That chorus and middle eight just about make up for the rest.