Eurovision 2019: Abbreviated Song Reviews

Armenia  

Srbuk: Walking Out 

Strong chorus, weaker middle section. Srbuk gives a dynamic performance. Likely to be one of the casualties from semi-final 2, though.

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Austria

Pænda: Limits

Kate Bush meets Ellie Goulding. In any other environment, this would do well - but the Eurovision Song Contest doesn't feel like its natural home. Perhaps too delicate for the competition and another entry that could fail to qualify.

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Azerbaijan

Chingiz: Truth

Contemporary, catchy and radio-friendly. Combines ethnic flavours with modern Western sounds. Likely to qualify easily and, if there's any justice, climb high on the left-hand side of the scoreboard.

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Belarus

Zena: Like It

Typical Euro dance-pop delivered by a pretty young singer and which should bring the stadium to life in Tel Aviv. Whether that will translate to enough votes to allow it to qualify is debatable. Generic Eurovision fodder, though. Borderline qualifier.

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Belgium

Eliot: Wake Up

Another credible entry from Belgium although Eliot's vocal sounds rather laboured. It feels as if the song is about to take off but then suddenly stalls, the chorus somehow not rescuing it. It's good, just not spectacular. Likely to qualify, but could struggle at the Final.

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Croatia

Roko: The Dream

Roko sings The Dream well and the song possesses a stirring chorus. Nevertheless, it sounds like a failed national final entry from the 1980s. Got to hand it to Roko though, he has the balls to wear a pair of ridiculous wings. Sadly, they only add to the overall out-of-date whiff of stale cheese. Non-qualifier.

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Cyprus

Tamta: Replay

Cyprus continue the club theme already offered up by last year's Fuego. In some respects, it is a better example of the genre with its brass riffs and mesmerisingly catchy chorus. This should perform very, very well but it could hinge on the staging and Tamta's live vocal abilities. Easy qualifier and could finish in the Top 5.

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Denmark

Leonora: Love is Forever

One of the early front runners, Denmark has dipped back in the betting. Not surprising, really. The song is way too twee, formulaic and safe. Leonora is a little difficult to watch as well. Sitting on a oversized chair/platform high above the stage, I'm not sure if her fixed stare is from the fear of falling or the fear of failing. Very borderline.

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Finland

Darude ft Sebastian Rejman: Look Away

House music come to Eurovision courtesy of the highly successful DJ/record producer. If you've heard his Sandstorm then you kinda know what to expect. Unfortunately, this is way too repetitive but could still qualify from a weaker semi-final 1 (or from his credentials, alone). Can't see it doing too well in the Final, though.

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Georgia

Oto Nemsadze: Keep On Going

Already touted as the entry that will be stuck to the bottom of the scoreboard when all is sung and done. It goes without saying that Oto may have an uphill struggle to garner many votes - particularly from the public. The song is a dark, dramatic ballad sung at full tilt - there's no denying Oto has a set of lungs on him - but the song may suffer from being TOO ethnic as well as TOO difficult to love (and comprehend)! An easy non-qualifier, I feel.

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Greece

Katerine Duska: Better Love

Compelling voice, compelling vocal and compelling production. Co-written by Fame Academy winner David Sneddon, Better Love feels as if it has a Top 10 finish about it. As long as the ideas behind the video translate well to the Tel Aviv stage then Greece can expect a ton of votes. Compelling (of course!)

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Hungary

Joci Pápai: Az én apám (My Father)

Joci returns to Eurovision with a mid-tempo ballad that captures elements of Hungarian folk music. Enhanced by his plaintive vocal, the song relates the joy and sadness of his boyhood memories. It's one of the few entries to be sung in a native language, thus could accomplish a reasonable result. Joci achieved ninth in 2017 and this latest effort could do as well or better.

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Iceland

Hatari: Hatrið mun sigra (Hatred Will Prevail)

One of possibly two entries with its own USP (possibly Portugal as well). BDSM techno/punk comes to Eurovision and it has really divided listeners/viewers. Very much a Marmite song, Hatari try to deliver shock visuals - writhing women in chicken wire together with sex shop rubber gear - alongside snarling shouty vocals over an, admittedly, irresistible backing rhythm. Entries with bizarre USPs tend to do well these days, although how the more conservative voters in Eastern Europe will react is anyone's guess. Could do very, very well or fall flat on its face!

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Thanks for reading!

Viszlát nyár / AWS / Hungary | Review

AWS: Will Eurovision voters embrace Hungary's metal?

Rock and its many sub genres have never been among the most successful styles of music to grace the Eurovision stage. Quite possibly, the competition's archetypal (and most popular) example is Finland's 2006 winner Lordi - but that act probably won more for the accompanying visuals than for the song itself. Consequently, metalcore band AWS is going to have its work cut out when it takes to the stage for Hungary with its powerful, out of control anthem, Viszlát nyár (Goodbye Summer).

