Måns Zelmerlöw "Perfectly Damaged" Album Review

Måns Zelmerlöw Follows Up Eurovision Victory

With Glossy-Indie "Perfectly Damaged" Album

The third time was the charm for Måns Zelmerlöw in Sweden's Melodifestivalen contest, and he was able to live up to the hype surrounding his "Heroes" number by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with the third-highest points total of any song in the competition to date (Zelmerlöw received 365 points following the likes of Alexander Rybak with 387 points and fellow-Swede Loreen with 372 points). But in this day and age, it's not enough to simply win Eurovision, as a lack of follow-through would amount to a career that is essentially a one-hit wonder as far as wide-reaching traction goes. Thankfully for pop music fans, Måns Zelmerlöw is no mere one-hit wonder.

Zelmerlöw has released his latest studio album, "Perfectly Damaged," and true to what he stated to us back during Melodfestivalen, the album combines the mainstream style and production value of "Heroes" with the musical indie qualities and creative integrity of his previous studio album, "Barcelona Sessions." There isn't a single bad track to be seen in the 12-track line-up but we've selected a few of the stand-out songs that would make for the best singles on a wide scale. (Though we're still astounded that a real music video for "Heroes" has yet to be made).

"Live While We're Alive": Bright, summery, and brimming with warmth, this track is a feel-good hand-clapping, foot-stomper that can uplift the listeners and bestow a positive aura unto them.

"Let It Burn": Måns Zelmerlöw has truly found a comfortable balance with his musical evolution and this track is exemplary of that. While the verses maintain that singer-songwriter feel with strong lyrics and minimal synthetic influences, the chorus infuses EDM sounds and a more simple lyrical aprproach. This eclectic mix shows Måns Zelmerlöw's eclectic understanding of varying musical genres.

"Fade Away": With excellent momentum and percussion to propel the song forward, the song starts off slower and less flashy before exploding into one of the best damn choruses you'll see on this stellar Swed-pop album.

"Someday": While some may debate that none of the "Perfectly Damaged" tracks can out-do "Heroes," if there is one that can give it a run for its money, it's "Someday." With powerful lyrics that create downright cinematic imagery, a backing instrumental arrangement intricately woven together, a groovy break-down in the bridge, and genius hybridisation of electro pop and organic pop, this is the song that could make us curse the Swed-pop deities forever if it's not chosen to be a single. If you love yourself, treat yourself and put this track on a loop and let loose.

There's something for virtually everyone on this album, with a couple morose ballads and some additional mid-tempo tracks that are also solid if that's your preferred flavour of pop. The tracks also neatly fit together without sounding like twelve copies of just one song. This is by far one of the best Swed-pop albums we've seen in the last decade and is an excellent pre-cursor of what will hopefully be a brilliant pop journey and post-Eurovision career for Zelmerlöw.

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Catch Måns Zelmerlöw on the European leg of his tour:

22 September 2015 ~ Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

24 September 2015 ~ Heaven, London, UK

25 September 2015 ~ Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands

26 September 2015 ~ Kesselhaus München, Munich, Germany
27 September 2015 ~ Ottakringer Brauerei, Vienna, Austria
29 September 2015 ~ Große Freiheit 36, Hamburg, Germany
30 September 2015 ~ Volkshaus, Zürich, Switzerland
02 October 2015 ~ E-werk Köln, Cologne, Germany
04 October 2015 ~ Capitol Offenbach, Offenbach, Germany
07 October 2015 ~ Fabrique, Milan, Italy
09 October 2015 ~ C-halle, Berlin, Germany
11 October 2015 ~ Lucerna Music Bar, Praque, Czech Republic
15 October 2015 ~ Logomo, Teatterisali, Turku, Finland
16 October 2015 ~ The Circus, Helsinki, Finland
26 October 2015 ~ VEGA, Copenhagen, Denmark
03 November 2015 ~ La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
04 November 2015 ~ Sala Razzmatazz 1, Barcelona, Spain