Monday 28 May 2012

Moving shop...

Hi there,

Last year when I created this blog I started an experiment. Where should I run my web discussion: Blogger vs Tumblr. Sadly blogger lost out. I will admit that blogger is a nicer environment to work in, but I've spent more time in Tumblr and there is where I will be staying.

The new link for this website is: http://anotherescsite.tumblr.com/

Goodbye (oh oh oh oh oh)

Sunday 13 May 2012

2012 entry - GERMANY : Standing still - Roman Lob

DRAW: Final(20)


The Germans returned to the format that was successful in choosing Lena; song contest of unknown people whittled down to two people and then a selection of songs. The winner was a bit of rough called Roman Lob, and really good song called Standing still.

I like Standing still basically because it's one of those quiet songs that tell a story and you can see it as he sings the story along. It's quite a raw song with some guts to it, sentimental... soppy. I still like it. I wish it well.

2012 entry - PORTUGAL: Vida minha - Filipa Sousa

DRAW: Semi 2(6)

Portugal annoys me and I have no trouble telling you. Let me tell you my grief. Each year Portugal takes exceptional care in providing a magnificent national final; well presented, lovely staging, very polished. But then they choose some song that in most cases you do not want to listen to again for the eternity of your life.
I am being hard on this year's entry. The song is a classy number, a well sung song, it sounds like a lite version of Senhora do mar but that is under estimating the song again. I like Filipa as well, she seems to have passion for her song.

I hope we see Portugal in the final - if only to hear a language other than English.

2012 entry - MONTENEGRO : Euro Neuro - Rambo Amadeus

DRAW: Semi 1 (1)

After two years out of the contest, Montenegro announced that their participant into ESC 12 is Rambo Amadeus. The title of the song was announced in January and in March we had the song. Many people have not been favorable towards it which I think is a little unkind.



I will admit that it does have a very strange opening with haunting laughter. It also includes a nice spin on modern and traditional Montenegrin music. Rambo does mainly speak his way through the song which may deter some people.

I like it; I don't think that the live performance will capture the atmosphere of the clip - won't make the final.

2012 entry - IRELAND: Waterline - Jedward

DRAW: Semi 1 (18)

Prior to any announcements anything about Irish artists and/or a national final, there were rumours that it would be Jedward again at the Eurovision in Baku. RTE then revealed their ESC national final plans in November 2011. Strangely enough, Jedward popped up and won.



Does anyone get the impression that these two will have this hair into their fifties doing the same dance moves? I think of the old movie 'Whatever happened to baby Jane?' So, Waterline is an okay song. I want to compare it Lipstick, but there is no point as they are like chalk and cheese. I think this is probably a better song, but suits Jedward less.

Finalist: Yes.

Successful as last year: no

2012 entry - AUSTRIA: Woki Mit Deim Popo - Trackshittaz

DRAW: Semi 1(16)

The Austrian national final was a circus and it included a bearded lady. Austrian TV began the planning of their national final in September 2011, named nine entrants and added a wild card to make it an even ten artists. The winner was 'Shake your butt' which may not impress the blue rinse set.



I think it's a brave choice to send this to the ESC. It isn't politically correct, it's exploitive, it's rude, it's dirty and filthy and I absolutely love it. I'm glad they are going whole hog and going hard. Good luck - I hope it makes the final. It's a breath of ESC fresh air.

Wednesday 9 May 2012

2012 entry - GREECE: Aphrodesiac - Eleftheria Eleftheriou

DRAW: Semi 1 (3)

As many people will already know - Greece is now a country owned by the EU, mainly France and Germany. There was a time where there were doubts that there would a Greek presence at the ESC of Baku. ERT pulled some strings, a record company came to the party and we had a national final... in a shopping centre... over the public address system... lip synced and in the darkness. The only credible entry of the final won which was a good thing. Why the official clip is showing them at the shopping centre is so wrong on so many levels.



Let's pass on the fact that this song is going to make the final, because it will. I had my doubts and when you see the clip below, I think that it will change the mind of anyone. (they are a crowd of enthusiasts though). In fact, I've moved from a stance of 'This is the most mediocre ESC entry of all time' to 'What in hell are they doing - they cannot afford to host the ESC'. The last time Greece finished outside of the top 10 was 2003; this year will continue this trend without any doubts.

