Musical Couples: Veronica Maggio & Oskar Linnros

Veronica Maggio: Måndagsbarn

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Oskar Linnros: Från Och Med Du

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So here’s a thing: Veronica Maggio and Oskar Linnros were not together particularly long, and both have since moved on to other partners, both musically and personally. More pertinently: unless you’re Swedish or live in Scandinavia there is a good chance you’ve never heard of either of these fine young people, and goodness knows you have no idea what they’re singing about. So why should you, fine and upstanding frequenter of this august site that you are, care enough to stop and linger: why not just slip past these oddly-named tracks in search of something more familiar?

Simple, really: these tracks are perfect examples of the heights to which pop music ought to (but nowadays seldom does) aspire. Måndagsbarn (‘Monday’s Child’), co-written and produced by Oskar Linnros during his relationship with Veronica Maggio, has the warmth of classic Motown filtered through the cool detachment of the classic Swedish pop sensibility, while Från Och Med Du (‘From And With You’), recorded after the pair had split and released as the lead-off from Linnros’ debut album is blessed with a joyous melody that most pop songwriters would give a limb to have come up with. What makes Linnros’ virtuosity all the more impressive is the fact that before the release of his solo record he was best known as one half of Snook, one of Sweden’s best-known and most successful rap acts: Maggio’s album Och Vinnaren Är was the first real hint that there were more strings to his bow, a small glimpse of the promise to which he has since been able to live up.

So overlook the fact that these two appear to be speaking in tongues – hell, if the language barrier is an issue I can provide translations. If you like perfect pop, this is your bag: you can thank me later.

Guest post by Houman