my review: semi-final two
Apr. 21st, 2011 05:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbc The following is my view of the songs in this year's first ESC semi-final. it's my take on the songs, rather than my take on their prospects. So there. This is the order in which they will be performed.
Bosnia - Dino Merlin - Love in Rewind
While I don't think this has broad enough appeal to win, I do expect it to do very, very well. It sounds like Dino--who is rock royalty in the former Yugoslav states--did his ESC winner homework. Sounds like a slavic song...or klezmer...or celtic...or german...or scandanavian one. Vocal is very strong; staging should be too. And he's been before: as songwriter in 1993 and as songwriter and performer in 1999. One of my favourites this year!
Austria - Nadine Beiler - The Secret is Love
And here's another favourite. There were a few other higher profile entries in an overall very strong Austrian final: Nadine blasted 'em away with her amazing vocals on a very nice anthemic power ballad. She wrote the lyrics too. My dark horse for victory this year. Yes #2 is a crap draw, but generally really really strong entries qualify from anywhere in the draw. Give it slot #25 in the final and we might be in Vienna for only the second time ever!
Netherlands - 3JS - Never Alone
A good entry. Contemporary power pop that should squeak into the final if they deliver a good live vocal. But this is a much tougher final that the first one...
Belgium - Witloof Bay - With Love
You don't need to speak Dutch to figure out the group name is a pun of the song title. Duh. Acapella rarely comes across well on TV, especially at the Eurovision. Add a beatbox and it could be really cool--or cringeworthy. After the national final performance I'm leaning towards the latter. But props for sending something so different!
Slovakia - Twiins - I'm Still Alive
The first of two twin acts in the same semi-final. This is a solidly decent song, but until I hear how well (or badly) they sing it live I can't place it. With a great vocal it could squeak in--but only just. Doesn't bode well, but to be fair the song's only in because the penalty for a late withdrawal from the Contest would've cost as much as sending any old song.
Ukraine - Mika Newton - Angel
She can sing and the songs OK. But it's been 5 years since the Ukraine's sent anything less than memorable. I think this will struggle to qualify; after all it appears that not many Ukrainians voted for it in the national final (a minority voted for it hundreds of times).
Moldova - Zdob si Zdub - So Lucky
Moldova's first--and still highest ranking--ESC entrant is back. Without the funky grandma or funky song. This is a mess; having the unctuous Ralph Siegel involved doesn't help. The first definite non-qualifer.
Sweden - Eric Saade - Popular
OMFG I HATE THIS! Painful earworm that sounds like a nursery rhyme. But he will get the adolescent estrogen votes...and more than a few gay boy ones too. Even with the nasal vocals. Qualifier.
Cyprus - Christos Myloros - San Angelos s'apagapisa
It stands out as a really Cypriot Greek entry. Rumour has it that the staging is amazing: if it is and he sings in tune this could qualify. Still gonna be tough though.
Bulgaria - Poly Genova - Na Inat
This I love love love. She's got spunk, she can sing the pants off it, and the whole rock grrl vibe totally works. A passionate, controlled performance will see Bulgaria back in the final for only the second time ever. And then next year Bulgaria sends Grafa and he wins the Eurovision and it's Sofia in 2013. kthxbye.
Macedonia - Vlatko Ilievski - Rusinka
Forgettable song and singer. Not going anywhere.
Israel - Dana International - Ding Dong
Winner of the 1998 Eurovision, Dana's back...with a so-so song. She is a pro and can sell a song when it counts, but I fear she will just mis out, à la Icelands' Selma a few years back. She just not contemporary enough anymore.
Slovenia - Maja Keuc
This is a good song and a very good singer. But it's not memorable--if they can make it memorable it stands a chance of qualifying. And I'm not just saying that because there's a pack o' hawt Slovenian men whose babies I wanna have.
Romania - Hotel FM - Change
Selected back on New Year's Eve, and I've never seen the appeal. It's OK, it's professionally performed, but it's got nothing special to it. Romania might be sitting home on Saturday night...
Estonia - Getter Jaani - Rockefeller Street
Full disclosure: I'm from NYC originally and have to park the bizarre lyrics about my hometown. And once I do I see the appeal here: catchy, instant, charming, and she's hawt enough for shaggin but not so hawt the other girls will hate her. Roaring into the final and in the mix to win the whole thing. I'd love to go back to Tallinn!
Belarus - Anastasiya Vinnikova - I Love Belarus
Worst entry of 2011. And no one else loves Belarus. Or your homophobic dictator. Or your risible song.
Latvia - Musiqq - Angel in Disguise
Until the rap kicks in I love this. The rap doesn't ruin it for me either. Sitting on their arses on stools might kill its chances: coming up with something else to happen on stage might give it enough lift to qualify.
Denmark - A Friend in London - New Tomorrow
Another anthem, but missing the final "ooomph". Sort of "Love Shine a Light" minus the "and we're AAAALLLLLLL gonna shine a light TOGETHER!!!!" bit. It sounds like it's gonna get there...but doesn't. Will still get a fair bit of support though so I expect it will qualify and might well make the top 10. I can live with that!
Ireland - Jedward - Lipstick
Bless me fadder for oi've sinned, 'sbeen28 years since me last confession. I was pissed off when this won the Irish final...and now I have to admit it deserved to. Not note perfect, not even well choreographed, but it's the perfect song for our second set of twins this year. And whatever I think of them as singers Jedwards are certainly VERY IRISH. Qualifying short of a disaster and might actually be Ireland's best result since 2000.
