Dear Poptastic Readers.
The fabulous Swedish DJ/Pop/Dance duo Rebecca & Fiona released their second album called Beauty is Pain this week. And it is deeply FAB. You're going to love it. Check it out my review ...
"Saga" is the first track. Not a lot here. It's almost like a ballad that never takes flight. This just seems like an extended intro track.
The first single "Candy Love" is the second track, and the song is definitely a grower. I'm liking it more and more. Check out what Poptastic Confessions wrote about it by clicking on the song title.
The second single "Holler" is up next. And I absolutely love this song. It just keeps getting better and better. Click on the song title to see what we wrote about it earlier.
"Stockholm" starts off quite promising. The verses have a nice melody. The lyrics are a bit dark for me. I'm really not crazy about this line: "A plastic bag over my head so tight." The chorus song sounds like a distant cousin of "Union." Overall, I like the song, I just wish the lyrics weren't so dark.
"Jamie" is an amazing and throbbing dark little gem. And it has an wonderful chorus. There are really good songs here that need better titles. It's hard to refer to a song by a title that isn't in the chorus. I think a good title might have been "Jamie (Freedom is a Prisoner of Love)" or perhaps just "Prisoner of Love." The first album had the same thing, though.
"Machine" is also a dark throbbing number, but the beats drop out from time to time. "You will kill me and I patiently wait" is one of the lyrics. Rebecca & Fiona said the album would be darker. And it is so. Having said that, this is a really nice song. The song title could have been a bit longer like "I'm a Living Machine."
"Hit the Drum" gets the longest title. It's an interesting the song for sure. But the melody isn't as catchy as some of the other tracks. Still, not bad.
"Dreams" is a very upbeat track and from the first listen, it was an early favorite. Probably because the beat is faster and the lyrics are upbeat and dare I say happy. It's a really nice song.
"Letters" is a fine song. A bit trancey with some beats. It is good.
"Clara" is another song that use a different title. Sure the lyrics are about someone named Clara, but I maybe would have called it "Clara (Diamonds in the Rough)." The song has a funny lyric … "Drunk as the Sunset." That might have been a fun title, too.
"Burning Empire" is a highlight of the album and would make a great single. It's got a awesome chorus. I love it!
"All Eyes" is another great song. The chorus is basic, but brilliant! And there is a male vocal singing with them on the chorus, so that is a pleasant surprise as it adds something a bit different.
"Cold Heart" features Duvchi, a Swedish musician who on his Facebook is described as the "singing conductor." I guess he is singing the second verse. I doesn't sound like a man singing, but oh well. That's OK! It is a dark electro ditty. I quite like this song a lot, too.
Overall, this is a great album. It's not full-on dance. And it is quite a mature sophomore outing from the duo. They aren't the greatest singers and sometimes it sounds like Fiona is the only one singing. But that is part of their charm. I think they are wonderful. So go out and buy Beauty Is Pain. The music is great. You will love it!
Beauty is Pain is available on iTunes and other digital stores. Don't delay, buy it today!
Cheers then,
—Davearama
