Radio Free Järbo: maj 2017

Eurovision 2017

Don't Worry! Radio Free Järbo is here to help you wade through the murky waters of your Eurovision decisions. Known around the world for our razor wit and absolute superiority in musical knowledge (but poor track record of picking winners), we explain the songs to you and virtually tell you how to vote. Below is a complete list of this year's entries and what we think. We've done the work for you, so just follow our lead and your Eurovision voting is just that much easier!

How we rated the songs. To make it fair, each song was reviewed the same way so the sound and video quality was consistent. As we are a radio station first and foremost, we listened to each of the songs on an iPad with headphones, and without reading anything about the artists or watching the video. After each song, we immediately made notes about them. Then we listened to the songs again while watching the videos on a desktop computer. We then adjusted the notes if our opinion had changed or we had yet more snarky comments to make. We judged songs on the musicality of the melody (if there was one), the story the lyrics told, and the overall performance.

When the competition started, we watched it straight through. We made further notes with based on the on stage performance of each participant. Semifinal 1 was a disappointment with many of our favorites not making it through to the finals. Semifinal 2 was disappointing as well. We'll be live blogging through the finals, so tune in!

Albania. Lindita. “World” It has a nice beat, and the music is different, a bit mysterious. She has a good voice. I like the song which works well together with her voice, but she needs to control better the parts that need power. This really should go to final. Video detracts from the song, though. I liked it better just listening. Gunnar says dime a dozen, and that it is hard to understand her.
Semifinal 1: The night's first WTF dress. But, even though she did a good job of it, she's not going on.

Armenia. Artsvik. “Fly with Me.” Interesting beat, but terrible tune. Her voice is nothing special and she screams more than she sings in places. Send her home. Gunnar agrees, and says, “been there, done that.” I wonder, though, if she’ll keep the “I Dream of Jeannie” hairdo for Eurovision. Gunnar liked the Yankee braid rug on her forehead at the beginning of the video. I wanted to wipe my feet on it.
Semifinal 1: After seeing her on stage I decided I like her voice, but still hate the song. I usually like the mixture of folk and pop, but not in this case. She's in the final though.

Australia. Isiah. “Don’t Come Easy”. Sam Smith from Down Under. Song is not the best and I wish he had a better one, but it matches his good voice well, and the lyrics make sense. We would like to see him place in the top 10 in the final but, I am a little worried about how this will play on a large stage. Gunnar says Europe is going to regret having invited Australia. The song is really good.

Nominee: Cutest guy. (Those lips!)
Semifinal 1: It is a nice song, but I don't think he did it well on stage, or that the song does not work in that kind of arena. He went through to the finals anyway.

Austria. Nathan Trent. “Running on Air” Justin Timberlake running through the Alps in the snow. The beat is catchy and the song, which grows on you as you listen, is not all bad, even if a bit simple. His voice is really good for the song, which has a bit of an abrupt ending. Finals for sure. The scenery in the video is beautiful, although we were hoping for a “drop trou bums out at the summit” ending. It is sappy, Gunnar says, and he is not sure Nathan’s looks are enough to save it. In the end, it is a good, respectable entry of which Austria should be proud.

Nominee: Cutest guy.
Semifinal 2: This is a nice little song and he gave it all he had on stage, smiling the whole time he performed and in the green room. Let's see how he does in the finals.

Azerbaijan. Dihaj. “Skeletons” Really don’t like this song. At times her voice comes through well enough that you wish the song wasn’t so boring; it really needs more meat on its bones. All the electronics and back beat get in the song’s way and hers. Even when watching the video (which does nothing to help explain the song), our attention was wondering. Send her home.
Semifinal 1: Nope. Still don't like it. Europe did and she's on again on Saturday. Personally, I'm turning done the volume.

Belarus. Naviband “Story of My Life” I like their voices, and they sound really good together. The music is really different for sure, but I can’t say I love it, but neither do I hate it. At least they are having fun while they sing it, and that is infectious. Gunnar is not convinced. Nice camera work in the video, at least.
Semifinal 2: Exuberance to spare. I hope they have some more for the finals. That they were sent through was a bit of a surprise.

Belgium. Blanche “City Lights”. She has an interesting voice at the beginning, but the song just isn’t equally interesting to listen to. This boring song is not a good use of her voice. Gunnar says if you are going to channel Adele, you need more power. It just doesn’t deliver.
Semifinal 1: Apparently we are alone in apathy to this song, because for some strange reason, it is going to the finals.

