#i hope he will be in the top-3 like sunstroke project

[lobeliamaximoff]

ok I need their collab now

[therealvinelle]

Hi! My ask is a top 3. Top 3 favorite books, favorite songs and favorite movies. I would also like to know the last book you read, last song you listened and last movie you watched. Not for any particular reason, just want some recs lol

Oh this is a fun one!

Favorite books

I take it back, choosing three isn't fun at all.

Agatha Christie has had a little too much influence on me as a person to not get the number one slot. If I had to choose one of her books, let it be The Mirror Crack'd. Jason Rudd showing Miss Marple in to see his wife whom he just mercy killed in her sleep and Miss Marple reciting Tennessee as a eulogy was deeply formative for twelve-year-old Vinelle.

Philip K. Dick, specifically A Scanner, Darkly if I must choose

Les Misérables. Like Christie, it impacted me too much not to make the list.

Favorite songs

In the interest of giving you recs, I think I'm going to give you repeat songs that I will never grow tired of.

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda, when the vibe is right for this one it's just right

Venom by Eminem, somehow my favorite Eminem song and I can't figure out why. I just really like what he does with the rhymes in this one and the song is always, always perfect for whatever I'm doing at the moment.

Drøm Hardt - Requiem 1 by Kaizers Orchestra, which surprises me too because it's not one of their flashier songs, but it also isn't one I ever skip when I'm listening to them. It's just nice. All of Kaizers is nice, every so often I remember the fact that I have tickets booked for their reunion tour and the sun shines just a bit brighter.

Favorite movies

Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai, directed by David Lean. Yes, these are two different movies, but I love them equally and they are weirdly the same movie in that exactly the things I loved about Lawrence are there in Bridge, meaning I have two movies with these wonderful things. Possibly three, if Doctor Zhivago is as good (same director, overlapping cast) as I hope it'll be.

The Silence of the Lambs starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. It's just the best movie in the world, the pinnacle of feminist filmmaking to the point where I was very surprised to find out it wasn't classified as a chic flick.

Unforgiven starring, produced, and directed by Clint Eastwood. You should watch a few 50's and 60's Westerns first, but I'm a snob when I say that - really you can just sit down, giddy up and enjoy a beautiful movie about elderly cowboys who angst about what it means to take a life.

Last book, song, movie

Book: I've just barely gotten started on Ursula le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness, however I keep getting distracted so this could take me years. Or a weekend if I get the mania.

Song: No singular ones (unless you count me currently blasting Kaizers Orchestra to determine which of their songs to recommend) I've been abusing my Eurovision playlist lately... The Sunstroke Project, Vesna, Go_A, and so on. Oh and uh Hamilton. Violently unsexy but so very catchy, one might even say I'm helpless.

Movie: Halfway through Remains of the Day, I'm at the part where the lord of the house asks his butler to explain the birds and the bees to his adult godson.

[hissyfitprincess]

My Thoughts On The First Semi Final of Eurovision 2017

1. The hosts this year are definitely not as entertaining as Måns and Petra (the hosts last year)

2. The stage this year is beautiful!

3. I have mixed feelings about the opening performance this year. The song wasn't my favorite and I still think the best opening performance was in Eurovision 2015, but there was a certain part of the song that the stage did this cool effect, and I thought that was awesome to watch.

4. Jamala (the winner last year) performed twice in the show. Her first song was a redone version of her winning song, "1944", and the only changes made to it was that the song was made to sound more dramatic. Her second song, "Zamanyly" was...different. The background effects were strange, and the song was something you don't hear every day. However, I will admit, her voice was amazing.

5. Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On The performance was nearly identical to the National Final performance. The song itself is fun to listen to, and reminds me a bit of Justin Timberlake. The stage effects were great, and the fact that he and the background dancers spent most of the song dancing on treadmills were fun to watch.

6. Georgia: Tamara Gachechiladze - Keep The Faith I don't like this song. I never did. It was a fairly nice, stong ballad, but it wasn't a song for Eurovision. I will say, the stage effects were pretty, and her voice is pretty. BUT...that outfit was not flattering. It was similar to that Britney Spears bodysuit that made her look like she was naked, but covered with diamonds. Think of that outfit, but replace the diamonds with sparkly ketchup. That was Tamara's outfit.

7. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy I'm slightly disappointed with this one. I LOVE the song, but his vocals weren't up to my expectations. He tried to sound better by adding extra flair to his voice, but it didn't work out for him. At one point, he tried to hit a high note. Ugh....no. That was not a good choice. I know I sound biased, but this performance was nothing compared to Dami Im's "Sound of Silence" from last year's Eurovision. And yes, I'm still highly upset about that.

8. Albania: Lindita - World Again, I have mixed feelings. She has a great voice, but the song just didn't do it for me. I liked the stage, though! For the first half, the stage looked like a giant clock, and then transitioned to having a bunch of clouds and flying ships. I don't know how I feel about her costume though. She looked like a disco ball with a wedding veil on.

