The Singles Jukebox

EUROPOP MONDAY!!! And we begin by pointing out that the Sound of Arrows remix of this is utterly amazing…

[Myspace]
[4.67]

Matt Cibula: This is about as sexy as a plague of murrain.
[2]

Alex Ostroff: “Falling” is emblematic of a lot of the electropop we’ve been dealing with lately — it’s decently catchy, competently produced (with some enjoyable whirs and drum fills, no less), filled with a vague sense of yearning, and utterly forgettable after a couple of days. It all seems to be caught in a maze of midtempo blandness. The song is in desperate need of either emotional, lyrical or melodic oomph to push it over the top – constantly teetering on the edge of being memorable, but never actually getting there. Maybe it’s a deficiency on my part. Maybe it would sound better in a club. All I know is that for every “Once”, which didn’t leave my head for the better part of a month, there are about 20 or 30 of these, which evaporate into wisps of recollection before the hour is out.
[4]

Martin Skidmore: Rather sweet Scandopop, with shimmering electro washes and a bouncy and flowing tune. The singer is a little pinched, sadly, and I kind of want to hear Saint Etienne do this, but the territory from Annie to Eurobosh is almost always fine with me, and this is no exception.
[7]

Chuck Eddy: Is the backup tinkling supposed to sound like “Telstar,” or is that just my imagination? And that’s obviously not the only early ’60s reference here. Either way, I get the idea they think they’re elevating this so-what pop tune by making it all blurry and shit, and having some girl sing off-key on top, and the “charmingly innovative Swedish production techniques” will lead hip young bohemians to excuse its utter mediocrity. Though maybe that’s in my head, too.
[4]

Hillary Brown: Pretty much the very definition of shallow but reasonably suffused with sparkle to make the listening not so terrible.
[5]

Michaelangelo Matos: I’m sure if I were a Euro I’d either respond to this as mother’s milk or run screaming from into the arms of techno or improv. As an American I find it mildly exotic and kind of pretty, in part because I can take it or leave it, rather than being inundated with it.
[6]