Switzerland
Most fans hate this, but I think its wonderful. Pure easy-listening, but done so well - theres nothing at all I dislike about it and I think it will be an excellent opening song, given that it has anthemic qualities and six experienced professional singers.
Moldova
This is interesting and a bit daring - probably the most contemporary song in the contest. I don't love it but there's a lot worse on offer, and the live version I have heard sounds very professional
Israel
This is my sort of music, so I'm biased. First time I heard this, it took me back to the 1980's and the sweet soul of the Stylistics, Blue Magic and the Detroit Spinners. Certainly in my top 5. But the dual language really doesn't work as well with this song.
Latvia
This is ambitious stuff too. Again, your verdict will depend on whether accapella vocal jazz appeals - I think this is technically perfect, and is very much the sort of music I would listen to outside ESC. This will certainly get a televote from me but how well it will do is anyone's guess. A stunning performance and it could surprise many
Norway
The first 5 songs include 4 of my favourites. This is glorious folky-celtic stuff which I love.
Spain
After last years lack of success with the Ketchup Grannies, I didn't think Spain would be daft enough to gofor the real thing. Spain used to be one of my favourite countries but in recent years they seem to have declined rapidly - this is better than last years but then what wouldn't be? Not good. And I think definite Jemini potential for a live 'performance'
Malta
Fabrizio is a handsome young man and this is a nice enough song, but I think Malta's strength is in the ballads. This should do well enough, though - but I want Chiara to make it third time lucky!
Germany
Very professional and well sung, but somehow it lacks something - I think its the song,its just nothing special.
Denmark
Dire. The Danish final was no great shakes, but this was the worst on offer - its been in my bottom 5 since the beginning and I see no reson to move it!
Romania
I'm a ballad man at heart, but this is the best disco song ESC has had to offer for quite some time. Its an uplifting and memorable song, but best of all is the singer's superb voice. A good performance and we could well be off to Bucharest next year
United Kingdom
When I first heard this, I thought - no - white boy rap - but really, this should be viewed as a fun novelty song with a catchy chorus. The MYMU performance certainly won him that contest,and at least this year the UK entrant sounds nothing like anything else
Greece
Anna Vissi is a great singer, and this is a strong ballad, though perhaps it lacks that light and shade which the best ballads have in abundance. This is pure power ballad all the way.
France
Who knows? I'm hoping for something good.
Croatia
Again another permanent resident of my bottom 5. This makes Ruslana sound pleasant. Just a tuneless noise
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Eurovision - my vedict on the semi-final
01. Armenia
This doesn't do much for me. Style-wise its very much in the ethnic/Turkish mode, I can imagine it in the background at Manchester's Armenian Taverna. Its pleasant enough but all too formulaic and predictable. If you like this sort of music it may appealp, but I don't.
02. Bulgaria
I loved Bulgaria's debut last year and this is also impressive. Its an intense ballad which builds and builds, with a singer who really 'lets go'. The more I hear this, the more I like it. But it certainly isn't very immediate, although musically,its a cut above the rest - very classy
03. Slovenia
A pretty boy singing a very inconsequential piece of disco fluff. Harmless enough, but wouldn't bother me if I never heard it again
04. Andorra
Reminding me of Sam Brown, this is a bluesy and soulful ballad with balls. Catalan is not, sadly, the prettiest language in the world but this remains a a good song
05. Belarus
Ohdear. Iloved the first Belarussian entry, quirky as it was. This is aimply a tuneless noise. Horrible
06. Albania
Certainly ethnic in flavour,with much the same in the way of backing instrumentation as Armenia, but this does have a certain charm, largely because of the singer and chorus
07. Belgium
The sort of song that simply wouldn't be heard outside the contest - this epitomises what outsiders think ESC is all about. Thankfully, it isn't. Its bland, tedious stuff sung by a bottle blonde with a weak, reedy voice. Dire.
08. Ireland
This is one of the songs which I remembered after one listen, and the new version has improved it considerably. Its a sweet, wistful ballad, professionally sung by a real singer.