9. Belgium: Blance - City Lights I'm worried for her. I don't like the song, but after watching her perform, I want to see her do well. She was so nervous. You could see the fear in her eyes and towards the end of the song, her voice was shaky and sounded like she was about to start crying.

10. Montenegro: Slavko Kalezić - Space I was disappointed. He wasn't terrible, but it wasn't on par with my expectations. The song is super fun to listen to and the stage was awesome, but his voice wasn't that great. However, I could not get enough of what he looked like. Picture a flamboyant, muscular, bearded white dude wearing a transparent shirt, black sparkly pants, and his hair tied in a braid the length of Rapunzel's hair. Oh, and that braid? He was swinging it around! This would've been a perfect performance, and was one of the main acts I was looking forward to, but his voice just wasn't there.

11. Finland: Norma John - Blackbird Absolutely amazing. Loved it. It was a depressing ballad with barely a beat, but her voice was powerful and sent a chill up my spine. During the song, all you could see was her singing and the guy on the piano, surrounded by fog. It may not be the kind of song for Eurovision, but it was still a beautiful. Its the kind of song that'll make you start thinking about exes you don't even have.

12. Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons This. Song. Holy crap. Her voice was powerful, and the props on the stage were interesting as hell. You have her surrounded by giant chalkboards that she was writing on at one point, and later on in the song, the chalkboards became platforms that she sang on top of. Also, there was also a guy standing on top of a ladder wearing a horse mask.

13. Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar Pelos Dois This song wasn't my favorite, but I can see why everyone loved it. This guy sings a song in Portuguese in a high pitched, hushed tone, which sounded absolutely adorable. It reminded me of old school Disney movies.

14. Greece: Demy - This Is Love Again, mixed feelings. I find this song bland as hell. It's just a boring, unchallenging love song with an EDM beat to it. She didn't hit a lot of the high notes of the song (which weren't even that high in the first place), and overall I just wasn't feeling it. I will say, the performance was indeed better than a lot of the other ones. Not to mention, who wouldn't like seeing two shirtless guys splashing around in a kiddie pool while a woman sang about love?

15. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight I don't have a lot of things to say about this one. I didn't like the song, and I missed a lot of it due to real life things happening that forced me to leave my computer for a few minutes. I will say, her dress was alright and the stage was pretty.

16. Moldova: Sunstroke Project - Hey Mamma Here we go...for all of you who remember the "Epic Sax Guy" meme, he's back for round two. The band consists of four guys who were all dressed in tuxedos, then you have three female backup singers wearing white dresses. Yes. They had a wedding on stage. Plus, the women's dresses started off as short white dresses with black bottoms, but at one point the singers did a little twirl, and the outfits transformed into wedding dresses. Definitely, one of the best performances today.

17. Iceland: Svala - Paper I wasn't a HUGE fan of this song during the months leading up to the contest, but it grew on me at the last minute. It's slow, powerful, and the artist says the song is about Anxiety. The performance, however, had me a bit worried. It was elegant, but simple. She wore a white pantsuit with a cape that blew in the wind. Not amazing, but I like it.

18. Czech Republic: Martina Bárta - My Turn It didn't do it for me. The song was nice, but boring. The stage was a pretty purple color, and her outfit was a pantsuit made out of a material that looked like bronze tin foil.

19. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity It was...alright. Wasn't a huge fan of his outfit, which was black pants, a black shirt, and a black jacket that looked like it was decorated with pearls. The song wasn't amazing, but the stage effects were interesting.

20. Armenia: Artsvik - Fly With Me SHE CAME THROUGH! I'M SO GLAD! The song was great, her voice was AMAZING, the stage was gorgeous, and the choreography was cool! They did a lot of those moves that you see in Indian dancing, where it looks like she had six arms. And the end of the song blew me away! The only thing I don't understand is why her outfit looked like the top part of it was made of chain mail.

21. Slovenia: Omar Naber - On My Way I liked the song. It was dated, but still interesting. A power ballad with strong vocals and a bunch of key changes. He wore a sparkly black tux, and the stage had a bunch of spinning spotlights on him. I also like how the song is about someone running away.

22. Latvia: Triana Park - Line What the hell was she wearing? Her hair was a lavender color with two golden pigtails on top. Her outfit looked like it was decorated with a bunch of giant zipper, and the stage made you think you were at a rave...on acid.

COUNTRIES THAT QUALIFIED FOR THE FINALS 1. Moldova 2. Azerbaijan 3. Greece 4. Sweden 5. Portugal 6. Poland 7. Armenia 8. Australia 9. Cyprus 10. Belgium

COUNTRIES THAT DID NOT QUALIFY 1. Albania 2. Czech Republic 3. Finland 4. Georgia 5. Iceland 6. Latvia 7. Montenegro 8. Slovenia

23. I was really hoping Finland, Iceland, and Montenegro would've made it, so I was furious when they didn't.

I wanted Finland to qualify because the song was beautiful. However, like i said before, it wasn't a song for Eurovision. Because of that, I'm not surprised.