AWS certainly seem to fit the 'angry young man' attitude that defines their modus operandi. Many of their previous videos have used familiar faces interposed with images of violence in order to highlight global problems. The lyrics to Viszlát nyár do not seem to follow this trend, however - apparently relating the woes of a broken heart rather than a broken world, only in an aggressively defiant way. No sugar-coated romance ballad here.

It's satisfying, then, that The Eurovision Song Contest can be open to all kinds of musical expression. Unfortunately, the majority of the audience is not so embracing, particularly when it comes to the less commercial, less melodic forms of rock music. One previous example is Max Jason Mai who represented Slovakia in 2012. Don't Close Your Eyes finished last in its semi-final mainly because most of the voting audience closed their ears.

Personally, this type of music is not my thing either. Then again, I also don’t enjoy many of the boring middle of the road songs that are dished up year on year. Not every entry is ever going to be to my taste, much as those I like will be despised by others.

The problem here is that while AWS will get attention for being musically spectacular, the votes for them will generally come from people professing a sense of musical solidarity. For better or worse, the bulk of voters are likely to ignore them and ultimately Goodbye Summer will turn into Goodbye Eurovision.

Image by MrSilesian (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Hungary 

Artist: AWS

Song: Viszlát nyár 

Semi-Final 2 | Second Half

Eurovision 2016: Review: Hungary: Freddie: Pioneer

Freddie: Heading for the Eurovision final?

In a year when former finalist the Kállay Saunders Band was considered a shoo-in to represent Hungary at the Eurovision Song Contest, the honour to wave the Hungarian flag in Stockholm instead fell to relative unknown Freddie with the song Pioneer.

He is yet another product of a reality TV singing competition, this time Hungary's version of the international television franchise, Rising Star.  Finishing fourth, he subsequently released the 2015 domestic hit single called Mary Joe which led to his participation at A Dal,  Hungary's platform for its Eurovision selection.

Pioneer managed to top the scoreboard in Heat 1 of the competition, as well as becoming the clear winner of his semi-final. Following an assured performance in the final, Freddie took the crown with points to spare.

It's perhaps not surprising as Freddie and his song are something of the 'full package' when it comes to Eurovision these days. There's as much - if not more - attention to the visuals as there is to the song, and Team Hungary can expect points galore on both fronts.

While Pioneer is hardly ground breaking, it does hold your attention throughout its entire duration. From the subliminal whistling technique at the beginning to the driving, anthemic chorus, it possesses a belting melody which quickly grabs your subconscious. You soon find yourself tapping your foot and humming along as if you've known the song for a long time.

In Eurovision terms, that's a winning formula. If you add into the mix a particularly photogenic singer along with an unusually athletic drummer, then there should be nothing holding back viewers from voting in their droves.

What might cause a few problems, particularly with the juries, is Freddie's tendency to get carried away with his vocals. His voice is gritty and strong, but at times he's inclined to shout and veer off key - a likely rationale for downgrading his points total.

What influence, if any, this has on his chances of a reasonable placing on the scoreboard is yet to be determined, but given that Pioneer and its singer have a lot in their favour, it wouldn't be a surprise to see it finish with a very respectable score.

What do you think?


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Review: Hungary: Eurovision 2015 | Boggie

Boggie will battle it out in Vienna with Wars For Nothing (Image: Instagram)

For the past several editions, A Dal, the Hungarian Eurovision national final, has thrown up some potent contenders at the Contest. 2015 appears to be another year in which Hungary could score well, this time with its entry Wars For Nothing, sung by Boggie.

The anti-war song is nothing new at the Eurovision Song Contest. Over the decades, the message has been presented in many, many ways - some banal, some solemn and some hopeful. Probably the most successful of them was Germany's ode to world harmony, Ein bißchen Frieden (A Litte Peace) by Nicole, winning the Contest in 1982 during the height of the Cold War.

Wars For Nothing is a completely different kettle of fish, though. While Nicole offered an upbeat and hopeful interpretation of prospective global goodwill between East and West, Boggie's somewhat understated and melancholy rendition reflects the uncompromising nature of today's still-localised conflicts.

Ultimately, the song doesn't say anything new or truly inspiring, particularly with dour lyrics such as, "Do you know our earth is a mess, All the wars for nothing, it never ends".

What steers the entry away from the notion of impending doom is the simple presentation by Boggie and her cohorts. In some ways, the staging at A Dal was very old-fashioned, but it certainly complemented the subject matter of the song. In Vienna, I feel that it's the visual interpretation that will either help this entry pull in the points or condemn it to the ranks of an also-ran.

It's unlikely to be the winner, but in a year when female ballads currently prevail, this twist on the genre may place the song as highly as Hungary 2014.

What are your thoughts?

Eurovision 2014: Hungary, Latvia and Spain Decide

Three Eurovision national finals were completed this past weekend and now we have the 2014 songs that will represent Hungary, Latvia and Spain. Another entry was also revealed, as the internal selection from (FYR) Macedonia was presented on local television.

With so many shows to choose from, you really have to be an expert at dipping in and out of all of the video feeds provided. As I'm not one, I decided to stay with Spain's show for the evening. Only five songs in the presentation and one of them was a personal favourite, so TVE's show was a must-see.

