Melodifestivalen: Heat Four - Preliminary Judging

A couple of this week's clips leaked online, forcing svt's hand to reveal all eight clips several days early. So, my thoughts are coming earlier this week as well.

(Listen to clips here)

Sibel - Stop
This is about as different from her last entry as possible, and definitely preferable. It sounds like a good uptempo pop track, though it doesn't seem to fit with Melodifestivalen very well. 3.5/5

Py Bäckman - Magisk stjärna (Magic Star)
It's so dull that I forgot it as it was happening. It could be the worst song of the competition this year, though I'll have to hear the whole thing to be sure. 0.5/5

NEO - Human Frontier
Yes! This is more of what I expect from this contest. Neo's such a perfect fit, and although I'm not sure this is amongst his best stuff, it's a lot of fun. I hope the contest gives him the exposure he deserves. 4.5/5

Lovestoned - Thursdays
This is a lot catchier than I'd expected. It's different than most of the stuff this year and pretty refreshing because of it. Could be shockingly good. 4/5

Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life
She was kind of boring on Idol, and this sounds like more of the same. As far as ballads go, I think there are many stronger ones in the competition. It sounds pretty lackluster from this clip. 2/5

Pernilla Wahlgren - Jag vill om du vågar (I Would if you Dare)
This has Melodifestivalen written all over it. I mean, an uptempo schlagery song written in Swedish? It's alright, but I bet it'll improve from a full listen. 3/5

Noll Disciplin - Idiot
Not terribly original for the genre, but it's pleasant enough. The chorus could be a lot stronger. I can't imagine this song going down all that well in the context of the contest, though it sounds very radio friendly. 3/5

Peter Jöback - Hollow
The one sure thing this week, in my opinion. He's just got such an outstanding voice. I'm not as sure about the song, but I can't wait to see him perform. 3.5/5

It's a weird heat, with a lot of contrasting styles. It kind of feels like the leftovers from the past three weeks. I think Peter, Lovestoned, NEO and either Pernilla or Sibel will go through.

*I'll be blogging Saturday throughout the show, so be sure to check back for my thoughts (and to see if my predictions come true!)