I felt Iceland truly deserved to go to the Grand Final. I guess people in Europe don't agree with me.

Montenegro not making it pissed me off! His song was one of the most fun songs this year! But as I watched the performance a second and third time while I was writing this post, I can understand why the performance wasn't good enough.

25. With the first Semi Final out of the way, I'm looking forward to the second one on Thursday. I'm expecting Anja (Denmark's singer) to blow me away. Please don't let us down!

[while-my-tardis-gently-weeps]

Eurovision 2016 vs 2017

.So I’ve been re-watching Eurovision from past years to get me over my PED (Post-Eurovision Depression), and I thought I’d do a comparison of this year’s songs against ones from last year, inspired by Eurosong’s post here.

Here goes:

Albania: Fairytale vs World - To be frank, I’m rather ambivalent on both songs, but I went with “World” because of Lindita’s incredible voice.

Armenia: LoveWave vs Fly with Me - Armenia always does well, and it’s not hard to see why, looking at these two songs. Neither are really my cup of tea, but I connected a bit more with “LoveWave.”

Australia: Sound of Silence vs Don’t Come Easy - Isaiah did his best, but not many can compete against the vocal tour de force that is Dami Im, and Isaiah certainly isn’t one of them.

Austria: Loin d’ici vs Running on Air - Even though both songs are quite average, the decision between the two songs are actually quite easy for me because I was completely won over by Nathan Trent’s charm, charisma, and sheer enthusiasm. And that music video, now that’s just cheating. Scenery porn at its best. 

Azerbaijan: Miracle vs Skeletons - DiHaj wins this hands down. It’s contemporary, edgy, catchy, and modern (albeit slightly marred by mystifying elements in the staging; still don’t know what the horse head is all about). Miracle, on the other hand, is, I’m sorry to say, just boring. 

Belarus: Help you fly vs Historyja majgo zyccia - This one is another no-contest: Naviband of course, undoubtedly. Not only was it sung in Belarusian, it’s also a little piece of absolute joy condensed into around 3 minutes of music. As for Ivan’s “Help you fly,” there’s something wrong with the whole production if the only memorable thing about it is the outlandish gimmick. 

Belgium: What’s the pressure vs City Lights - Perhaps against common sense, I’m going to call this a draw. I appreciated City Lights for being a contemporary song with a distinct sound, one that is completely unlike the usual Eurovision fare, but I also thought it was vastly overrated. My regard for “City Lights” only decreased further after I saw live performances of it because there’s not much stage presence and charisma to speak of coming from this one, really. On the other hand, “What’s the Pressure” might be beyond dated, but Laura’s confident, lively performance definitely made it a lot more enjoyable to sit through than, if I dare say, this year’s “City Lights.” Now, if Eurovision were a radio show, the result might be quite different but as it is, I’m for “City Lights” in terms of the song alone and “What’s the Pressure” in terms of the whole package. 

Bulgaria: If love was a crime vs Beautiful Mess - Another hard one, but this one because both songs are so good and well-deserving of their high placings. I like both, really, but I love “If love was a crime.”

Croatia: Lighthouse vs My Friend - “Lighthouse,” definitely. Mad respects to Jacques for pulling off those Jekyllesque vocals,  but “Lighthouse” is definitely the better song, both objectively and subjectively speaking. 

Cyprus: Alter Ego vs Gravity - The latter, but only barely. Possibly because “Gravity” is more recent and I remember it slightly better as a result. 

Czechia: I Stand vs My Turn - Both are quite dull, but I found Gabriela to be the better singer.

Denmark: Soldiers of Love vs Where I Am - Do I have to chose between 90s boyband raised from the dead and every single X Factor winner song ever? Okay, Anja’s the better singer so I guess it goes to her. 

Estonia: Play vs Verona - The former for sure. It’s not increasingly grating upon each repeated listen, for one. 

Finland: Sing it away vs Blackbird - I still have extremely strong feelings about Norma John’s non-qualification. Gorgeous song, excellent vocals, dark, atmospheric staging, they’ve done everything right. I just don’t get it. Last year’s NQ, on the other hand, was only to be expected. 

France: J’ai cherché vs Requiem - The French delegation definitely knows what it’s doing, choosing two stellar Nazim Khaled songs in as many years. Both are great songs, but personally I’m a lot more partial to Alma’s “Requiem.” Especially the lyrics: “Des amours meurent, des amours naissent/Les siècles passent et disparaissent/Ce que tu crois être la mort/C’est une saison et rien de plus (Love dies, love is born/Centuries pass and disappear/What you believe to be death/Is nothing but a season).” Just exquisite. 

Georgia: Midnight Gold vs Keep the Faith - I hate myself slightly for choosing “Midnight Gold” really, because that was 3 minutes of my life that I can’t get back. Unfortunately, not much more can be said for “Keep the Faith,” despite my respect for Tamara’s vocal prowess, and at least the former sounds a little different...? 