The quality of songs from Spain this year was above average, but the winning ticket eventually came down to just two of them. My preferred choice (and that of the Spanish jury) was Brequette's Más, but the telephone vote favoured Ruth Lorenzo's Dancing in the Rain. Consequently, there was a tie. In this situation, the public's wishes prevailed and the latter became Spain's entry for Copenhagen.

Among the already announced songs, it's one of the better entries, but I don't feel it's strong enough to win. The presentation of the ballad on Saturday evening was very "shouty", although Ms. Lorenzo does usually have a fabulous voice. Her vocal ability will, no doubt, impress the juries in Denmark when the time comes, but this Disneyesque type song tends to get ignored by the public. Having said that, it should get high marks from the UK, where the singer is most recognisable from her stint on The X-Factor.

Over to Hungary 

Meanwhile, in Hungary, eight songs were featured in the A Dal final, of which four were pushed through to the Super Final by an expert jury. It was up to the Hungarian public to pick the winner and it ultimately chose Running sung by András Kállay-Saunders.

Now, this one I like - very much. It has a solid, contemporary soul/R'n'B vibe going on and is a song that you could easily see climbing the music charts around the world. Although there is a story and a message within its lyrics, it's extremely radio-friendly and is likely to appeal to both a young and more mature audience alike.

Depending on its presentation and execution on the night, we could very well be listening to the winner right here. Budapest 2015?

Heading North to Latvia

Dropping in at the Dziesma in Ventspils, Latvia was like moving from the sublime to the ridiculous. I must admit that I didn't hear all twelve of the songs in contention at this national final, but having heard the winner it was perhaps for the best. This time, twelve were whittled down to three for a Super Final. The 50/50 combination of jury and televoting gave the win to the group Aarzemnieki with the song Cake to Bake.



Much like Switzerland and Malta, Latvia have chosen a group and song that will try and charm votes out of viewers. Unlike those fellow entrants, Cake to Bake's jaunty, campfire feel is more likely to extinguish any hope that Eurovision 2015 will take place in Riga.

In fact, the instrumentation is probably the only thing that this effort has going for it. The vocals are pretty bad and the lyrics worse. Not even Mary Berry could help this entry rise to the occasion!

Is your favourite Eurovision song amongst these?

Eurovision 2013: Hungary: Kedvesem

In what seemed like a marathon national qualifier, Hungary finally chose the song Kedvesem sung by ByeAlex as its representative at Eurovision 2013.

About ByeAlex

ByeAlex is a relative newcomer in Hungary and by all accounts was not even expecting to qualify from the rounds of his national final. However, journalist Alex Márta fought through and won the televote in fine style to secure his place in Malmö.

Song Review: Kedvesem

This understated foot tapper has become one of my favourites in this year's competition. The general consensus is that because the song is sung in Hungarian, very few will be able to relate to it. This should not define whether a track is good or bad. My thoughts are that it's a simple, somewhat childlike melody that is as catchy as all get out. 

The problem is that if I like a Eurovision song, then generally the rest of Europe doesn't. I know it won't win, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will qualify. Looking at its semi-final, it may just squeak through.

Hungary perform in twelfth place (out of seventeen) in the second semi-final on May 16.

What do you think of Hungary's chances?

Image: Promotional photo

Eurovision 2012: Hungary, Iceland, Norway Decide

Three nations decided upon their representative songs for Baku yesterday, with Hungary, Iceland and Norway each completing their National Finals.

1. Hungary has chosen the group Compact Disco, a name which sent up red flags to begin with, but having heard the song, it's not what one might think. The entry is Sound of Our Hearts and the recorded version sounds pretty good. However, the live vocals were a disappointment, so they're going to have to get those sorted out before their semi-final.

As for the song, think of sub par Gary Numan and Ultravox circa 1981 and you'll get an idea of the content. It's not bad, but it's not that great: 6/10.
(Listen here)

2. Iceland's winner is Gréta and Jónsi singing Mundu Eftir Mér, which Google Translate tells me means Remember Me. Iceland generally have no trouble in choosing a decent song for Europe and this year is no exception. This time the island nation serves up a male/female duo with fine voices. Backing singers enhance the feel of the song. In fact, the entry has a very dramatic atmosphere to it, with some Celtic sounding violins added for good measure. It wouldn't be out of place at the Irish National Final of, say, fifteen years ago. Hoping for an English version. Nevertheless, good song: 8/10.
(Listen here)

3. Norway has chosen the song Stay sung by Iranian-born, minor TV personality Tooji. If you remember Sweden's Eric Saade from last year, then you have got a pretty good idea what to expect here.

Tooji is almost a carbon copy lookalike to Saade, but while his song Popular had an almost instant hook, Stay does not have that appeal. Yes, it's an electronic-style dance tune with some Middle Eastern styling (no doubt included to appeal to the host country and its immediate neighbours), but I can't see it being as popular as...Popular: 7/10.
(Listen here)