All of this year’s songs have been selected, which means it’s time to start the countdown (cue Final Countdown) for the 2014 edition of our beloved Contest. I’ve only heard a couple of songs before writing this (p)review as I wanted to simulate the sensation of the regular viewer. Curious to see how thàt will turn out? Me too…
HUNGARY
The Song: I’m not a huge fan of mixing very slow verses with an upbeat chorus but the interaction between both sets the mood beautifully and I ADORE the fact that we finally get a shot of drum’n bass in Eurovision – LONG overdue. Not overly keen on the theme of the lyrics, gets too dangerously close to being overly sugary, especially in the verses, but the pace of the chorus makes up for it. I don’t know what the Hungarian television are doing but they have got to pass the recipe on to the rest of Europe as this is the third brilliant Hungarian entry in a row.
The Voice: apart from the fact that he goes a bit off track in the last ten seconds this is a very confident vocal performance – I love how the soul sounds in his voice give this entry an extra dimension. The falsetto bits are to die for.
The Performance: Please keep it as straight forward as in the national final. Just let the music take the audience on a ride, no bells and whistles required.
Checkpoint DIMI:
Daring? On a musical level, yes
Intriguing? On a musical level, yes
Modern? On a musical level, yes
International? Most definitely
In one line: Now this is the kind of Running I dó like, Ell & Nikki…
PERSONAL TOTAL: 87%
PREDICTION: If there is any justice in the world this will come top three on Saturday, if not win the whole damn thing. And I see no reason why it shouldn’t (except for those last ten seconds, of course). Are you calling your accountants yet, MTV?
ICELAND
The Song: Musically this puts the FUN in funk, as if funk needed that to begin with (which brings me to the question: why aren’t they called Pollafönk instead of Pollapönk?)! Love the energy here, this makes me want to get up and shake my groove thang. And it even brings a message to the table which isn’t the old bore that is world peace. Bringing the same message as the Austrian Wurst come to think of it, but in a *slightly* different package…eum…way. Equality is an excellent subject to sing about at ESC, especially if it’s wrapped in the shiny paper that is called humor. Adore this.
The Voice: As if the song isn’t funky enough we get the guys spicing it up even more – which of course is exactly what this entry needs to really come across.
The Performance: Do not mistake this for an anti entry, these guys know very well what they’re doing. The colored track suits are a simple but brilliant idea to get the message across visually and the way these guys don’t take themselves TOO seriously makes it work even more.
Checkpoint DIMI:
Daring? It’s a genre that hasn’t come up a lot at ESC yet, so perhaps
Intriguing? As a message: sure
Modern? The way they sell it is
International? That’s kinda the whole point, yes
In one line: Colors of the world, spice up your life!
PERSONAL TOTAL: 84%
PREDICTION: Qualifying with ease, tickling the top ten on Saturday. If Europe gets the message this might even be a dangerous outsider. If.
IRELAND
The Song: That verse sounds só promising, with the pumping electrobeat leading up to what you think is going to be a fantastic hypnotizing chorus…and then it falls flat on its face. You can just hear the songwriting team go: “hów can we make this more Irish?” SUCH a disappointment! This could have been great, now it just sounds a bit forced. If only they’d have gone full out on the electronics.
The Voice: An adequate singer, that Can Linn. Or is it Kasey Smith? Who’s who here? Anyway, she manages to keep herself upright in the low ànd the high parts but somehow she doesn’t really stick. Or perhaps I’m just too distracted by the ‘traditional Irish elements’? (rolls eyes)
The Performance: As if the rather forced Irish elements in the production weren’t enough. What on earth are those Riverdance rejects doing there? It just doesn’t fit at all. AT ALL. #annoyed
Checkpoint DIMI:
Daring? Could have been.
Intriguing? Could have been.
Modern? Could have been.
International? Could have been.
In one line: This needs a major revamp if Ireland wants to avoid last year’s disappointment.
PERSONAL TOTAL: 52%
PREDICTION: I wonder if Europe will be as #meih about this as I am. Can’t see this doing very much I have to say. IF this gets out of semi 2 (which I doubt) it will be nowhere on Saturday.
CURRENT RESULTS
- Hungary 87
- Iceland 84
- Armenia 83
- Austria 77
- France 75
- Germany 75
- Finland 73
- Albania 72
- Estonia 72
- FYR Macedonia 68
- Belgium 65
- Azerbaijan 61
- Ireland 52
- Denmark 50
- Belarus 42
- Greece 18
- Georgia 0
Dimivision 