Germany: Ghost vs Perfect Life - At least nothing about Levina and “Perfect Life” is absolutely offensive to me, which is a lot more than I can say for the former, starting with the bargain sale Kyary Pamyu Pamyu imitation fashion. If anything, parts of “Perfect Life”’s lyrics actually quite tickle my fancies. 

Greece: Utopian Land vs This is Love - I don’t like either, but Utopian Land gets some brownie points for being different. And those high notes in the live version of “This is Love” is just tragic. 

Hungary: Pioneer vs Origo - I love both songs, but went for “Origo” because of the use of Hungarian, the unique sound, and the emotional delivery. I still wish he did away with the rap section though.

Iceland: Here them calling vs Paper - Both lovely songs that I wished I could have seen in the finals. I connected with the latter song more though.

Ireland: Sunlight vs Dying to Try - Nothing to remember whatsoever vs. average song that is nonetheless memorable because of Brendan Murray’s unique voice (though not necessarily favorably so). But hell, Brendan nailed those notes during his performance in the Semi so kudos to him I guess. 

Israel: Made of Stars vs I Feel Alive - “Made of Stars” by a country mile. Hovi Star’s soulful performance was mesmerizing, whereas I still think Imri got through largely because of the running order. 

Italy: No degree of separation vs Occidentali’s Karma - Italy is my favorite Big 5 nation, and one of my favorite countries overall in Eurovision. They’ve always sent outstanding entries since their comeback, and the past two years were no different. I have great love for both songs and both singers, but that said, this one is actually one of the easiest decision to make out of this whole list. In fact, “Occidentali’s Karma” is my favorite out of all the songs from both years. The combination of catchy pop tune and deep, philosophical lyrics offering commentary and satire on Western materialistic lifestyle and cultural appropriation puts it leagues above most of the songs in this set. 

Latvia: Heartbeat vs Line - “Line” doesn’t stand a chance against the great Aminata, especially when you add Justs’ passionate performance to it (he’s no Aminata either, but he’s still pretty good). 

Lithuania: I’ve been waiting for this night vs Rain of Revolution - What happened to you, Lithuania? How did you go from the glorious Donny to...I don’t even know how to describe this? If I wanted to see Pikku Myy in Eurovision I would have gone for Elina Salo, thank you very much. 

Macedonia: Dona vs Dance Alone - I guess, because Kaliopi is a much better singer.

Malta: Walk on water vs Breathlessly - Because I actually remember how the song from last year goes. 

Moldova: Falling Stars vs Hey, Mamma! - Sunstroke Project wins this hands down. It’s a simple song, but what a enjoyable one, and what a performance! Congrats to them for giving Moldova its best placing in the finals.

Montenegro: The Real Thing vs Space - Surprise, surprise. What can I say though? The guy at least has guts for donning helicopter braids. 

Netherlands: Slow down vs Lights and Shadows - Objectively speaking, I actually think “Slow down” is probably the better song of the two, but I despise country music and always had a soft spot for well-done vocals (being a huge choir geek myself), which the latter has in spades with their stunning harmonies. 

Norway: Icebreaker vs Grab the Moment - I love both songs, and I’ve always been partial to the Norwegian entries ever since I was introduced to Eurovision with Alexander Rybak’s “Fairytale.” I’m quite close to calling this another draw, really, but I’m in a more “Grab the Moment” mood today.

Poland: Color of your life vs Flashlight - Both are average songs (though the former’s lyrics are a lot less dire), but Michal sells it a lot better with his emotional performance and gothic-chic style. I still quite like Kasia’s voice, though. 

Romania: Moment of Silence vs Yodel It! - I’ve only listened to the studio version of the former, but I think “Yodel It!” wins this round. Listening to it always make me happy, and you’ve got to give them credit for making the unholy combination of yodelling and rapping work, and work well on top of that. 

Russia: You are the only one vs Flame Is Burning - I’ve got to admit, I was kind of pleased that I didn’t have to sit through “Flame Is Burning” with the travel ban and everything. Now, let’s hope Russia wasn’t serious when they said they are sending it to Portugal next year... On the other hand, while “You are the only one” is very dated as a song in and out itself, Sergey and the Russian production team definitely performed the hell out of it.

San Marino: I didn’t know vs Spirit of the Night - Because “I didn’t know” is slightly more tolerable. 

Serbia: Shelter vs In Too Deep - Another easy pick. “Shelter” is both local and contemporary, and carries a message that packs an emotional punch and connects with you on a humanitarian level. 

Slovenia: Blue and red vs On My Way - Because “Blue and red,” while average, is at least not annoying.

Spain: Say yay! vs Do It for Your Lover - Surely this one requires no commentary or explanation? Just give each song a listen.