09. Cyprus
Broadway calling. I remember a musical called Dreamgirls, about the Supremes, which featured a singer called Jennifer Holliday. This one could have come from the soundtrack. Its a real show tune, and I think most people will either love it or hate it. Of course, I love it, largely because divas singing histrionic overblown ballads will always have a place in my heart...
10. Monaco
This is so uplifting! Its nothing special, a cheery little calypso song, with a cute vocal, but it does have a sense of optimism and fun in a way that none of the supposedly uplifting schlagers ever could have.
11. FYR Macedonia
See Armenia - only I just don'tlike this one. Last year FYROM's entry was a real grower, but I can't see this one ever appealing more than it does now - which is, not a lot.
12. Poland
I still haven't seen the NF performance which I gather was poor. This group delivered the best performance of 2003,and whilst this is a very different style of song,I think its very good pop music, with the mix of voices working effectively
13. Russia
I've only just listened to adecent quality copy of this one, and yes,its very strong indeed. A contemporary ballad, its a pity that the accent is a bit too heavily Eastern European for what is a very 'American' song
14.Turkey
Back to the ethnic beats, and again, much the same comments apply. The problem is that I really don't like this sort of music much. This one is curiously dated, mixing what sounds like late 70's disco with the more ethnic sound, but I don't think it works.
15. Ukraine
Very fast, loud, tuneless. Again, not something I would ever choose to listen to. Horrible
16. Finland
A heavy metal loving work colleague of mine was raving to me about this today. I can't give a reasoned opinion because this is just the sort of music I hate. It may be very good of its genre, but...
17. Netherlands
The Dutch final was the only one I watched where I didn't really like anything at all on offer, but that doesn't explain how such a tuneless mess ended up being selected.
18. Lithuania
The most obviously 'joke' emtry of the night - this isn't really a song at all. After the last four entries it comes as something of a light relief but its not really very funny.
19. Portugal
I should hate this. Its a sort of Motown-meets-Abba (in terms of the song, not the style) which wasn't sung very well in the Portuguese NF. But that chorus IS catchy. Personally, I think it needs to be more of the Motown, and more obviously retro, I do like it, but goodness knows why!
20. Sweden
Entirely without any redeeming features,this tired, predictable, dirge epitomises the blandness of Swedisn music. For once, something actually got to the MF final that was worth listening to, but they chose the Poison Dwarf again.
21. Estonia
Ordinary. Its still better than the predecessor, but its very much in that sub-Abba, schlager mould.
22. Bosnia and Herzegovina
At last, something good. This is a classy, ethereal ballad which will come as something of a relief after so many upbeat songs.
23. Iceland
I just don;t get this. Its not in the least funny, and whilst she may think she looks like Cyndi Lauper, the difference was that she had a voice worth listening to, unlike Cheese Grater Silv. A dire end to a generally poor qualifier.
So. if I had to choose the qualifiers it would be:
Bulgaria
Andorra
Albania
Ireland
Cyprus
Monaco
Poland
Russia
Portugal
Bosnia-Herzegovina
This doesn't do much for me. Style-wise its very much in the ethnic/Turkish mode, I can imagine it in the background at Manchester's Armenian Taverna. Its pleasant enough but all too formulaic and predictable. If you like this sort of music it may appealp, but I don't.
02. Bulgaria
I loved Bulgaria's debut last year and this is also impressive. Its an intense ballad which builds and builds, with a singer who really 'lets go'. The more I hear this, the more I like it. But it certainly isn't very immediate, although musically,its a cut above the rest - very classy
03. Slovenia
A pretty boy singing a very inconsequential piece of disco fluff. Harmless enough, but wouldn't bother me if I never heard it again
04. Andorra
Reminding me of Sam Brown, this is a bluesy and soulful ballad with balls. Catalan is not, sadly, the prettiest language in the world but this remains a a good song
05. Belarus
Ohdear. Iloved the first Belarussian entry, quirky as it was. This is aimply a tuneless noise. Horrible
06. Albania
Certainly ethnic in flavour,with much the same in the way of backing instrumentation as Armenia, but this does have a certain charm, largely because of the singer and chorus
07. Belgium
The sort of song that simply wouldn't be heard outside the contest - this epitomises what outsiders think ESC is all about. Thankfully, it isn't. Its bland, tedious stuff sung by a bottle blonde with a weak, reedy voice. Dire.
