EuropeCrazy

Just doing my little end-of-year thing tonight instead of tomorrow. I don't usually go into the little personal bits of my life here but...

I don't get Arcade Fire, who are topping every end-of-year poll that's going. Is it just me?

The final shortlist of nominations for the Swedish Grammys (9th January, counting the days...) was announced three days ago, and here they a...

My faithful travelling companion once told me about a review of a Stina Nordenstam album describing her music as "Nordic bleakness...

Who’d have thought when Girls Aloud won "Popstars The Rivals" 5 years ago that they would still be around in 2007 and making high ...

Why have one CMON in your life when you can have two! Meet Moo. She is the second CMON to join us here at EuropeCrazy HQ. Moo is lovely an...

Sevan left the chateau on last Friday night's prime. I finally got round to watching the prime and have finally figured out what's ...

Here's an appropriately seasonal game which you might want to download and play if you haven't done it already. I came across Elf Bo...

I know I've already put all these on the blog but here is the full list anyway. For no reason other than just because I wanted to. 1. G...

Meet my new friend who came into my life on Christmas Day!! This is Red. He is one of that crazy little gang called the CMONS, who appear in...

I've been enjoying all the end-of-year countdowns over the last few days: (special mentions to Pop Unlimited/Work Your Magic/Poster Girl...

Had a great Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. Thanks to the most important people in my life for making it so special - you know who you are. Got...

I just want to wish everyone a a happy and peaceful Christmas and hope that Santa Claus is good to all of you. I'm off now to get ready ...

It's time to pack away the sequins as last night saw the end of the latest series of "Strictly Come Dancing", which is such a...

Right now, right this minute, I'm watching The Feeling's new video on Channel 4. The song is called "I Thought It Was Over...

Since Leon Jackson won the latest series of "X Factor" last Saturday night, he has been a target for criticism, and not just from ...

News reached us tonight that one of my favourite Swedish pop stars, Alcazar singer Andreas Lundstedt, has announced that he is HIV-positive....

...and here's a picture of my Christmas tree to prove it! It's been a bit of a hectic week, so that will explain the lack of blog ac...

Due to one thing and another I haven't even watched this week's prime yet, but I wandered over to TF1 just now to see what was happe...

Of all the music TV channels in this country, my favourite is The Box, one reason being there must be someone there who likes Swedish pop: o...

"Good Song" - Salem Al Fakir. 2007. A year full of dreary-pop, uninspiring r'n'b, tenth-rate guitar bands and dull singe...

"Dream Girl" - Salem Al Fakir. His debut single was released in 2006, but as I didn't hear it till this year then it qualifi...

While we are on the subject of extremely desirable French men who happen to sing, then I can't go tonight without mentioning a clip from...

One of my favourite French male singers of recent years. "En Apesanteur" catapulted him to the top of the charts, helped by its r...

"Sobri (Notre Destin)" was a stunning mix of French and Arabic language and musical cultures, blended into an absolutely wonderf...

She was born in French-speaking Belgium as Claudine Luypaerts, but like a few other Belgian artists, changed her name and found fame in Fran...

Jeff Buckley. Leonard Cohen. Rufus Wainwright. Welcome to the weird world of this week's Swedish "Digilistan" singles chart, w...

...it's a blogger's prerogative to change her mind. Not a Christmas song in sight either; no I'm not being all 'bah humbug...

"Inga Problem" - Snook. Awesome rap song, in Swedish, by two extremely talented (and photogenic) young men. They may have pass...

"Relax, Take It Easy" - Mika. Put aside the fact that it is reminiscent of Cutting Crew's "I Just Died In Your Arms Toni...

My countdown of my top 50 songs of this year ends this Sunday. I hope you've enjoyed reading this chart as much as I've enjoyed putt...

"Stronger" - Kanye West. My 5th most favourite song of the year. What sets Kanye West apart from others in his field is his inven...

"Heavyweight Champion of the World" - Reverend and the Makers. A perceptive anthem about what might have been - everyone can iden...

Meet E.M.D. Not O.M.D., but E.M.D. Sweden's newest boyband. The most remarkable thing about this new boyband is that it's made up o...

"Count Me Out" - Salem Al Fakir. What made "This Is Who I Am" my favourite album of the year was its incredible diversit...

"The Way I Are" - Timbaland. Nobody revitalised the tired world of r'n'b pop quite like Timbaland in 2007, with an amazin...

"It's True" - Salem Al Fakir. Two versions of this, both of which I love: Salem's original version, and the dancefloor r...

"Cara Mia" - Måns Zelmerlöw. If "The Worrying Kind" won the Melodifestivalen battle, it could be argued that "Cara...

Just because it's that time of year and there's not much new music going on I've decided to postpone the weekly playlists for no...

Linköping: "Jag saknar dig ibland" - Ainbusk "Lay Your Love On Me" - BWO "Smiling In Love" - Caracola "Up...

Aftonbladet reported today that the Swedish Idol-winner's debut CD "The Secret" will be released next week. Talk about rush-r...

"Same Jeans" - The View. IMHO it's been a disappointing year for British guitar-music, with a succession of Arctic Monkeys/Ka...

"Grace Kelly" - Mika. Of all this year's pop newcomers, nobody divides people's opinions like Mika. Even now, sometimes ...

