In this competition for popular music, Spain has surprisingly often chosen to let their own colours and folklore shine through - also this year's entry has a distinct taste of ethnic music.
ESDM - Contigo hasta el final (Spain 2013)
In the 90's, when Ireland had their win-athon and a set of bagpipes were a stronger weapon than any chorus in the world, Celtic flavours were often heard at Eurovision, often as a sort of gimmick or colourful decoration that possibly could make your song work.
These days, the Celtic sound only pops up occasionally and in this case it comes in a most genuine form as ESDM - El Sueño de Morfeu - come from northern Spain where the Celtic heritage is strong and most influential.
If we start in the positive end, I really like this band. The singer has a warm and sensual timbre that reminds me ever so slightly of my personal house gods Mecano, and this song has a good chorus including some good hooks and steady handles.
So why did they have to make things so complicated?
The long intro might be artistic and pleasant, but it takes forever until the song really starts. When it does, the group keep fiddling with the tempo and the intensity: suddenly it goes up, then it goes down and the listeners never stand a chance of knowing what kind of song this really is, where it wants to go, what it wants to say. After three minutes, this song is still a stranger.
The whole entry feels unfocused, diffuse and pretty hard to grasp. Which is a shame as the chorus - when the group gives it full gas and drowns it in Celtic pipes - is really rather good.
Potential winner:
No, far from it. Spain could find themselves struggling this year as I can't see who will instantly fall in love with this song and vote for it. A bad slot in the first half of the running order and all hope is lost. Unfair, but such is life.
My grade: 2/5
Apart from Mecano - which is a great compliment - this song makes me think of another eurosong with a Celtic flavour, quite a good chorus but a long tedious intro as well as a meek and uninspired verse that lost this group basically all their points in the final.
Will ESDM have a better fate in Malmö?
Dervish - They Can't Stop The Spring (Ireland 2007)
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Monday, October 3, 2011
Switzerland: a familiar face among the entrants
Switzerland is busy assembling eurovision hopefuls of all shapes and kinds at the moment. Anyone can upload a suitable entry on the website of Schweizer Fernsehen and hope to become one of the shortlisted lucky ones for the national final.
Expectations are higher than an many years, after Anna Rossinelli managed to bring the Alpine country into the ESC final in Düsseldorf after four years out in the cold.
Among the hopefuls, there is at least one familiar face for Finnish fans (with good memory).
Flavio Cristilli, who is entering the song "Ancora uno sbaglio" for the 2012 Swiss selection, took part in the 2007 Finnish selection as a backing singer for Laura Voutilainen in one of her two semi final entries.
Despite clearly being the better out of the two on offer, the Finns turned all incomprehensible on us and turned down "Kosketa mua" in favour of a cheap, dated re-write of Laura's 2002 entry.
In the end, "Kosketa mua" had more airplay anyway and was the title track of Laura's album. And rightly so.
Laura Voutilainen (feat Flavio Cristilli) - Kosketa mua (Finland 2007 national final)
Expectations are higher than an many years, after Anna Rossinelli managed to bring the Alpine country into the ESC final in Düsseldorf after four years out in the cold.
Among the hopefuls, there is at least one familiar face for Finnish fans (with good memory).
Flavio Cristilli, who is entering the song "Ancora uno sbaglio" for the 2012 Swiss selection, took part in the 2007 Finnish selection as a backing singer for Laura Voutilainen in one of her two semi final entries.
Despite clearly being the better out of the two on offer, the Finns turned all incomprehensible on us and turned down "Kosketa mua" in favour of a cheap, dated re-write of Laura's 2002 entry.
In the end, "Kosketa mua" had more airplay anyway and was the title track of Laura's album. And rightly so.
Laura Voutilainen (feat Flavio Cristilli) - Kosketa mua (Finland 2007 national final)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Tobson's Winners: 2006 - 2010
During these five years, further modification was tried out by the EBU. After a nightmare of a semifinal in 2007 (with twenty-eight songs in the running), the qualification system was completely re-vamped in 2008.
Now, only the host country and the big four were guaranteed a place in the final - everyone else had to go through the two semi finals. This has resulted in way stronger final line-ups than before.
Not only stronger line-ups - it is in general much harder to predict the result this way. The final changes everything: the draw, the odds, the chances, the favourites. In short, the two semis contribute to way stronger television than before.
Also, the juries have been forgiven and are back in the game gradually since 2008, where they got to select the tenth finalist in each semi final. In 2009, they did that too but also had a fifty percent say in the final result. And from 2010, they have half the power already in the semi finals.
To tell you the truth, I am not convinced that this was a good move. It could have been, but I still see the same old countries voting extensively for neighbours and friends, the juries obviously joining the game rather than doing anything to prevent it. Also, as from 2011, the juries seem to have favoured strong voices over pop songs. They would need a reminder that this is a song contest - not a singing contest - and that we do not want to return to the old hit-less days of the 90's again.
2006 - Russia
Dima Bilan - Never Let You Go (Russia 2006)
Of course I am deeply happy that Finland won, that's beside the point, but in my book Russia was by far the best. A lavish stage show, slick presentation and one of the best pop compositions to grace a eurovision stage in the last ten years.
The whole production is classical and modern at the same time, and for some reason I find the slow drum loop a tiny bit Beatles-esque.
How sad to see that in only two years, the lovely Dima Bilan would grow into a pompously arrogant nobody. And even sadder to see him win, when he clearly no longer deserved it.
Real winner:
Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland)
2007 - Georgia
Sopho - Visionary Dream (Georgia 2007)
Ever wondered what "Ray Of Light" would have sounded like had Madonna been born in Tbilisi? Wonder no more.
Georgia's debut entry in Helsinki is a real knockout of an entry, it doesn't sound like anything that was ever heard at the ESC before. A wild mix between etno, ballad, aggressive beats, sword dancing and, in the middle of the storm, the wonderful Sopho Khalvashi, queen-like and supreme, keeping the whole thing together.
Too demanding for the average voter, perhaps, but it gives me serious goose bumps.
Real winner:
Marija Šerifović - Molitva (Serbia)
2008 - Bosnia-Herzegovina
Laka - Pokušaj (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008)
As eurovision has filled up with more and more quality pop songs, modern and chart-friendly, it just gets harder to decide which one is my favourite each year. Often something quirky makes the top of my bill, I've noticed.
Calling this entry quirky would be something of an understatement, though.
It is artistic, experimental, edgy, boundbreaking, melodic, fun and Wogan hated it. Laka is a real artist (and his sister too) who uses his three minutes in full to present himself to a potential audience, not caring the slightest for the people who won't understand. When eurovision allows something as demanding as this to make top ten, that's when I really love my old contest.
Real winner:
Dima Bilan - Belive (Russia)
2009 - Bosnia-Herzegovina
Regina - Bistra voda (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2009)
If there is one national that truly emerged like a real quality engine since the semi finals were introduced, then it is Bosnia-Herzegovina. Once they got their machinery running, after the civial war and some hopeless attempts at staging fair national finals, few others can match the Bosnians when it comes to personable performers, strong melodies and memorable performances.
Rock band Regina, who possibly heard a track or two by Coldplay through the years, deliver a tender, delicate melody line, demanding and inviting and the same time, and how this song didn't reach higher than ninth place remains a real mystery for me.
Real winner:
Alexander Rybak - Fairytale (Norway)
2010 - Germany
Lena - Satellite (Germany 2010)
When there are forty-something entries in the line-up, the chance that your personal favourite will be the winner in the end diminishes quite clearly. My joy was immense as my big pre-contest favourite made it all the way in 2010.
Even more so since I had been hoping for Germany for a few years already. They had been trying to deliver quality entries for quite some time without really getting it right, ending in failure year after year in spite of creating quite a few domestic hit singles.
Lena was a bull's eye in many aspects: young, appealing, hit friendly, equipped with a bubbly personality. A dream winner for Eurovision in many ways. And the importance of one of the Big Four countries winning can hardly be over-estimated.
Real winner:
Lena - Satellite (Germany)
Now, only the host country and the big four were guaranteed a place in the final - everyone else had to go through the two semi finals. This has resulted in way stronger final line-ups than before.
Not only stronger line-ups - it is in general much harder to predict the result this way. The final changes everything: the draw, the odds, the chances, the favourites. In short, the two semis contribute to way stronger television than before.
Also, the juries have been forgiven and are back in the game gradually since 2008, where they got to select the tenth finalist in each semi final. In 2009, they did that too but also had a fifty percent say in the final result. And from 2010, they have half the power already in the semi finals.
To tell you the truth, I am not convinced that this was a good move. It could have been, but I still see the same old countries voting extensively for neighbours and friends, the juries obviously joining the game rather than doing anything to prevent it. Also, as from 2011, the juries seem to have favoured strong voices over pop songs. They would need a reminder that this is a song contest - not a singing contest - and that we do not want to return to the old hit-less days of the 90's again.
