Welcome to Radio Free Järbo's Special Coverage of Eurovision 2016!
Here in alphabetical order are our results.
Albania
Eneda Tarifa
"Fairytale"
Although the song doesn't knock your socks off, there is something very pleasant about it. Endeda has a nice voice and you can hear her the words. The song itself has a James Bond movie beat to it in places and does draw you in. I am not sure the video adds anything more to the experience, even if it is colorful. The song should go to the finals, but will probably end up in the middle of the pack in the finals at best.
Armenia
Iveta Mukuchyan
"LoveWave"
While her voice fits this song, there isn't much song here for her to sing. Too much of the song is dependent on "wooo" sounds. The violin is nice, though. But in the end, it doesn't blend into something that you really want to spend much time with. Too bad, because the countries of the Caucasus can often have very good entries. The video was duller than dull trying to be dull.
Australia
Dami Im
"Sound of Silence'
Even though not officially in Eurovision Land, Australia has submitted this very Eurovision song. But hers is yet another nice voice wasted on a formulaic song. I think she'll get fairly far, however. The video was forgettable.
Austria
ZOË
"Loin d'ici"
We have nothing against a simple song like this one, with even a bit of a catchy beat. But her voice can't really carry it off convincingly. Loin d'ici is where she belongs, and I suspect she'll be loin de Stockholm on the night of the final. The graphics on the video is headache inducing.
Azerbaijan
Samra
"Miracle"
She's beautiful and has a good enough voice which will be heard in a large arena, and the song is OK, but it will take a miracle for her to do well in Stockholm. There isn't much here to separate her from all the other women in the contest with similar songs.
Belarus
Ivan
"Help You Fly"
The song is really quite different than many of the other entries, and we generally have nothing against voices like his. But this song just never takes off. The softer bridge is quite good, though too short. It is just that we don't feel this voice and this song work with each other. We would like to hear him sing something that works for the voice one day. Boy, do I want to cut his hair. Oh, and wolves are not flying creatures.
Belgium
Laura Tesoro
"What's the Pressure"
This is kind of a fun song with a catchy, almost infectious, beat, although we are not too fond of all the electronics in it. She sings it well (and dances well in the video), even if it would normally have a big, bitchy, disco diva to sing it. Even so, she does it really well, and in the end, the song is really fun. She'll get to the finals and place respectively.
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Dalal & Deen
"Ljubav Je"
The Balkan sound of this song, especially the strings at the beginning enraptures, but the rap bridge totally breaks the spell. We generally praise the "Balkan Balladeers," but this doesn't pick you up and hold you close like the usual Balkan songs do. Too bad.
Bulgaria
Poli Genova
"If Love Was a Crime"
Good songs and good voices don't need electronics. But no one told Poli this. She could do without them and this song might be better without the gimmicks. This song isn't a necessarily crime, but I hope the Eurovison voters lock it away after the semifinals. There are better songs out there.
Croatia
Nina Kraljić
"Lighthouse"
There is something interesting about this song, which is a little different than many of the others. The words mean something and you can hear them. But we are not wild about her voice, which reminds me of the lead singer of Cranberries, without the underlying richness. She can't quite do the higher notes as well. Still, overall it is not bad.
Cyprus
Minus One
"Alter Ego"
Each Eurovision needs a good rock entry. This isn't quite it. We think the voters will hate it. We don't hate it, but don't love it either. Interesting video, though; maybe Belarus can borrow the wolves.
Czech Republic
Gabriela Gunčíková
"I Stand"
The opening of this interesting song draws the listener in, and there are some lovely parts of the verse of this song. But the refrain detracts from the beauty of the rest of the song, leaving it not to live up to its full potential. She should get to the final, but I wouldn't expect a long list of 12 points. The video is visually rich, but ironically based on the title, she spends most of it on her back.
Denmark
Lighthouse X
"Soldiers of Love"
Cute Danish boys? OK, we'll enlist. We actually like their voices, and the song, while a little trite, is very catchy, bouncy, and fun. It's not a bad way to spend three minutes. They will get the crowd going in Stockholm, for sure. I think they'll go far in the contest.
Estonia
Jüri Pootsmann
"Play"
Estonia seems to consistently come up with great singers. Juri looks like he's all of 12, but has a very rich, almost Barry White like, voice, and that voice doesn't play. OK? Most of the song is good and original, although the refrain isn't really great. I'm not sure what the backup singers add, however, and would leave them out.
