Eurovision Song Contest 2015: Semi Final 1 Preview

I wish I had thought of that!

Here is the long awaited Radio Free Järbo Preview of the First Semi Final for the Eurovision Song Contest.  We know that our fans around the world look forward to our pithy commentary, known to be spot on accurate, and even a little bitchy.   

Here's how we did it.  We first listened to all of the songs without looking at the country name or the video.  Then we watched all the videos and heard the songs again.  Before writing, we listened one more time through for accuracy.  We also glanced at the artist profiles.  

Don't worry, we will have commentary on the second semi-final as well as well as those going direct to the finals.  And be sure to watch this space during the Grand Final of Eurovision because we will have the results of the New York jury LIVE!

Agree.  Disagree?  Leave a comment at the end, but we think you'll find it hard to disagree.  

Albania
Elhaida Dani
"I'm Alive"
This song has a catchy beat, which mixed with the little bit of Balkan sound makes it even more interesting. She has a nice voice, and can use power when the song needs it,  but also sings softly for added effect. Albania has had good songs and singers in the past for Eurovision, but gets shafted in the voting.  C'mon Europe.  Send Albania to the finals this year for once.

Nominee: Best video:  It has beautiful production values and compelling to watch.

Armenia
Geneology
"Face the Shadow"
This song, while nice, feels like a song from a Broadway musical that I haven't seen. The structure of the song is a little messy and that makes it hard to listen to and yet, something about it makes you want to anyway.  They have nice individual voices that do not really work well together, the whole being less than the some of its parts.   (Armenia chose the song then chose the singers.)  They need to do some work on their English enunciation, which they hopefully can do while they get ready for Vienna.  It probably should languish in the semis but will probably go on.  

Belarus
Uzari and Maimuna
"Time"
It is a pretty good dance song, which, while not the most unique,  has a good beat and good underlying structure. I like his voice and the violin in background.  The video is a little cliche with the hour glass and all, and Dr. Spock from Start Trek wants his ears back. 

Any straight men
readers? 

Belgium
 Loïc Nottet
"Rhythm Inside"
I wanted to like it especially with the promising beginning but it didn't deliver in the end. "Rap bap bap"as lyrics does not work for.   I am not sure what the song is supposed to mean.  The video is interesting, but it doesn't make me want to like the song more, even though I am a usually sucker for a guy with big pecs taking a selfie.  It should not go to the finals, but I think the "cute boy" factor (he is a cute boy, after all) will come through and he'll squeak by into the finals.  Pity, as some better song will get bumped.

Denmark
Anti Social Media
"The Way You Are"
I guess the folks at Denmark TV do not want to host Eurovision again.  They've sent two kind of bad songs in a row, not that we liked Emilie Jävla de Forest either.  The song maybe could work if reworked a little.  It falls a little short.  Either way,  it really, really needs a better lead singer.   I like the idea of a catchy tune and sort of 50's quality backed up by the way they dressed on stage in the video.  I don't think it should go to the finals, but that's the way I am.

Estonia
Elin Born and Stig Rästa
"Goodbye to Yesterday"
Wow.  This could be the theme song to a James Bond movie.  I like beat and that it is a little unique.  Plus in the video, you can really hear the words; I hope they can keep this up when singing live. Estonia's got talent.  They are not Ott Lepland but I think they should go forward into the finals. 

Nominee:  Best Video.  I like the sexy video, even though has too many onions and blood.  Gunnar wondered if Mercedes paid for product placement. 

FYR Macedonia
Daniel Kajmakoski
"Autumn Leaves"
I liked the song when I first listened, and then the video sold me on it.  He has a nice voice and you can really hear the words, and get the story.  The song itself is well written even if not special or unique.  It is still very nice.

 Nominee:  Best Video.  Very clever use of animation.

Finland
Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät
"Aina Mun Pitää
I am not a fan of hard rock, and basically hate the song.  But the country of Finland has gone up highly in my esteem for sending this group to Eurovision.  They are really attempting to build bridges.



Georgia
Nina Sublatti
"Warrior"
The nations of the Caucuses usually have excellent entries in Eurovison. This song is an exception. It should be full of power, but has a screamer rather than a singer.  It would be nothing without the electronics in the background.  Anyway, only Linda Carter is Wonder Woman, with or without a crown. And what is it with snakes in videos this year? She is in danger of not going to the final. She absolutely shouldn't.



Greece
Maria Elena Kyriakou
"One Last Breath"
I like the song itself but it sounds like she is singing while out of breath.  She needs to be able to do it better than the preview video if she wants to go far in Vienna.   Hopefully she can give it what it takes on stage in Vienna when it counts. The song deserves better (usually we say the artist deserves better).  Gunnar says the confetti in the video are Greek IOU's.

Hungary
Boggie
"Wars for Nothing"
I like this simple tune, with simple words that you can hear because of her nice voice. She blends nicely with the background voices and they all fit the song.   I worry that it all will be hard to hear in a big arena at the show and that the song's simplicity, a major factor, will get lost when surrounded by the other big productions.  Bravo Hungary.

Moldova
Eduard Romanyuta
"I Want Your Love"
This song has a really nice catch, no infectious,  even if it a little bit of a late 90's dance club throwback (but then again, we had fun then, didn't we?).  Not the most lyrical words but they weren't written by a classical poet, were they?  The video is very sexy, but I did not realize that the Moldovan police wore the US flag on their sleeves.  This may make it into the top 10.  I might have been smitten.

Nominee:  Best Video.   Just a couple of steps away from soft core porn.

Netherlands
Trijntje Oosterhuis
"Walk Along"
She sings this well constructed song very well, and she has the right voice for it but it is not a show stopper.  It could get her into the finals, anyway.  Although I don't know why-eye-eye-eye-eye.  Will the guy in the video be on stage as well? It might help.  I suspect he has the words to the song tattooed on his chest.

 Romania
Voltaj
"De La Capat/All Over Again"
There is something I like about the song.   The tune is nice, almost haunting, and the words fit it.  However, I wish their voices  were just a little bit better.  I am not sure I like bilingual bit in the video and hope they pick one or the other language for Vienna.  It works in either one.    The video makes the point of the song more clear and is poignant, and I hope they find a way to make this point on stage.  

Nominee:  Best Video

That's the Russian flag,  Right?

Russia
Polina Gagarina
"A Million Voices"
I like the upbeat song, although there is irony in a Russian representative singing about diversity.   I will admit she has a good voice for the song.  Still the song is fairly well constructed even if a bit run of the mill.  There is, however, very little to set it apart from other songs on its ilk.  To get votes outside of the "Eastern Block" countries, the song would have to be much better than this.  I don't think she's headed for the finals.  I don't think there are a million voices out there that want to vote for it.

His beauty ain't lying either.

Serbia
 Bojana Stamenov
"Beauty Never Lies"
This is a song that grows on you.  I like the energy, and I like her big but controlled voice.  While the electronics are a bit of a throw back to gay bar songs of the 90's (we had fun then, too) it has a nice beat, is danceable yet meaningful, and fun to lip sync to.  Schlagerbögs around the world rejoice!   I adored the original video; it had me smiling and laughing throughout.   I don't know why they changed it.  I want it for the iPod as soon as I can get it and I want, no demand, that is ends up in the top 10 in the final, maybe even the top 5.  Vote for this song. 

We are working on the preview for the second semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest and will have it posted in a few days.  Come back and see what we have to say about that lot!