See, what you're bringing me, boy, is priceless

The inevitable counterpart to the post below? The songs that I've fallen for in the past few days. I'm still very behind--especially when it comes to (gasp!) Eurovision (which I get the impression isn't too impressive this year)--so all recommendations welcomed and appreciated.

Kylie Minogue, "All The Lovers"



I needed this song last week. Needed it. Still, it's not even June yet, right? Lots of time to enjoy Kylie's return.

Orup, "Tiden bara gick"



Artist and songwriter Orup has been a staple of the Swedish music scene since the '80s, though the overlapping area on the Venn diagram of his own output and the music I prefer is small enough that I can't say I'm a devotee of his, though Lena Philipsson's 2004 album Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan, which he composed and which Anders Hansson produced, is one of the best albums to come out of Sweden in the '00s. He's more in the "respect and cherrypick" category. His new single, "Tiden bara gick," is very much worth picking: he's thankfully set aside the '60s sound he's been pursuing as part of a touring duo with Lena in favor of something that reminds me of the Killers' "Human" or the Bassflow remix of Martin Stenmarck's "Sjumilakliv." It's co-written with Johan Kinde, a member of '80s duo Lustans Lakejer, and like the aforementioned songs, it has that propulsive, vaguely '80s beat behind its grown-up melody. We're not talking campy Swedish disco-pop here, but "Tiden bara gick" is substantive radio pop that deserves crossover success.

Style, "Love Killer"


I'm operating on less than twenty-four hours of exposure to this new single from the Swedish dance-pop duo who mounted a comeback with "Vill ha dig igen" last year, so what I really think of it won't be apparent for a little while yet. Whether or not the opening of the chorus melody is strong enough remains to be seen, but how can you not want to listen to a song that sounds like old school Roxette with a debt to the '60s hit "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow"?

Alexis Jordan, "Happiness"



A Deadmau5-sampling song that in no way sounds like it's coming from an American act, let alone one from America's Got Talent, "Happiness" is one of those songs I listened to on YouTube once or twice in the past few months, brushed off, and then suddenly found myself having to own. Dance, pop, and R&B meshed into a gentle, luscious love song, with a sweet "mmm" hook that dives straight into your brain.

Example, "Kickstarts"



Could British rapper-turned-popstar Example's album just come out already? Third single and third top-quality, dreamy, summer-ready song.

Katharine McPhee feat. Zachary Levi, "Terrified"



(Yes, that Zachary Levi. Who knew?)

Technically pre-trip, this song is one that shouldn't be anywhere near this list. It's co-written by the man largely responsible for Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly," which I hate. It'd be one thing if this song was totally different, but nope, it's quite apparent on even a casual listen that it shares DNA with "Bubbly." Why, then, do I find "Terrified" so slowly, gently, creepingly endearing?

Also getting some play from me: Natasha Bedingfield's "Touch" (flawed but still drawing me back to it), Kids in Glass House's "Undercover Lover" (quiet but not slow pop-punk from the UK that could easily be from any number of random American groups but yet which I find catchy enough to win me over), Paolo Meneguzzi's "Imprevidibile" (also less than a day of exposure to this, but Paolo is a class act whose output is usually reliably of quality, and even with this somewhat more electro makeover, I have no reason to think this song with prove to be anything else), Alex Gardner's "Yesterday's News" (yes, I know, not new, but I only finally heard it), Sunday Girl's "Four Floors," that Bright Light Bright Light song, the Quentin Mosimann album (old news, but I've never written anything here since someone suggested it in the comments--I've forgotten who, but thank you!), a couple of Jenni Vartiainen songs (of which more will need to be written), maybe the new M.I.A. and Drake singles, Ola Joyce's "Beautiful Loser." Maybe a few Eric Saade songs, but though I know I should love him, I'm still not 100% sold on something about him yet--his voice, I think. He's got songwriters I love backing him, though.

Also, Janelle Monáe and Kelis albums: yay or nay? Worth buying?