Claire-Marie, Antoine and Sevan face the public vote this week. Claire-Marie's been feeling quite miserable lately and made noises abou...

Promised I'd post these tonight so here they are. Revelation Francaise: Christophe Willem / Justice / Melissa M / Vitaa / Yael Naim Reve...

"This Is Who I Am" - Salem Al Fakir. Title track of my favourite album of this (or any other) year. A delightful slice of 70s st...

"Stop Me" - Mark Ronson. Cover versions. That's never a good idea. So when Mark Ronson made an album full of them I was sce...

The songs and artists were announced today for the Gothenburg and Västerås heats. Gothenburg: "Lullaby" - Brandur "I Love Eur...

The nominees for my favourite French music awards ceremony have been announced. The NRJ Music Awards honours both French-language and intern...

Found out that Magnus Carlsson is now presenting "West End Star" which is a Swedish version of the kind of musical-reality talent ...

Finally got to see this week’s prime. Guests - Florent Pagny, Marc Lavoine, David Guetta, Michael Buble, Alicia Keys, Shy’m. Quentin and Ale...

Popstars winner Sheryfa Luna remains at the top of the French singles chart. Another pop-r’n’b singer to add to what is already becoming a c...

"The Worrying Kind" - The Ark. Put aside the plagiarism accusations and you're left with a bit of glam retro fun. Many schlag...

"Because of You" - Ne-Yo. I'm not usually into this kind of r'n'b stuff but this song was very much the exception, I ...

I always had a diverse taste in music. When "Ride Like The Wind" by Christopher Cross was released, I immediately loved it. This...

1992. A great and crazy year for me. So here's a great and crazy song from it: "Shake Your Head" by Was (Not Was). Catchy t...

Thinking of Sheila E then made me think of Wendy & Lisa, who were (and are) great musicians and former members of The Revolution, still ...

Time for the return of our "Retro Saturday" feature. Back in the 1980s, Prince chose to surround himself with amazingly talented ...

As I wander on my merry blogging way I'm always on the lookout for new music to love, and Popjustice is always a good place to look. The...

Due to a hectic few days I wasn't able to catch last week's Star Academy so that's why I haven't done any stuff about it thi...

...but prepare for a shock. What you are about to read will be very surprising. EuropeCrazy in "We finally understand the fuss about Am...

"It's Only You" - Salem Al Fakir. His first (and possibly not the last) appearance in this top 50. A pretty, simple and touc...

"Makes Me Wonder" - Maroon 5. It seems to have become very trendy to knock Maroon 5, and the worldwide success of "Songs Abo...

"Elu Produit de L'Annee" - Christophe Willem Witty French-language comment on being here today and gone tomorrow, certainly t...

"When The Night Comes Falling" - Sebastian. There will always be love on this blog for the Swedish Idol 2005 runner-up of course:...

"Idol"-Sweden final tomorrow, and it's Marie Picasso versus Amanda Jenssen in the battle of the blonde bombshells. Aftonbladet...

"Ingenting" - Kent. Long-awaited first single from the rather good "Tillbaka Till Samtiden" CD (which I will review her...

"Kiss The Bride" - Christophe Willem. And the geek will inherit the earth. Christophe Willem made a most unlikely Nouvelle Star ...

Swedish Grammy awards nominations were announced yesterday and already there has been some controversy in the Swedish press regarding a) the...

"Don't Hate On Me" - Vincent. Excellent reggae-flavoured debut pop song by very talented Swedish singer/songwriter/producer V...

"Late Night Session" - Ali Love. Bring your own glitterball along and boogie down to one of the most underrated pop/dance songs o...

"Segdu Mer" - Jonsi. We've reached halfway point in the chart and now a great swaying anthemic ballad from a lovely Icelandic...

"Shine" - Booty Luv. One of those rare dance acts which proved to be more than just a one hit wonder ("Boogie 2Nite"), ...

Seems like no time since Swedish dance chappie Basshunter was storming the charts in Sweden and beyond with the (IMHO) frankly rubbish ...

Have been busy over the last few days so didn't really have time to do my round-up, so I'll do this now. I'm A Celebrity, Get Me...

"Suburban Knights" - Hard-Fi. Cracking comeback single from the band, and the first single from their "Once Upon A Time In T...

"Work Your Magic" - Koldun. Time to get excited Rachel! Belarus' finest with a song which I really considered a contender fo...

Three singers remained in the Swedish Idol competition: Marie, Andreas and Amanda. "I Have Nothing" - Marie: Honestly, if I hear a...

"I Love You Mi Vida" - D'Nash. It was a long, long, long process to choose Spain's ESC entry this year, but it resulted i...

"Work Of Art (Da Vinci)" - Måns Zelmerlöw. Follow-up to the now-legendary "Cara Mia", this wasn't too well-received...

Regular visitors to this blog will be left in no doubt about my ongoing obsession with the wonderful Salem Al Fakir, and my need to post abo...

I've been continuing to read all the blogs and Swedish press reports about Salem Al Fakir's Swedish tour this week. The Gothenburg ...

"Miss Blue" - Vincent. A recent discovery of mine: Vincent Pontare is yet another one in a long line of multi-talented young Swed...