My top 10 (should make the final, if it were up to me)
Ireland, Denmark, Estonia, Bosnia, Austria, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Israel, Latvia, Slovenia
Bosnia - Dino Merlin - Love in Rewind
While I don't think this has broad enough appeal to win, I do expect it to do very, very well. It sounds like Dino--who is rock royalty in the former Yugoslav states--did his ESC winner homework. Sounds like a slavic song...or klezmer...or celtic...or german...or scandanavian one. Vocal is very strong; staging should be too. And he's been before: as songwriter in 1993 and as songwriter and performer in 1999. One of my favourites this year!
Austria - Nadine Beiler - The Secret is Love
And here's another favourite. There were a few other higher profile entries in an overall very strong Austrian final: Nadine blasted 'em away with her amazing vocals on a very nice anthemic power ballad. She wrote the lyrics too. My dark horse for victory this year. Yes #2 is a crap draw, but generally really really strong entries qualify from anywhere in the draw. Give it slot #25 in the final and we might be in Vienna for only the second time ever!
Netherlands - 3JS - Never Alone
A good entry. Contemporary power pop that should squeak into the final if they deliver a good live vocal. But this is a much tougher final that the first one...
Belgium - Witloof Bay - With Love
You don't need to speak Dutch to figure out the group name is a pun of the song title. Duh. Acapella rarely comes across well on TV, especially at the Eurovision. Add a beatbox and it could be really cool--or cringeworthy. After the national final performance I'm leaning towards the latter. But props for sending something so different!
Slovakia - Twiins - I'm Still Alive
The first of two twin acts in the same semi-final. This is a solidly decent song, but until I hear how well (or badly) they sing it live I can't place it. With a great vocal it could squeak in--but only just. Doesn't bode well, but to be fair the song's only in because the penalty for a late withdrawal from the Contest would've cost as much as sending any old song.
Ukraine - Mika Newton - Angel
She can sing and the songs OK. But it's been 5 years since the Ukraine's sent anything less than memorable. I think this will struggle to qualify; after all it appears that not many Ukrainians voted for it in the national final (a minority voted for it hundreds of times).
Moldova - Zdob si Zdub - So Lucky
Moldova's first--and still highest ranking--ESC entrant is back. Without the funky grandma or funky song. This is a mess; having the unctuous Ralph Siegel involved doesn't help. The first definite non-qualifer.
Sweden - Eric Saade - Popular
OMFG I HATE THIS! Painful earworm that sounds like a nursery rhyme. But he will get the adolescent estrogen votes...and more than a few gay boy ones too. Even with the nasal vocals. Qualifier.
Cyprus - Christos Myloros - San Angelos s'apagapisa
It stands out as a really Cypriot Greek entry. Rumour has it that the staging is amazing: if it is and he sings in tune this could qualify. Still gonna be tough though.
Bulgaria - Poly Genova - Na Inat
This I love love love. She's got spunk, she can sing the pants off it, and the whole rock grrl vibe totally works. A passionate, controlled performance will see Bulgaria back in the final for only the second time ever. And then next year Bulgaria sends Grafa and he wins the Eurovision and it's Sofia in 2013. kthxbye.
Macedonia - Vlatko Ilievski - Rusinka
Forgettable song and singer. Not going anywhere.
Israel - Dana International - Ding Dong
Winner of the 1998 Eurovision, Dana's back...with a so-so song. She is a pro and can sell a song when it counts, but I fear she will just mis out, à la Icelands' Selma a few years back. She just not contemporary enough anymore.
Slovenia - Maja Keuc
This is a good song and a very good singer. But it's not memorable--if they can make it memorable it stands a chance of qualifying. And I'm not just saying that because there's a pack o' hawt Slovenian men whose babies I wanna have.
Romania - Hotel FM - Change
Selected back on New Year's Eve, and I've never seen the appeal. It's OK, it's professionally performed, but it's got nothing special to it. Romania might be sitting home on Saturday night...
Estonia - Getter Jaani - Rockefeller Street
Full disclosure: I'm from NYC originally and have to park the bizarre lyrics about my hometown. And once I do I see the appeal here: catchy, instant, charming, and she's hawt enough for shaggin but not so hawt the other girls will hate her. Roaring into the final and in the mix to win the whole thing. I'd love to go back to Tallinn!
Belarus - Anastasiya Vinnikova - I Love Belarus
Worst entry of 2011. And no one else loves Belarus. Or your homophobic dictator. Or your risible song.
Latvia - Musiqq - Angel in Disguise
Until the rap kicks in I love this. The rap doesn't ruin it for me either. Sitting on their arses on stools might kill its chances: coming up with something else to happen on stage might give it enough lift to qualify.
Denmark - A Friend in London - New Tomorrow
Another anthem, but missing the final "ooomph". Sort of "Love Shine a Light" minus the "and we're AAAALLLLLLL gonna shine a light TOGETHER!!!!" bit. It sounds like it's gonna get there...but doesn't. Will still get a fair bit of support though so I expect it will qualify and might well make the top 10. I can live with that!
Ireland - Jedward - Lipstick
Bless me fadder for oi've sinned, 'sbeen28 years since me last confession. I was pissed off when this won the Irish final...and now I have to admit it deserved to. Not note perfect, not even well choreographed, but it's the perfect song for our second set of twins this year. And whatever I think of them as singers Jedwards are certainly VERY IRISH. Qualifying short of a disaster and might actually be Ireland's best result since 2000.
My top 10 (should make the final, if it were up to me)
Ireland, Denmark, Estonia, Bosnia, Austria, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Israel, Latvia, Slovenia