Sweden: If I were sorry vs I Can’t Go On - Time to be honest: I hated both songs upon first listen. The thing is though, “If I were sorry” actually grew on me little by little, to the point that now I’m only ambivalent about it, whereas “I Can’t Go On” simply got worse with each repeat. 

Switzerland: Last of our kind vs Apollo - Timebelle wins this hands down, even after they traded the gorgeous red dress and classy staging of the national finals with that bizarre Belle meets Big Bird meets Hercules eyesore. Now, I actually do think I would have liked “Last of our kind” a lot were it sang by a more competent singer, but Rykka’s vocals were grating at best. And the less said about those weird movements she made on stage, the better.

Ukraine: 1944 vs Time - Heartfelt ballad that touches you to the core vs clear sign Ukraine doesn’t want us back next year, to borrow Graham Norton’s words? No contest here. 

United Kingdom: You’re not alone vs Never Give Up on You - If you asked me this question before rehearsals started, I would have said “You’re not alone,” hands down. But Lucie Jones (and the BBC production team) made “Never Give Up on You” shine, to the point where you (almost) forget it’s nothing more than a paint-by-numbers ballad that’s been done to death already. 

The Tally:

Class of 2016 - 21 vs. Class of 2017 - 20 (1 draw not included)

[johnlockismyreligion]

EUROVISION 2017

This is my personal ranking of all the entries of the competition. Mind that this is just my opinion, based on my personal music taste and the fun level of the song, because I think that at Eurovision having fun is important, so all the boring ballads won’t be in my top ten, sorry.

It’s not even a ranking about “who I think will win the competition”, but rather of my favourite songs (Clearly, I don’t think that Cyprus has chances to win, but I like the song).

Where available, I put a link to the live version of the song as, you know, they’ll sing live in Kiev, and this is quite different from the recorded version of the song. Some singers are good on record, but haven’t a voice powerful enough to impress on stage.

Under a cut, ‘cause this post is very long and I don’t think you want my musical rant on your dash.

I wanted to be fair, so I didn’t included my Country, Italy, in the ranking, but honestly I think we have a good chance this year, even if the cut version is worst than the original one (Francesco’ song is 3’38’’ long, and the limit for Eurovision is 3’). Besides, I’m really proud that Francesco will sing in Italian in a sea of English songs… C’mon people, shouldn’t it be a festival to celebrate diversity? So why are y’all singing in English?

42) Lithuania - Fusedmarc, Rain Of Revolution Ugh. I tried to listen to this song. I swear I tried, but to me it’s the biggest nope of the year. Her voice is quite weak, too.

41) Malta - Claudia Faniello, Breathlessly I don’t listen to this often, ‘cause I risk to fall asleep on the desk.

40) Spain - Manel Navarro, Do it for your lover I tried to count how many times he says “do it for your lover”, but I lost my mind after ten: it’s so repetitive that it becomes obsessive. Besides, it sounds “old” to me and not in a nice way: it would have been good if heard from a juke box on the beach in 1986.

39) Slovenia - Omar Naber, On My Way Ugh, ballads. Ballads are boring.

38) Armenia - Artsvik, Fly with me I’ve listened to this song several times, but I can’t keep it in mind and memorize the melody or the lyrics. Nothing special.

37) Russia - Julia Samoilova, Flame is burning I suspect that Russia aims to self-boycott, because this song is similar to other 1k ones and leaves you the impression you’ve already listened it somewhere. Even if she has a beautiful voice, here it’s totally wasted.

36) Ireland - Brendan Murray, Dying to try I’m dying to not hear any more ballads.

35) Georgia - Tamara Gachechiladze, Keep The Faith Another great voice wasted on a plaintive ballad. Pity.

34) Australia - Isaiah, Don't Come Easy Another romantic ballad. Dull.

33) Germany - Levina, Perfect Life The first time I pressed play, I thought that I’ve selected by mistake Titanium by SIA. To me half of this song is a plagiarism (but feel free to disagree), and I don’t like the half that isn’t.

32) Serbia - Tijana Bogićević, In Too Deep Forgettable. Not bad, but not good either.

31) Austria - Nathan Trent, Running On Air It seems the song of a boy band from the ‘90s. Not a bad song, but I’ve never loved too much boy bands.

30) Bulgaria - Kristian Kostov, Beautiful Mess Did I mention that I don’t like ballads?

29) The Netherlands - OG3NE, Lights and Shadows Average pop song. Nice, but not my cup of tea, sorry.

28) Czech Republic - Martina Bárta, My Turn When I saw that she’s a jazz singer, I was excited: she has a terrific voice and jazz is wonderful, I was dying for a touch of jazz at Eurovision… instead she chose a ballad. Not a bad song, but why? Disappointing.

27) Iceland - Svala, Paper Indifferent, nothing special.

26) Denmark - Anja, Where I Am Generally it’s an appreciated song, but it doesn’t speak to me.