08. Ireland
This is one of the songs which I remembered after one listen, and the new version has improved it considerably. Its a sweet, wistful ballad, professionally sung by a real singer.
09. Cyprus
Broadway calling. I remember a musical called Dreamgirls, about the Supremes, which featured a singer called Jennifer Holliday. This one could have come from the soundtrack. Its a real show tune, and I think most people will either love it or hate it. Of course, I love it, largely because divas singing histrionic overblown ballads will always have a place in my heart...
10. Monaco
This is so uplifting! Its nothing special, a cheery little calypso song, with a cute vocal, but it does have a sense of optimism and fun in a way that none of the supposedly uplifting schlagers ever could have.
11. FYR Macedonia
See Armenia - only I just don'tlike this one. Last year FYROM's entry was a real grower, but I can't see this one ever appealing more than it does now - which is, not a lot.
12. Poland
I still haven't seen the NF performance which I gather was poor. This group delivered the best performance of 2003,and whilst this is a very different style of song,I think its very good pop music, with the mix of voices working effectively
13. Russia
I've only just listened to adecent quality copy of this one, and yes,its very strong indeed. A contemporary ballad, its a pity that the accent is a bit too heavily Eastern European for what is a very 'American' song
14.Turkey
Back to the ethnic beats, and again, much the same comments apply. The problem is that I really don't like this sort of music much. This one is curiously dated, mixing what sounds like late 70's disco with the more ethnic sound, but I don't think it works.
15. Ukraine
Very fast, loud, tuneless. Again, not something I would ever choose to listen to. Horrible
16. Finland
A heavy metal loving work colleague of mine was raving to me about this today. I can't give a reasoned opinion because this is just the sort of music I hate. It may be very good of its genre, but...
17. Netherlands
The Dutch final was the only one I watched where I didn't really like anything at all on offer, but that doesn't explain how such a tuneless mess ended up being selected.
18. Lithuania
The most obviously 'joke' emtry of the night - this isn't really a song at all. After the last four entries it comes as something of a light relief but its not really very funny.
19. Portugal
I should hate this. Its a sort of Motown-meets-Abba (in terms of the song, not the style) which wasn't sung very well in the Portuguese NF. But that chorus IS catchy. Personally, I think it needs to be more of the Motown, and more obviously retro, I do like it, but goodness knows why!
20. Sweden
Entirely without any redeeming features,this tired, predictable, dirge epitomises the blandness of Swedisn music. For once, something actually got to the MF final that was worth listening to, but they chose the Poison Dwarf again.
21. Estonia
Ordinary. Its still better than the predecessor, but its very much in that sub-Abba, schlager mould.
22. Bosnia and Herzegovina
At last, something good. This is a classy, ethereal ballad which will come as something of a relief after so many upbeat songs.
23. Iceland
I just don;t get this. Its not in the least funny, and whilst she may think she looks like Cyndi Lauper, the difference was that she had a voice worth listening to, unlike Cheese Grater Silv. A dire end to a generally poor qualifier.
So. if I had to choose the qualifiers it would be:
Bulgaria
Andorra
Albania
Ireland
Cyprus
Monaco
Poland
Russia
Portugal
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Merseymike gets married!
Thanks to the Civil Partnership Act , after 14 years together, I married my partner David last Friday. It was a wonderful day - everything went so well, we really couldn't have asked for anything better.
Thanks to the staff at Liverpool Register office, and the Racquet Club, where we held our reception. And to all our friends and family who attended, and those who couldn't make it.
Thanks to the staff at Liverpool Register office, and the Racquet Club, where we held our reception. And to all our friends and family who attended, and those who couldn't make it.
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