Honestly, I've been a bit tired of the Greek eurovision entries for a while. Similar songs and similar performers most of the years. So I should be really happy now that they changed track completely.
Koza Mostra & Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free (Greece 2013)
Instead of the neverending beach party tunes, Greece opted for something pretty different. Rebetiko meets ska meets a deeply political lyric that mixes Greek mythology and Alexander the Great with the current Greek crisis - everything crowned by a chorus consisting only of chanting a catch-phrase stating that alcohol is, indeed, free.
Maybe the Greeks did not make it excessively easy for themselves.
But the whole package works surprisingly well. It is engaging and convincing, underlining the fact that there is a reality waiting for us all out there when the songs have been sung and a winner elected.
My only objection is that I wish the song could be longer. The last chorus is so intense, I wish they would have had time to let it develop even further.
Qualifier:
Yes. I do hope so. This is my favourite Greek entry in many years, I hope their courage and will to experiment will be rewarded.
My grade: 4/5
I tend to ignore songs that are trying too hard to be ironic and political. Unfortunately I feel the same way about this song.
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