FYR Macedonia
Kaliopi
"Dona"
This is one of those rare songs that we liked better before seeing the video. We like how the song builds and her voice works in the song. The tune is catchy for a ballad and her voice is wonderful. It is nice to have a Balkan Balladeer in the running. She should not use the stage movements in the video during the competition, however, because I think it could ruin this nice song. Bitchiness aside, though, it is a very good song and we expect she will go far.
Finland
Sandhja
Although it has a very catchy beat (you can't help but tap your foot to it), and good accents from the horns, the itself song is standard issue, even for all the energy Sandhja gives it. She brings it up to good standard issue.
France
Amir
"J'ai cherche"
This is another song with a very catchy beat and great tune, but we are not sure we like the bilingualism--is this the entry from France or Canada? This is SO much better than many of the recent French entries, that it is almost a relief. The video, with its multilevel appeal for tolerance, is worth watching.
Georgia
Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz
"Midnight Gold"
We don't mind a little rock, and it makes a pleasant change from the rest of the Eurovision field. But we can't call this "a pleasant change." There are but one or two notes in the tune (or so it seems) so the experience of listening is a bit boring. It is, however, one of the songs where the abrupt ending due to the three minute limit actually works (or maybe it is because one is just glad the song is over). Georgia can do better than this. The video is one of the more visually interesting, made all the better by turning the sound off.
Germany
Jamie-Lee
"Ghost"
Surely Germany must have had an entry better than this to send--oh that's right, they did! Jamie-Lee just can't sing this song the way that it should be sung, but it is a boring song anyway, so maybe it doesn't matter. Who's scared now? Not her competition, we would think. Whatever she was wearing in the video should be burned.
Greece
Argo
"Utopian Land"
The strings and eastern sound at the base of this song is very interesting, as is the bridge in the middle, but the rest is lost if you can't follow the Greek rap throughout. It doesn't cohere in the end and isn't our favorite, however much we appreciate that it is different from the rest. The black and white of the video is well done, but even Greek beefcake can't save the song.
Hungary
Freddie
"Pioneer"
We really like his raspy voice, but this may not be the best song to show it off. The song has its moments, just not three full minutes of moments. It's too bad; he is as easy on the eyes as he is on the ears. We hope he is back another year with another song.
Iceland
Greta Salóme
"Hear Them Calling"
I think she got this song from Ikea in Reykjavik. There is really very little to make it stand out from all the rest, but it is serviceable. The graphics behind her in the video are very captivating and I hope they can replicate them in Stockholm. Even if they can, I suspect she will be going home shortly after the semi-final.
Ireland
Nicky Byrne
"Sunlight"
This song just grabs you from the beginning and won't let you go until the end. OK, the words were not written by Shakespeare, but they mean something, work with the music, and you can hear them. It could win the whole contest, or at least make the top 5, unless all of Europe has gone tone deaf.
Israel
Hovi Star
"Made of Starts"
We really love this song, the way it starts slowly and the way it builds. It doesn't need a lot of fancy graphics or electronic accompaniment. Hovi sings it well, even if we would prefer he enunciate the lyrics a little better. I hope the drones in the video were graphics; I would hate to think of the panic they would create in the skies over Tel Aviv otherwise. This is another potential winner, or at least should be. The I's have it this year (except for Iceland).
Italy
Francesca Michielin
"No Degree Of Separation"
We like a little "popera"and there is some of that in this nice little song. She has a nice voice that matches the needs of the song very well. It is not a winner, but is a very respectable entry that Italy can be proud of, in spite of the abrupt ending.
Latvia
Justs
"Heartbeat"
Despite the interesting beat, the song is a little sleepy. Justs gives this song his all, but in the end, the song itself gives very little in return. He deserves better material than this lukewarm electro-pop, which Latvians seems to like. Let's hope for his sake Europe likes it better than we did.
Lithuania
Donny Montell
"I've Been Waiting for this Night"
The Lithuanian entry is one we have come to look forward to hearing each year, as, like Estonia, they seem to have no end of great singers. The song is infectious, with words that make sense and you can understand, and it grabs you. But we wish his voice was a little more mature and mellowed. The video is one of the better ones, and not just because it has beautiful Stockholm in the background. Just which night has Donny been waiting for?
Malta
Ira Losco
"Walk on Water"
I really like Ira's voice; it has the power you would expect from Malta. But this song is all wet from start to finish. It just never congeals into anything you want to spend much time with. The video makes very little sense at all. It's a waste of talent.
Moldova
Lidia Isac
"Falling Stars"
There isn't much in this song to set it apart from every other Eurovision song. It even has the Eurovision drums at the end (boom, boom, boom). She gives a very good performance of the mediocre song at least.
