Retrospective Reviews 2011: C to G

By Jaz, June 21, 2011

CROATIA

My favourite national finalist: This one

Song: Celebrate

Artist: Daria Kinzer

Result: 15^th in semi final

My favourite lyric: “Shine like a comet in a musical galaxy”

The best bits: I do love a costume reveal! Croatia gave us a whole bunch, alongside a pretty catchy, thumping, synthesized number, which thankfully in the end told us to Celebrate with every step we take, rather than Break A Leg (ouch!).

The other bits: Since Croatia finds it hard to advance whether they go for something parochial or not, I’d rather they did. Take a note from Bosnia, my friends: an ageing superstar in a checked dinner jacket who stomps and waves his arms in the air, is charming. A perfectly adequate woman forced to share the stage with a DJ/magician who seems to lack the ability to walk properly…not so much.

I give the song: 7

I give the vocals: 8

I give the performance: 5

Points for Croatia: 7

 

CYPRUS

My favourite national finalist: N/A

Song: San Angelos S’agapisa

Artist: Christos Mylordos

Result: 18^th in semi final

Reminds me of: Molitva by Marija Šerifović

The best bits: Cyprus injected some much needed ethnicity into the 2011 contest with this haunting ballad. The general opinion of it is reflected in its lowly position, but I for one see it both as one of my favourite (and goose bump inducing) entries, and one of the slickest performances of the year. Am I alone in thinking it deserved to qualify?

The other bits: I will admit that the sudden wailing and clanging that kicks in about a minute in to the song is a Cyprus-shaped element trying desperately to fit in to a round hole. I don’t mind it now, but the song would’ve benefited from toning it down a notch…preferably by telling the ball-swinging lady to zip it, and just swing her ball.

I give the song: 10

I give the vocals: 10

I give the performance: 9

Points for Cyprus: 12

 

DENMARK

My favourite national finalist: Drømmen by Jeffrey/Sleepless by Anna Noa

Song: New Tomorrow

Artist: A Friend In London

Result: 5^th

My favourite lyric: “…did we forget how to live, to dream and what it all means?”

The best bits: This was the first song that had made the word “WINNER” pop up in my brain. Obviously, I was wrong (my other predictions were also incorrect). But I still think it sounds like one – it’s anthemic, sing-along, and not 100% scandal free, which gives us fans something to talk about…as if anyone remembered that Melodifestivalen song from a gazillion years ago before AFIL “plagiarized” it.

The other bits: I don’t think this is a song that stands out on sound alone, and so I think a classy gimmick of some variety (that excludes monocles and super-sized boxing gloves) would have made the live performance a little more interesting.

I give the song: 8

I give the vocals: 9

I give the performance: 7

Points for Denmark: 8

 

ESTONIA

My favourite national finalist: This one

Song: Rockefeller Street

Artist: Getter Jaani

Result: 24^th

Gimmick: Counting the beat, 2-3-4-5…ah, I mean 1-2-7-3

The best bits: After testing the water with something alternative in 2010 and stepping on a jellyfish, Estonia retreated somewhere shallower this year with a generous slice of mainstream pop. It reminds me of Azerbaijan in the sense that, whilst I just can’t love it, I appreciate how beautifully constructed it is.

The other bits: I am secretly pleased that this only made 24^th place, because I never ‘got’ it – got the hype surrounding it that made it one of the early favourites. Maybe it didn’t deserve to be that low, but Getter’s dodgy vocals both in the semi and final make it fairer for her to have ended up on the right side of the scoreboard.

I give the song: 7

I give the vocals: 5

I give the performance: 8

Points for Estonia: 7

 

FINLAND

My favourite national finalist: Good Enough by Father McKenzie

Song: Da Da Dam

Artist:Paradise Oskar

Result: 21^st

My favourite lyric: “I’ll walk my way to see the King and parliament. If they don’t help I’ll do it by myself”

The best bits: I hated this when I first heard it, and wasted many a precious minute of my life muttering about how it was the poor man’s Tom Dice entry. But…it turns out Paradise Oskar was a grower, and now I’m more likely to skip Tom on shuffle in favour of PO. A pertinent message, an adorable guitarist wearing a biodegradable shirt and a bloody massive LED planet – what more could you want?