25) United Kingdom - Lucie Jones, Never Give Up On You When I first heard the song, I thought she was singing a cappella, as the musical accompaniment was non existent. The new version revamped the song a bit, but I still think that music is weak. Nope.

24) San Marino - Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson, Spirit Of The Night A song that leaves me indifferent even if many people are loving it. I don’t wanna say it’s a plagiarism, but sure it remembers me of some other similar dance songs of the past.

23) Albania - Lindita, Botë I quite like the Albanian version, the song has something epic in it, but she will sing in English, so she lost many point in my ranking.

22) Croatia - Jacques Houdek, My Friend Another song that leaves me puzzled. I love a lot the part where he sings opera (god, what a voice), but I don’t think it blends perfectly with the other vocals. I still hope to see him in the final.

21) Israel - Imri Ziv, I Feel Alive I was expecting something better from him, but the refrain has a good beat.

20) Sweden - Robin Bengtsson, I Can't Go I don’t understand why people go crazy on this song. Nice, but it has nothing special to me.

19) Finland - Norma John, Blackbird This song would be good in the soundtrack of a fantasy movie. But is it Eurovision winning material? I fear it isn’t. Perfect to listen if you want to relax, tho.

18) Poland - Kasia Moś, Flashlight The only ballad I really like, it has a dark touch (especially in the verses, less in the refrain) and she has beautiful voice. Good luck Poland!

17) Norway - JOWST, Grab The Moment Interesting. Not in my top ten, but surely a nice, good song with a personal touch. Better than Sweden, to me.

16) Greece - Demy, This is Love This song is clearly a clever points catcher, with a tad of ‘90s eurodance touch. Smart move, but after some listening, it loses appeal.

15) Latvia - Triana Park, Line Talking about dance/pop/electropop/whatever-you-call-it songs, I think that there are better competitors this year, but I love their psychedelic, energetic staging.

14) Hungary - Joci Pápai, Origo I hope he will sing in Hungarian, because I fear that an English version would be a disaster, as melody and words are closely linked, here. If you’re searching for something different, listen to this song: it’s captivating, with almost a Middle East touch.

13) Belarus - Naviband, Historyja majho zyccia This is one of the first song I heard this year and I still find it great, it makes me smile and the tune is original. I really hope they’ll keep it in their native language.

12) Estonia - Koit Toome and Laura, Verona A ‘90-ish and classic song. It has a catchy tune, they’re a well-matched pair on stage, so I’m sure it will do great.

11) F.Y.R. Macedonia - Jana Burčeska, Dance Alone Not bad, not bad, a good dance song with a pretty cool refrain, a song that grows on you.

10) Ukraine - O.Torvald, Time Another very underrated song from my point of view: okay, they aren’t Muse or something, but this is the only rock entry of the competition, ffs! And their staging and makeup is cool, I want to see it again.

9) Romania - Ilinca ft. Alex Florea, Yodel It! A rap yodel. No, seriously, it is. And it’s funny af. Plus, her shrill vocals are impressive.

8) Portugal - Salvador Sobral - Amar Pelos Dois Aw, my little snowflake! This song generally received bad comments and a low position in many rankings, and I can’t understand why: it has a retro touch that distinguishes it from all other entries. Plus, he’s singing in his native language. If Finland song would be great in the OST of a fantasy movie, this one should be the main track of a nice romantic movie.

7) Azerbaijan - DiHaj, Skeletons Talking about dance music, to me this is the best entry of Eurovision, with a cool mystery/dark atmosphere. It has a great beat.

6) Moldova - Sunstroke Project, Hey Mamma I effin love this song: it’s bright, happy, makes your body move. And, hey, Epic Sax Guy is back!

5) Montenegro - Slavko Kalezić, Space At first, it didn’t seem too good to me, but it gradually grew on me. I love the lyrics, I love that it’s gay af, and I believe that Slavko will surprise Europe with a sumptuous staging. As I said, to me Eurovision means also having fun, so of course he’s one of my favourite.

4) Belgium - Blanche, City Lights At first I would say that this kind of song is not in my comfort zone, but the tune is mesmerizing and she has a particular voice that catches attention. I’m sure it will do very well in the grand final, but it need a great staging, too.

3) Switzerland - Timebelle, Apollo One of the first songs that I have heard and which has remained in my heart all the time. The lyrics don’t make much sense to me, but the melody is beautiful and she has a great voice.

2) France - Alma, Requiem I don’t agree with her choice to sing the refrain in English, to me she ruined a perfect song. It’s still winning material because the song is very beautiful, but the all French version is better.

1) Cyprus - Hovig, Gravity This song had me from the first hearing: fresh, catchy, with a good rhythm, and Hovig has a powerful voice. Absolutely my favourite, even if I don’t think it’ll win. I hope he’ll valorize it with a good staging.

[while-my-tardis-gently-weeps]

Eurovision 2017: Initial Thoughts (3/13)

Now that the songs for all the participating countries are announced, here are my initial impressions of each piece. The stand-out entries (so far) are in in bold, and the ones in italics are ones I’m keeping my eyes on in the coming weeks but didn’t quite make the mark. 

In alphabetical order:

ALBANIA - Lindita “World” - On first listen, I liked it, but it didn’t really leave a lasting impression on me. Above average Eurovision ballad, but nothing more.

ARMENIA - Artsvik “Fly With Me” -  Okay song, forgettable.

AUSTRALIA -  Isaiah Firebrace “Don’t come easy” - Australia brings it again! 3 for 3 from down under since they joined Eurovision. Only heard the music video version though so I’m curious how he will do in live performance. It definitely didn’t impress me nearly as much as Dami Im’s did last year, but I was sold on her live performance last year, not the recorded version.

AUSTRIA -  Nathan Trent “Running on air” - Thoroughly average pop ballad with good energy and beat, but it’s been growing on me. A LOT. I blame it on the gorgeous Austrian mountain backdrop in the music video. Austria should definitely keep that up in the live staging if they know what’s good for them. I can’t be the only one sold on the scenery porn.

AZERBAIJAN -  DiHaj “Skeletons” - Good, but didn’t make much of an impact on me. Withholding further commentary until I listen to it more.

BELARUS - NaviBand “Historyja Majho Zyccia” - A charming little piece, bonus points for not singing in English. I don’t see it winning Eurovision, but it’s absolutely delightful to listen to.

BELGIUM -  Blanche “City lights” - Love it! Though not as much as a lot of other people seem to. It’s unique and ethereal and showcases her voice very well, but it’s a bit one-tone and kind of resembles dozens of other songs in the same style. Not to mention that it will fit right in among the Skins soundtrack. That said, I see it doing very well and it’ll be a much-welcomed breath of fresh air after listening to generic eurovision ballad after generic eurovision ballad.

BULGARIA - Kristian Kostov “Beautiful mess” - A lot better than I expected, but to be entirely honest my expectations were very low going in. It will depend on his live performance I expect.

CROATIA -  Jacques Houdek “My friend” - Nice, but boring.

CYPRUS - Hovig “Gravity” - Powerful, energetic song that can do extremely well with the right staging, (like Russia 2016 or Sweden 2015, though this one is definitely more along the veins of the former rather than later. That might be my fondness for Mans talking though). 

CZECH REPUBLIC -  Martina Bárta “My turn” - Um, no. Not feeling it at all. I don’t know if anything can fix this one. 

DENMARK - Anja “Where I Am” - I like her voice, I like her performance, I like everything except this boring snoozefest of a song. There are those ballads of yesteryear that were propelled to high rankings by a phenomenal performance, but this one is just too average for that to happen. It might carry her past the semis on a good night but I won’t hold my breath for anything more than that.

ESTONIA - Koit Toome & Laura  “Verona” - Sounds a bit retro, but not in a bad way. Laura’s facial expression during the chorus bothers me a bit though.

FINLAND -  Norma John “Blackbird” - I love Finland for always taking a risk. Doesn’t always work but I appreciate the effort even if the song crashes and burns spectacularly. Wonderfully dark and definitely something I would listen to normally but I’m not sure if it will keep my attention sufficiently enough during a lengthy (Semi-)final. 

FRANCE - Alma “Requiem” - One of my personal favs this year. Fell in love with the tune from the start. Would I had preferred it if they stuck with the original version? Hell yes. Do I think version with English added is as horrendous as everybody says, not really but everything will depend on the live performance I think. I’m 100% behind another song but I’ll be hoping and praying that she does well in the final.  

GEORGIA -  Tako Gachechiladze “Keep the faith” - This song annoys me greatly. 

GERMANY - Levina “Perfect life” - I have to stop forgiving otherwise-generic pop tunes for having lyrics that tick my fancy despite everything. That said, it could have been worse.

GREECE - Demy “This is love” - Good but a bit too generic. 

HUNGARY -  Joci Pápai “Origo” - Not exactly my cup of tea at first listen, but it’s rapidly growing on me, to the point that it’s squeezing past other entries to be one of my favs before I knew it. Can do without the rap; it’s extremely jarring. That chorus though. SUPERB.

ICELAND - Svala “Paper” - I quite like it, but don’t exactly love it (yet?). Need to give it a few more listens but I can see it growing on me a lot more in the coming weeks.

IRELAND -  Brendan Murray “Dying to try” - It’s growing on me. Mostly because of his voice. The song itself is a bit forgettable but not so disastrously average that it can’t be salvaged by a live performance that knocks it out of the park. But even so the left side of the final voting table might be a bit of a stretch.

ISRAEL -  Imri Ziv “I feel alive” - It’s okay but doesn’t stay in your memory for long.