Montenegro
Highway
"The Real Thing"
We aren't sure if this is the real thing, but it's something. It would be nice to have some good rock in Eurovision. Maybe one day it will come. For our money, Montenegro should stick with the ballads they do so extremely well.
Norway
Agnete
"Icebreaker"
Agnete delivers a patchwork of a song that doesn't cohere at all. It is like the songwriters went to Ikea in Oslo to buy the song and found, as is typical, there were parts missing when they started assembly. Rather than go back to the store, they put it together anyway with parts they had at home. So just when you think the song is starting to work, it changes course again. She creates a big presence on the stage with very minimal material. It's too bad.
Poland
Michał Szpak
"Color of Your Life"
What a nice song which is well written with the lyrics and the melody working to create the mood of the song, despite the abrupt ending. It is very well performed in the video, which has some nice cinematography. We like it and think it is a potential Top 10, even if we are still in love with last year's Polish entry video ("More tits. More butter!").
Russia
Sergey Lazarev
"You Are the Only One"
It seems the men in Eurovision this year have the songs that are the stands outs. Here is another song that has a catchy beat and is different from the rest of the standard songs. The beat of the song is very interesting, and draws the listener in from the beginning, as does his shirtless appearance at the beginning of the video. There may not be much of a tune, but he still gives his all with it. I think it is a Top 5, but don't know if it is the winner that Russia really hopes it will be.
San Marino
Serhat
"I Didn't Know"
The huge build up at the beginning turns out to be much ado about nothing. Why is Serhat talking? Did no one tell San Marino that this was a song contest not a poetry slam? The video has a nice production number but even all those people and the quite good back up singers can't save this train wreck. He's a bit of a character and a media darling, and that may help him.
Serbia
Sanja Vučić ZAA
"Goodbye (Shelter)"
One of the more musically interesting songs in the competition, it is well delivered by Sanja. Her voice fits it well, and she, the excellent back up singers, and the orchestral accompaniment let the song build throughout the three minutes. In the video, she looks like she is channeling Amy Winehouse, even though she doesn't have Amy's voice. She doesn't need it for this song. We've not yet forgiven Europe for not placing last year's entry from Serbia (Bojana Stamenov and her song "Beauty Never Lies") higher. Let's hope they give this year's entry from Serbia its due.
Slovenia
ManuElla
"Blue and Red"
While we are not big fans of this country and rock and pop concoction, we must admit this song is musically and lyrically well put together and she sings it extremely well. She has a very pleasing voice for this style of song. We like the costume "change" in the video and hope she does it on stage in Stockholm. We hope she makes it through to the final and is well rewarded for the effort.
Spain
Barei
"Say, Yay!"
While at times a little disjointed, and with lyrics that are not literary in the least, the very infectious beat in this song will save it from getting absolutely not points at all. The video had too many scene changes and was headache inducing.
Sweden
Frans
"If I Were Sorry"
Because it breaks the mold of the typical Eurovision song, this entry stands out for its uniqueness. Frans delivers the song well and you can really hear the words as he sings them, making the words, music, and mood a coherent experience. We hope that he sings it only the once at the final won't be a disadvantage. His is probably the best video.
Switzerland
Rykka
"The Last of our Kind"
While it has a few good musical moments, it is basically a good time to take a three minute nap or use the bathroom. It is nothing different or special, but at least is isn't totally awful either. Let's hope this is the last song of its kind from Switzerland.
The Netherlands
Douwe Bob
"Slow Down"
The Netherlands has sent another Nashville inspired song, to some degree, and it works. Much as I found myself wanting to hate it I couldn't. The beat, tune, and words draw you in, and the singer sells the song very well in the end. It is not a winner, but should place high in the finals. The video was very fun to watch.
Ukraine
Jamala
"1944"
Let's take a step back on this one and just talk about the song for a minute. It is not my favorite song musically, and much of the lyrics cannot be understood, even those in English. But Jamala sells the emotion in the song to the degree that you almost want to cry with her. Therein lies the political furor that has come about since Ukraine announced the entry. The song conveys the pain of the Ukraine over the loss of territory and lives. Is Eurovision the right place to work out that pain? Maybe it is. Maybe art has always been used to work through pain and suffering, as well as joy. Maybe "coming together" has to include hearing that which you may not like hearing, even if you feel it is undeserved. Our only regret is that it is not a better song and performance. Then the politics of it would be harder to find issue with.
United Kingdon
Joe and Jake
"You Are Not Alone"
We like this song with its catchy beat and upbeat tune, which is just right for the singers' voice. They blend really well. Ok, the words are not from the best of English poets, but the song coheres into a full three minute package without an abrupt beginning or ending.
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar