Saturday, May 16, 2009

Can you feel the rhythm in my heart?

I wasn't planning on writing anything until Eurovision was over, but I had to make a few notes in the middle of the contest:

Thank goodness Sweden sorted out the backing vocals. I'm still not expecting the song to do very well, but I got my goosebumps back--they reminded me why I love the song.

Iceland's song has been connecting with me when performed live in a way I never expected based on the national final or the studio version. If there's a ballad I want to do well, it's this one, I'm starting to think.

The real reason I had to jot something down quickly: I've yet to mention my deep and abiding love for Germany's entry here. It's usually the non-Swedish or Norwegian song I play the most in studio and, if it's having a good day, can be just the song I play the most, period. I know, I know, I'm crazy, but I LOVE it.

I really like Turkey's entry, too. It is part of the whole post-Helena Paparizou trend, but it's a great example of it (and I don't always fall for this type of song--see Armenia's entry last year not properly connecting to me).

Speaking of semifinal one entries, I still like Romania and Finland's songs, which have yet to be performed tonight.

I'm expecting the UK entry to do way better than it deserves to do and I'll be hoping Bosnia doesn't win--I want to like the song, as by rights a revolutionary-sounding pop-rock song should be exactly the sort of thing I love, but it never becomes truly stirring.

7 comments:

Robpop said...

I wasn't gonna spend any time writing about ESC this year...but whatever...

Big shocks for me:

Soraya: Great vocals. Perhaps a bit too much make-up. Perhaps Azerbaijan stole its thunder. Perhaps right at the end hindered its success.

Norway: its not that good.

Sweden: She was terrible. She can hit high notes but can't sing the normal notes! Completely off the mark. Weird. Most singers worry about those big notes at the end of the song....yet she couldn't do the verses. And the stage...the dress was terrible. Sweden has its heart in the right place. But always picks the obvious loser. Fredrik Kempe must be prevented from sending a song in. They just dont work.

Ukraine: thought this would do a lot better. It had everything.

Germany and France must be perplexed. How can shit like Inga & Anush do so well.

Songs way over hyped and deserved their positions: Denmark, Malta, Greece & Finland

D'luv said...

Doll, I'm SO out of it as far as Eurovision this year. I'm awaiting a full report from Poster Girl!

Anonymous said...

Sweden really sent the wrong song this year.
It should of been Agnes or Manz :(

Baffled the UK did so well with that bland rubbish.

By the way ive just heard 'Carolina Liar' debut album which has some Max Martin tracks and its very much like The Script meets Erik Hassle with a bit of twist of The Killers.
'Last Night' and the rather festive? 80s? sounding 'Califronia Bound' were my favourites on first listen, the whole albums great stuff though.

Conor
x

Mr. Will-W. said...

i think many are surprised at the underdog stealing the show this year. it sucks badly we don't get it televised in canada :(

Len said...

Just read in aftonbladet that Christer Björkman asked Arash to consider entering MF next year if Azerbaidjian did well, and now Arash says he definitely wants to compete for Sweden in the future, as soon as next year if it works out.

D'Luv, call me. I have the Eurovision show from both Spanish television and Swedish, can burn you a copy if you want...

RV said...

readinf your comments I just notice my Myspace blog is featured nearby in the blogs you list and I had to thank you for that : I really appreciate, for being a regular reader of yours ...I've just published a full review with full results of the Eurovision night on it but it is all in french, sorry : I felt lazy :)

RV

Poster Girl said...

Robpop, it's strange about Spain...they chose to go in that spot because being at or near the end tends to help entries. I really did think it would do better, even if I think Soraya has much better songs than her entry. Yup, agree with you about Malena on the verses vs. the choruses. Not directly related to that, but though I thought at the time the change in MF rules to allow recorded backing vocals and eight people on stage might be a good idea, it really backfired--getting the song to come across like it did at MF just couldn't happen. Even more than that, though, I was surprised that Sweden selected a song which in its style and performance was characterized by one of Charlotte's main problems: a sense of aloofness, of coolness (and I don't mean "in style").

Robbie, I'll be doing one soon!

Conor, it would have been interesting to see how a young performer with a more energetic, engaging style would have done. I still haven't listened to more than Carolina Liar's current single, but with your review I should probably at least check on iTunes previews for the rest of the album.

Will, wait, with Eurovision? What underdog? Or are you talking about Idol? I really wish the former was televised here in the U.S.--it would make the experience so much more fun.

Len, your tip about it turned out to be a good one! I wonder if Sweden would vote for an entry with that sort of flavor...still, I'd welcome him in the contest.

RV, it's a very well-deserved link! After your review, I've been meaning to say something about Emmanuel Moire on here, but keep getting caught up in other things.