The other bits: Is this not the strangest opening song of a final EVER? Humble does not set the tone for Eurovison. Not that drawing the 1^st slot was Finland’s fault, and not that being humble is a bad thing.

I give the song: 8

I give the vocals: 10

I give the performance: 9

Points for Finland: 10

 

FRANCE

My favourite national finalist: N/A

Song: Sognu

Artist: Amaury Vassili

Result: 15^th

Gimmick: The world’s youngest tenor doing popera

The best bits: God bless you, France, for bringing some serious eye candy to Düsseldorf! And a pretty good song too. But such eye candy! In all seriousness, France also changed their tune quite literally from last year by taking us from Africa to Corsica. I loved Allez Ola Olé, but I really like this dramatic, lushly arranged effort as well.

The other bits: Something just wasn’t right with Amaury’s voice on the night of the final, and consequently no amount of sunset graphics, military jackets or artfully tousled locks (sigh) could disguise it, since we’re all aware of the stellar set of vocal chords he usually possesses.

I give the song: 9

I give the vocals: 7

I give the performance: 7

Points for France: 7

 

GEORGIA

My favourite national finalist: This one

Song: One More Day

Artist: Eldrine

Result: 9^th

My favourite lyric: “Another forbidden sensation, one more emotional flare, down with the fake hesitation”

The best bits: An electric and energetic performance fromGeorgiawas offset by outfits that made Verka Seduchka look demure by comparision – despite the fact that Eldrine did win the Barbara Dex Award for the worst-dressed artists this year. I can’t admit that I know the words to the chorus off by heart, but I still get a kick out of head-banging and yelling something along the lines of “na dada nah nah nah fire! I’m hmmhnahanahathere!”.

The other bits: The beginning makes me think MaNga. But the rest fails to conjure up the unwavering adoration I had/still have for Turkey’s recent runner-up. I don’t think it’s quite catchy enough for a rock song to appeal to me, as a hardcore pop-tart.

I give the song: 7

I give the vocals: 9

I give the performance: 10

Points for Georgia: 10

 

GERMANY

My favourite national finalist: Push Forward by Lena

Song: Taken By A Stranger

Artist: Lena

Result: 10^th

Gimmick: A winner defends her title

The best bits: Was Germany deliberately trying NOT to win this year? Maybe, but there was a lot more thought put into this entry than you might think, if that were the case. I love the fact that I can’t classify it, or compare it to anything else I’ve heard before. It’s mysterious, lyrically curious and stands out. It’s also got a high-class video clip and a live performance that tuned the arena into a smoky underground club and blew me away! (I’m also a little enamoured with Lena’s onesie).

The other bits: I was going to say that the darkness of the song doesn’t suit Lena as much as the sunshine-and-rainbows sound of Satellite…but it actually does. So I’ve really nothing to go on. Claps for you, Germany!

I give the song: 9

I give the vocals: 9

I give the performance: 10

Points for Germany: 10

 

GREECE

My favourite national finalist: I Don’t Wanna Dance by Nikki Ponte

Song: Watch My Dance

Artist: Loukas Giorkas feat. Stereo Mike

Result: 7^th

Reminds me of: Cyprus– a song that tries to blend two very different sounds

The best bits: This is yet another grower, a song that I despised three months ago but now chalk it up as another triumph for Greece, who just cannot seem to put a foot wrong in Eurovision these days. It’s also another song that defied expectation via a cracking live performance.

The other bits: I still think the Greek elements are the better ones, and that if Stereo Mike had hopped on his Stereo Bike and ridden away before the national selection, Loukas would have done a fine job on his own.

I give the song: 8

I give the vocals: 10

I give the performance: 9

Points for Greece: 10

 

COMING UP: H to L!

Jaz x

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