Bulgaria. Kristian Kostov “Beautiful Mess.” The Balkan countries really can turn out some nice singers and I frequently like their entries in Eurovision. He has a really nice voice, but there are parts of the song where it is hard to hear him. The song itself is not my favorite, but he should make it through to the finals. Gunnar agrees, and likes the fact that all of the people in the video are in black.
Semifinal 2: Kristian gave perhaps the best performance of the night. How does someone this young have such great stage presence. I think he is a real threat on Saturday night for the Grand Final. (But I hate the hair.)

Croatia. Jacques Houdek. “My Friend” Not what I expected from Croatia, but not unwelcome. The beginning was so hokey, that I did not want to like the song, but it wins one over as it goes on. It is a little bit disjointed, however, and we are not sure if it is opera or pop inspirational. It should work well on the broadcast. Gunnar says it needs the visuals in the video to get the point across. It’s a nice song.
Semifinal 2: This difficult piece--a one person duet--worked well enough on stage technically, but I still wish he had song only one song in one voice. We'll hear it in the finals.

Cyprus. Hovig “Gravity” This song is a little bit like water torture, even though I know the heavy beat was on purpose for the “gravity” motif. It doesn’t work for me. It’s too bad because here is another good singer who needs a better song. Gunnar disagrees. The lyrics actually make sense for the song, and it works not watching the video.

Nominee: Cutest guy.
Semifinal 1: I thought for sure he would fall, but he's on his way to the finals. The staging was well done.

Czech Republic. Martina Barta. “My Turn”. OK, I am sucker for a nice voice with the piano, so she had me from the beginning. I really like her voice. The song isn’t bad, either, a good simple song that means something. Overall it is a nice package. Well done. Gunnar says she didn’t need to do the underwear ad for Maidenform in the video but we both hope she does well.
Semifinal 1: Her voice sounded really good on stage. It has a nice earthy quality that sets her apart from many of the women in the competition. But Europe chose to ignore that and not give her a turn at the finals.

Denmark. Anja “Where I Am” I just don’t like this song. It’s not bad, bad, but it’s not good, good either. I don’t think her voice is all that special or different. I hated the Emilie de Forest song as well, and she won the whole thing. So, I might be good luck for her by hating it. I still don’t like it. I can’t pretend to like it just so that she’ll lose, although it’s tempting. Gunnar says it’s formulaic, and she does a fine job of a forgettable song. We fear it will do better than we would have it. “They have low standards,” says Gunnar.
Semifinal 2: As Gunnar said, she did a fine job of a totally forgettable song. She is on to the finals.

Estonia. Koit Toome & Laura. “Verona” I like their voices individually and together, but, in spite of some interesting moments, this song lets them down. Their producer shouldn’t let them do the echo thing, which really detracts more than it adds. I think they’ll get lost in Kiev. Gunnar didn’t like the lyrics, which made him laugh (even though they aren’t supposed to be funny). Clearly, singers and composer are good, but not the lyricist. Too bad, we both think they could win it with a better song.
Semifinal 2: Best dress on the night (on her). They sang well, but the staging was not all that interesting.

F.Y.R. Macedonia. Jana Burceska. “Dance Alone” This is one of those songs where you think “I’ve heard this before, haven’t I?” I’m not a fan of a voice like hers. I think she’ll be dancing alone all the way back to Macedonia. Too bad, because I am a real sucker for the beautiful ballads that come out of the region. I also found I wanted to see the video with a different sound track. It is an interesting one, and very well done. Gunnar is speechless.

Nominee: Best video.
Semifinal 2: I'd rather dance alone than have to dance to this. The staging was just bad.

Finland. Norma John. "Blackbird" . What a captivating song—you stop to listen to her lovely voice and this unusual, melodic yet simple, tune. A nice way to spend three minutes. I like it; Europe will hate it. It should be up for the composer’s prize. The video is quite beautiful, even if a bit unsettling. Gunnar likes this unique entry, and not just for Nordic solidarity’s sake.

Nominee: Best video.
Semifinal 1: This song worked so much better on the big stage than we thought it would because her voice is so powerful and wonderful. The tune is wonderful and even live you heard every word she sang. Sadly, Europe did not see what a gem of a song this is and sent them home.

France. Alma “Requiem” Zut alors! French, and gasp, some English! This is pretty much standard issue for my taste. The French can do better than this. The refrain is really just bad. And French just doesn’t always sound good when sung this way. The video, however, is really interesting with the Spiderman dancers. How did they do that? It makes passing the time during the song easier. Gunnar: “Je suis d’accord.”

Nominee: Best Video

Georgia. Tamara Gachechiladze. “Keep the Faith” I kind of like the song, which could be the theme song for a James Bond movie where he goes undercover as a drag queen. She does it very well. It won’t change the world, but neither is it a waste of three minutes. Gunnar says good for her. She comes from a corner of the world where you might not expect to hear this message. She will do well.
Semifinal 1: We though she did a better job on stage than on her video and are disappointed she did not make it through to the final.

Germany. Livina. “Perfect Life”. There is something likable about the song, and with her voice. But there is a quality to both the song and the performance that keeps it from being great overall. It should do well. Gunnar says this is the best German entry in quite some time. (I’m not sure that’s a compliment.)

Greece. Demi. “This Is Love” This is a great song, that is, if you’re totally drunk, have had no sleep, it’s last call at the disco, and you want to get the attention of that cute wallflower bopping up and down against the wall, so he will dance with you—or more. Sober, and in the clear light of day, however, it’s pretty much standard issue. Gunnar says, that’s Eurovision, and for what it is, it is good. He thinks she’ll do well. I’m heading to the bar so as not to miss last call.
Semifinal 1: For my money, even two topless build dancers couldn't save this mess. Europe apparently fell for it and sent her to the finals.

Hungary. Joci Papai “Oirgo” I am not sure what to make of this entry. I really like the violin and the tune in places, but not the rap in the middle. (I’m just not a fan of that mixed with music and it is hard to appreciate good rap—or bad rap for that matter—when you don’t know the language). Is this folk music or rap? Give this one a pass. Gunnar wanted to like it due to Hungary’s track record in the past, but couldn’t. Does his name mean Papi Chulo in Hungarian?
Semifinal 2: I still would have liked it with no rap in the middle. The plaintive sound of the music is quite captivating, and the staging fit it well. I'll forgive Europe for sending this one to the finals.

Iceland. Svala “Paper” The refrain sounds like it could have been a song, but the rest is just metallic clunking. This just doesn’t congeal, and in the end you’ve got a colorful mess of goo. No thank you. Iceland can do better than this. Gunnar was too disappointed to comment.
Semifinal 1: Although her voice carried really well on stage, she deservedly got her walking papers from Europe.

Ireland. Brendan Murry. “Dying to Try”. This really nice song sounds more than a little bit Irish. It is well crafted and musically interesting, being it is three/four or six/eight time. His voice is just a little too “young” however, but I think will develop with age. Overall, though, this is one of my favorites, and would like it to win. But nobody votes for Ireland so I won’t get my hopes up. Gunnar says, it really is good, but it won’t be appreciated. It should be up for the composer’s prize.

Nominee: Cutest guy. He looks more than a little bit Irish.
Semifinal 2: The announcer on Swedish TV said he was waiting for the balloon in which Brendan was singing to take off. I was waiting for the song to take off. This is a beautiful song, but he just didn't sell it on stage. That's why he's not taking off for the finals. It's on my iPod anyway.

Israel. IMRI “I Feel Alive” Didn’t we dance to this at the disco in the late 90’s? It is not a bad song, just not original enough to stand out from the others. The almost klezmer part is fun, at least, as is the energy. I think the video is an advertisement for tea dance in Tel Aviv, filled with beautiful people. Gunnar says it’s good at what it does and should get fairly high in the ratings.

Nominee: Cutest guy.
Semifinal 2: That smile! Those arms! Those shoulders! Wait, did he sing? I guess he did because he's off to the finals.

Italy. Francesco Gabbani. “Occidentali’s Karma” I am not sure what to make of this. It is a lively song, and I like his voice, which is just right for a song like this. Italian sounds nice when sung (unlike French). But I still wasnot sure what to think about it. Then I watched the video, which has the text in English. Now that I know what he is saying, I like the song much better. Gunnar says, he looks fabulous and is having a good time; nothing else matters (but then again he’s half Italian and would say something like that).

Nominee: Cutest guy (those ears!)

Latvia. Triana Park. “Line” Hate the song. Hate the way she sings it. At least the beat is such you could dance to it, that is, if you can drown out the rest of it. The sad thing is that with a song that doesn’t rely on the electronic background effects, we might hear she has a better voice than this shows us. In the end, we’d rather dance to it than vote for it. But I suggest you don’t do either.
Semifinal 1: Absolutely the biggest WTF outfit., which was way out of line. Hate the song still and hated the staging. Just dreadful. Thankfully, she's out of

Lithuania. Fusedmarc. “Rain of Revolution.” There are moments in this song where you think it is going to break through and become something interesting. But it doesn’t deliver on that promise and leaves you wanting more, wishing the song writer made other decisions. Too bad, because Lithuanians can sing.
Semifinal 2: As bad on stage as on the video, with that Betty Rubble hairdo. And how does she wipe herself with those nails? Thankfully they're off home to Lithuania.

Malta. Claudia Faniello. “Breathlessly”. I like the way this song starts slow and builds, and she sings it beautifully. But it doesn’t quite become the great song I want it to be. Still, it is one of the best this year, and she delivers the kind of singing we expect from Malta. We hope she can carry it off in the large arena. The very interesting video is worth a look.

Nominee: Best Video.
Semifinal 2: No show, no gimmicks, just good singing. Brava! Too bad Europe didn't agree and sent her home. Speechless.

Moldova. Sunstroke Project “Hey Mamma” Eastern European Afro-Pop Jazz? Without the saxophone, this song would not be much. At the end of the day (or night), it is a bit of a mess, even if it is a fun likable mess. The soft core porn video is very colorful and helps explain this otherwise enigmatic song.

Nominee: Best Video.
Semifinal 1: Hands down the most fun entry to watch of the night. The energy in this brilliant staging is infectious, including throwing the bouquets at the end. With a better song they'd kill. I probably wouldn't have sent them to the finals, but don't mind that Europe chose to.

Montenegro. Slavko Kalezic. “Space”. I dare you not to even do a little bit of head bopping or foot tapping with this song. There is a lot of energy, and I really like the horns in the background. I’m not sure about the words, but it would be a fun song to dance to. Even the wallflower (see Greece) would come alive and this song would improve your chances with him. The soft core porn video (gay this time) is colorful, but confusing. What will he wear on stage? Will he wear anything on stage? Is that hair real or an extension?
Semifinal 1: This could have been a really fun song on stage but Slavko just did not deliver the goods. It didn't even sound like the same singer as in the video, and he may even have been a little flat. It's too bad because it could have been different.

The Netherlands. OG3NE. “Lights and Shadows” The Dutch Andrew Sisters, I think. I really like how their voices blend. Very well done and they have been given a nice song. They should place high.
Semifinal 2: I didn't know the meaning of this song until I heard the announcer talk about their mother and her illness. That explains the power and the joy in what they are singing. They were just terrific on stage and we are delighted they made it to the finals. They are one of the few "real singers" to make it through.

Norway. Jowst. “Grab the Moment.” It’s too bad the song writers forgot to write a tune, because the words are kind of fun. It’s a bit of train wreck, even if a wreck with no injuries or fatalities, maybe because the train was empty. Gunnar says this was too harsh. The song is fun and that’s what it is about.
Semifinal 2: I came around enough to like the refrain of the song, but don't find the rest of it all that musical or enjoyable. We'll see how well they place.

Poland. Kasia Mos. “Flashlight.” Just when I think I hate the song, there comes a part that is nice. The drama builds throughout which keeps your interest. But there is not enough of those good moments to end up liking it. Nice use of strings, though.
Semifinal 1: She sang the hell out of this not great song and that great performance earned a place in the finals.

Portugal. Salvador Sobral. “Amar Pelos Dois” Piano! A real song with real words! Gorgeous violin! He doesn’t have the nicest voice of all, but it is perfect for this kind of song. While it is much better than much else this year, Europe is unlikely to reward it. I like it. However, the video lets him down. His stage manner is jerky and off putting, which could detract from the musicality of the song. And that requisite Eurovison circular camera movement makes you dizzy. Let’s hope it works on stage for him.
Semifinal 1: I loved his performance and was so glad that the song worked in the arena. And, he made it through to the finals. Well done.

Romania. Ilinca ft. Alex Florea. “Yodel It” Electro-pop rap yodeling? Not my cup of hot cocoa. Too bad, I’d really like to hear them do something a little less disorganized. They could be a lot of fun with the right song.
Semifinal 2: This number has more energy than music, and while I don't like it, I can't hate it. I am sure the yodeling takes more vocal skill than we know. They are on to the finals.

Russia. This was a nice song, a little trite maybe, but enjoyable. But I was not enamored of her voice, for some reason. I’m not sure what that quality is that doesn’t work. Someone else should have sung this song. But as she has been dropped from the competition, I guess it won’t matter. I’m glad I heard her before that unfortunate decision was made.
Disqualified.

San Marino. Valentina Monetta and Jim Wilson. “Spirit of the Night” Peaches and Herb moved to San Marino? I am joking, they sound good together (and individually). The song is well written and holds together throughout. It should do well. Even Gunnar agrees.
Semifinal 2: We were wrong. They sang OK but didn't get into the finals.

Serbia. Tijana Bogicevic. “In Too Deep” While there are moments of this sounding like it will be a “standard issue” song, there is something enjoyable about it. I like her voice and it is strong without sounding like she is screaming (as many this year do sound). Hopefully she will do well. If you like shirtless men with muscles, watch the video.
Semifinal 2: Apparently, Serbia only had the budget for one shirtless man onstage. That could have been what kept her from making it to the finals. Personally, there are several other entries whose time at Eurovision I would have ended in favor of this one.

Slovenia. “On My Way” Omar Naber. What a nice voice he has, sort of a Slovene Josh Groban. The song sounds it could be a Broadway musical ballad to end the first act with a bang. What’s Ljubljana like in May? Will Europe vote for such a song? We’ll see if he’s on his way to stardom or on his way back home. The video is terrible; just listen to the song and don’t watch it. Gunnar liked it less than I did.
Semifinal 1: He can do this better. The sections of the song where he is singing lower and more quietly were hard to hear, as if he was whispering. But when he let loose, man can he sing! But alas, Europe didn't like it, and his turn at Eurovision is over.

Spain. “Do It for Your Lover” Manel Navarro. The beat is pleasant and bouncy and he sings the song well. He is a good enough singer that he doesn’t need all the electric bop bop bits. Gunnar says, “Tough call on how it will do.”

Sweden. Robin Bengtsson. “I Can’t Go On” Sweden should do very well this year with this nice entry. He has the right voice and style to pull this off, and has a polished stage presence in the video at least. It has a bit of that Eurovision “standard issue” (eller Södertälje slager fabriken) sound, but in the end is a cohesive enjoyable song.
Semifinal 1: It has nice staging, and the choreography and look work on stage. To the Finals.

Switzerland. “Apollo” Timebelle. Not my favorite, but I think Europe will vote for it, and she has a better voice than many others in the competition.. The song isn’t bad, it is catchy enough, but neither is it very different or original. (Låter som något Lisa Ajax skulle sjunga istället för skiten hon bruker sjunga.)

Semifinal 2: Best eyebrows of the night. She sang it with all she has, but the song is still just meh. Europe agreed it seems. Drummer was cute, though.

Ukraine. O.Torvald. “Time” I may have said this before: I like a good rock song. I may also have said before: this isn’t it. It’s not bad, it just isn’t that good. Time to move on to the next song. There is little hope of having Eurovision in Kyiv again next year.

United Kingdom. Lucie Jones. “Never Give Up on You” It doesn’t seem to much matter who the UK sends to Eurovision, how well they sing, or how good the song is; Europe doesn’t vote for them. This is a good song and she has a very nice voice. It’s not a show stopper number, but certainly worth more than the paltry number of votes the UK typically gets. Catty Christer Björkman from Sweden should take back his comment that the UK doesn’t take the selection process seriously. Not every country is going to stage a six week extravaganza like Sweden does. Besides, the UK has a Brexit to manage.

Radio Free Järbo Top 10 in Alphabetical Order:

*Australia

*Austria

*Bulgaria

xCzech Republic

xFinland

xGeorgia

xIreland

xMalta

*Netherlands

xSlovenia

Look, these are the ones you vote for, OK? Plus Sweden. Vote for Sweden.

And come back before the final, so we can tell you who to vote for in the final.

x = They did not make the finals. * = In the finals.

lördag, maj 13, 2017

EUROVISION 2017 LIVE!!!!!

söndag, maj 07, 2017

Eurovision 2017

Eurovision 2017