ITALY -  Francesco Gabbani “Occidentali’s Karma” - Remember what I said about being 100% behind one song? WELL THIS IS IT! I was already sold by the joyous, fun, and all-around spectacular performance at San Remo, but then I read the lyrics. AND I AM BLOWN AWAY. This man is a genius. This is Italian pop at its very best even without understanding the lyrics, complete with a staging that can do very well in Kyiv. But with the lyrics? Such a clever critique of Western appropriation and commercialization of Eastern philosophies disguised as a perfect explosion of effervescent joy. My only worries: he needs to do some major cutting to make it fit within the time limit, and there won’t be a live orchestra in Kyiv for the “ale!” moment with raised bows, so I’m crossing my fingers that everything will come together perfectly even with these restraints, and that there will be improvements in the staging that help carry the messages in the lyrics across to a non-Italian-speaking audience. (and the length of this alone is a testament of how much more I love this one above all other entries. Italy2018 please!)

LATVIA - Triana Park “Line” - Latvia’s been on a roll since Aminata! It’s not quite on the level of the last two years imho, but great song nonetheless.

LITHUANIA -  Fusedmarc “Rain of revolution” - ...Aaaaaand right from my most favorite to least. No. Just, no. 

MACEDONIA -  Jana Burčeska “Dance alone” - I won’t cringe if it comes on while I’m partying at a club, but I won’t love the DJ for putting it on either.

MALTA -  Claudia Faniello “Breathlessly” - Another boring ballad stuck in the dead zone between “not bad” and “not great.”

MOLDOVA -  SunStroke Project “Hey, Mamma!” - Oh this is fun! I can dance to this one. Not masterpiece material but it doesn’t aspire to be one either. It brings the party, and that’s all it needs to do for a job well-done, I’d say.

MONTENEGRO -  Slavko Kalezić “Space” - I would rather spend the time staring into blank space. No thanks. 

THE NETHERLANDS -  OG3NE “Lights and shadows” - Like Estonia’s entry, this one is also a bit retro, with a dash of Glee thrown in as well. I know I definitely want them to qualify, and probably even end up on the left side of the chart during the finals, but something about the song just doesn’t quite do it for me.

NORWAY - JOWST “Grab the moment” - It’s growing on me. A lot of Norway’s songs tend to be growers for me. I don’t think it will quite get there though. 

POLAND - Kasia Moś “Flashlight” - This can either be a dark horse or a disaster depending on how she performs live and the staging. I fell in love with the music video version but the live version from the national final left me a bit flat. We’ll wait and see I suppose. 

PORTUGAL -  Salvador Sobral “Amar Pelos Dois” - Marvellously quaint, reminiscent of one’s best dreams under the Mediterranean sky, best enjoyed with headphones and your eyes closed...WAIT. “Your eyes closed?” Yeah, that’s my main worry with this song. Someone please get that boy a good stylist so that he doesn’t look like a library-dwelling classics major pulled on-stage last minute after a week of all-nighters. And add some better staging too. But, yeah, best wishes for a top-five finish Portugal!

ROMANIA -  Ilinca feat. Alex Florea “Yodel it!” - I am reminded of how much I came to love “My Slowanie” from Poland. It never pretends to be anything deep or profound, but Ilinca just sells it so well. 

RUSSIA -  Yulia Samoylova “Flame is burning” - Funny that Russia chose a song with this title... Politics and transparent appeal for sympathy points to counteract booing and flaming aside, it’s an okay song and she’s not necessarily a bad singer, but by GOD if you can’t even fake passable English by hiring any half-way decent diction coach then stick to Russian!

SAN MARINO -  Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson “Spirit of the night” - It’s fine, I guess. Just heard it again in the last hour but already forgot how it went.

SERBIA -  Tijana Bogićević “In too deep” - See last comment.

SLOVENIA -  Omar Naber “On my way” - *Facepalm*. Enough said.

SPAIN -  Manel Navarro “Do it for your lover” - Makes the last one I commented on sound decent, if not good, by comparison.

SWEDEN -  Robin Bengtsson “I can’t go on” - What happened Sweden? You’ve been going downhill since Mans in 2015. I always want to vote for Sweden because they host it so well but this definitely sound like they are trying their hardest to avoid Sweden2018. Not even my everlasting love for Petra (+Mans) as the host will make this less cringeworthy. 

SWITZERLAND -  Timebelle “Apollo” - I quite like it. Despite myself. The red dress she wore during live performance certainly doesn’t hurt. 

UKRAINE -  O.Torvald “Time” - Definitely refreshing, and mad points to Ukraine for the second entry in a row that’s different from the Eurovision norm, but this isn’t exactly good rock is it? 

UNITED KINGDOM -  Lucie Jones “Never give up on you” - Good showing for UK. In general? Not so much. Kind of like Denmark this year, really, with a combination of good vocalist and subpar song, but this song is a step (or two. or three) down from Denmark’s. 

Top 3 Picks:

Italy - “Occidentali’s Karma,” Francesco Gabbani

France - “Requiem,” Alma

Portugal - “Amar Pelos Dois,” Salvador Sobral

(I’m noticing a theme for my top picks...)