2012 entry - SPAIN: Quédate Conmigo - Pastora Soler

DRAW: Final (19)

The Spanish announced their artist for the next ESC on 21st December, and that someone is Pastora Soler. Pastora selected three songs and we had a national final in February.



The Spanish have not had a good run at the ESC - sometimes due to audience taste and sometimes because they brought it up on themselves. I will state that Pastora is an outstanding and talented artist who has had a long and successful career. I expect that the setting in Baku will be simple and elegant and could be successful. It could also be a complete mess.

Let's quickly talk Spanish entries and their gaffs of late: 2005 (bad choreography - odd backing people); 2006 (inappropriate chairs and performance); 2007 (fine); 2008 (joke song - joke didn't work); 2009 (good song - forced performance); 2010 (intruder + odd song); 2011 (strange song). Will Pastora become another Spanish statistic? Yep. It doesn't have any strike power and may get lost in the crowd.

2012 entry - BULGARIA: Love Unlimited - Sofi Marinova

DRAW: Semi 2 (8)

Bulgaria had a semi final of 22 songs to whittle it down to a final of 12. The final was held on February 29 and the winner was Sofi Marinova.

People like this song; it's modern, it has various words in languages that are not Bulgarian and it's got a good pace. Personally, I think it's dreadful. Her voice is irritating and the song is a repeat of something we've heard before. I'm expecting the same result as always from Bulgaria - left in the semi.

2012 entry - BELARUS: We are the heroes - Litesound

DRAW: Semi 2(5)

Belarus, like other countries, began making Eurovision-like noises in December. They planned a semi final and that resulted in a selection of five entrants in the final. These entrants had the choice of keeping their song or choosing from 'a pool' of approved songs. The winner of the Belorussian national final was Alena Lanskaya.

But something unprecedented and controversial happened: Alena was removed and the second place entry replaced her. Rumours about inconsistencies in the voting, the Belorussian president stepping in to make a decision and all sorts of other malachi which still comes to the same conclusion; there is no Alena Lanskaya and there will be Litesound in Baku.

Now, I have heard three versions of this songWe are the heroes.The first one must have been in the semi final because every now and again We are the cherroswas sung and I have no clue what that is. The second version appears to the more grammatically correct version, which I enjoyed quite a bit. The last version appears to be a sanitized watered down version that will do nothing for anyone. Hopefully, the live version is better.

2012 entry - SWEDEN: Euphoria - Loreen

DRAW: Semi 2 (11) 


Sweden holds the biggest of the national finals each year. Melodifestivalen is a six show extravaganza with 32 songs, 4 semi finals, and second chance contest and then a final which this year for the last time was held in the Globen Arena in Stockholm.

Loreen was in semi final one held February 4, which she won, and then waited for the final in mid March to take the crown for the representative of Sweden. This is not your average Swedish entry which sounds like a copy or a variant of an ABBA song. There isn't a colourful garment or elaborate dancing or the normal pretense we encounter with Sweden. It is a story of simple movements, a dark stage, and snow. (There had to be something, right.)

Sweden is the favorite to take out the ESC in Baku and I think that the song is going to be up there in the final. Favorites have faltered in the past, but I cannot see it.

They put Julia in a combi

SBS TV have landed in Baku; humourously they have also taken a Volkswagen combi also known as Karl the camper van, drove it/him from Germany to Azerbaijan. Good grief.

Let's go back a step - Julia Zamiro, born in France and now a the doyen of Australian TV (sort of) and Eurovision song tragic has the indignity to drive a camper van across Azerbaijan in preparation for this year's contest. Many Europeans will be familiar with Eurobeat: almost eurovision. Julia is the original Boyka. (Never heard of it - check this out: http://www.eurobeatthemusical.com/modules/mastop_publish/?tac=1)

Can she drive the thing?

Will she be traveling to the disputed territory near the Armenian border?

Will she be only in Baku?

What will she be eating?

Julia's two part Road to Azerbaijan will she shown on the nights of the semi finals. If you cannot wait, go to this site:  http://www.sbs.com.au/eurovision/ and click on videos.