2006 - Russia
Dima Bilan - Never Let You Go (Russia 2006)
Of course I am deeply happy that Finland won, that's beside the point, but in my book Russia was by far the best. A lavish stage show, slick presentation and one of the best pop compositions to grace a eurovision stage in the last ten years.
The whole production is classical and modern at the same time, and for some reason I find the slow drum loop a tiny bit Beatles-esque.
How sad to see that in only two years, the lovely Dima Bilan would grow into a pompously arrogant nobody. And even sadder to see him win, when he clearly no longer deserved it.
Real winner:
Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland)
2007 - Georgia
Sopho - Visionary Dream (Georgia 2007)
Ever wondered what "Ray Of Light" would have sounded like had Madonna been born in Tbilisi? Wonder no more.
Georgia's debut entry in Helsinki is a real knockout of an entry, it doesn't sound like anything that was ever heard at the ESC before. A wild mix between etno, ballad, aggressive beats, sword dancing and, in the middle of the storm, the wonderful Sopho Khalvashi, queen-like and supreme, keeping the whole thing together.
Too demanding for the average voter, perhaps, but it gives me serious goose bumps.
Real winner:
Marija Šerifović - Molitva (Serbia)
2008 - Bosnia-Herzegovina
Laka - Pokušaj (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008)
As eurovision has filled up with more and more quality pop songs, modern and chart-friendly, it just gets harder to decide which one is my favourite each year. Often something quirky makes the top of my bill, I've noticed.
Calling this entry quirky would be something of an understatement, though.
It is artistic, experimental, edgy, boundbreaking, melodic, fun and Wogan hated it. Laka is a real artist (and his sister too) who uses his three minutes in full to present himself to a potential audience, not caring the slightest for the people who won't understand. When eurovision allows something as demanding as this to make top ten, that's when I really love my old contest.
Real winner:
Dima Bilan - Belive (Russia)
2009 - Bosnia-Herzegovina
Regina - Bistra voda (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2009)
If there is one national that truly emerged like a real quality engine since the semi finals were introduced, then it is Bosnia-Herzegovina. Once they got their machinery running, after the civial war and some hopeless attempts at staging fair national finals, few others can match the Bosnians when it comes to personable performers, strong melodies and memorable performances.
Rock band Regina, who possibly heard a track or two by Coldplay through the years, deliver a tender, delicate melody line, demanding and inviting and the same time, and how this song didn't reach higher than ninth place remains a real mystery for me.
Real winner:
Alexander Rybak - Fairytale (Norway)
2010 - Germany
Lena - Satellite (Germany 2010)
When there are forty-something entries in the line-up, the chance that your personal favourite will be the winner in the end diminishes quite clearly. My joy was immense as my big pre-contest favourite made it all the way in 2010.
Even more so since I had been hoping for Germany for a few years already. They had been trying to deliver quality entries for quite some time without really getting it right, ending in failure year after year in spite of creating quite a few domestic hit singles.
Lena was a bull's eye in many aspects: young, appealing, hit friendly, equipped with a bubbly personality. A dream winner for Eurovision in many ways. And the importance of one of the Big Four countries winning can hardly be over-estimated.
Real winner:
Lena - Satellite (Germany)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Preview clip: Hungary 2007
I am so happy about Hungary being back at the Eurovision Song Contest this year. Not that the Hungarian entries always went down very well in the competition, but most of them were original and added an air of something different.
Very much so in 2007, when MTV produced not only a highly unusual entry but also one of the best preview clips ever.
Magdi Rúzsa - Unsubstantial Blues (Hungary 2007 preview)
Lavish, tasteful, artistic. Three minutes of pure art. And it didn't lose anything when translated to the live stage either.
Magdi Rúzsa - Unsubstantial Blues (Hungary 2007)
Next week, MTV has promised to disclose their candidate for Düsseldorf. I keep my fingers crossed for more unusual, bold and different songs coming up.
Very much so in 2007, when MTV produced not only a highly unusual entry but also one of the best preview clips ever.
Magdi Rúzsa - Unsubstantial Blues (Hungary 2007 preview)
Lavish, tasteful, artistic. Three minutes of pure art. And it didn't lose anything when translated to the live stage either.
Magdi Rúzsa - Unsubstantial Blues (Hungary 2007)
Next week, MTV has promised to disclose their candidate for Düsseldorf. I keep my fingers crossed for more unusual, bold and different songs coming up.
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