Semi 1 - Norway

Semi 1 - 12

Andorra

Gisela
Casanova

MerseyMike:
Compared to the other disco songs in the contest, this isn’t at all bad. Very sprightly and jolly but all a bit average 5

Boog:
Well this is a guilty pleasure, if ever there was one! Honestly I don’t like it consciously, but this doesn’t half penetrate the quality-control defences. The ‘eurovisionism’ in this song almost attains the cult status afforded to self-parody. Pick a word intelligible to all (Waterloo, Cleopatra, Hallelujah, Casanova), add an onomatopaeic word or two (oh, boom), sprinkle in some well kent (Scots for ‘known’, I feel I have to educate you in case ESC returns to Scotland at the SECC) words love, heart, together),a driving beat, a late middle eight, a key change, punch in the air finish, and, hey presto, the ESC tradition is perpetuated. I don’t know anything I can share about Andorra but believe it’s good for ski-ing. (I imagine Pan y Tomat would be a popular snack.) Personal Score out of ten (7) Winnschans (4%)

Harrow:
Ew! Probably the song I skip most quickly on my ipod. The video is crap too! Should've stuck to the shorter version! 2/10

Alexander-NL:

It’s no secret that I love myself some Swedish schlager every now and then. But I won’t just adore and kneeswing at every half-assed attempt. She’s a pretty girl, the song will seem very traditional and normal considering what’s around it, but this will take one hell of a performance to get to the final I’m afraid. Oh, and again, no key change! What is wrong with you people??

5/10 (30^th)

Stefan:

Where is Andorra? If only this year this question could be answered: "Not participating!" Unfortunately, they're sending a pseudo-Swedish schlager that will get 12 from Spain and nothing else. And rightly so: 2/10.

Tore:

Andorra makes a fifth attempt to reach the ESC final. This time they have bought the history book of ESC songs in order to finally make it right. It’s a happy schlager-pop song by numbers but also so dated it’s hilarious. You can already typify the choreography to this song too. I’m afraid Andorra will have to look up on one of the next and more contemporary chapters in their book to impress the rest of Europe. This surely won’t. Chances of qualifying: 20%

ade:
Light, fluffy, very Swedish europop. I can this gaining a number of
votes thanks to the hopeless dirges surrounding it. It is recognisable
and to the average voter is everything you expect from Eurovision. Might
finally get them to the final. 8/10

Lobo:

Gosh, she must be desperate to agree and sing this. Rubbish.

--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Bosnia-Herzegovina, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Ireland

Semi 1 - 11

Ireland

Dustin The Turkey
Irelande Douze Points

Lobo:
Listened to it once in Irish final. Indifferent.

Ade:
This isn't going to impress anyone east of Amsterdam. Eurovision humour works when it is slightly self deprecating. This is a sulking in the corner, two fingers up to Eurovision in joke that is hard for even native speakers to understand. For all the big talk of 'sending up Eurovision' and not caring about the result, this will hopefully be the push to make the Irish start trying again. They had a good final, this was the inevitable result to give them a nice point to break with the
past. That's all it is. Unfunny, poorly staged, parochial and destined for a fall. Though likely to give us fans a huge laugh or two with the send ups in the weeks of rehearsals. Great craic, and maybe it will be the 'joke' entry to end the trend. 0/10

Tore:
As a song this is rubbish. But the “song”, which is a dreadful and annoying eurodisco number on speed, plays the least important part here. A “rapping-singing” turkey doll is the main character surrounded by some dancing “Indian-elves” and fat singing ladies. It looks rather messy. However it’s different and it is supposed to be funny I’ve been told. But it’s not by far the only novelty act in semi 1. Still this is the one to beat. Chances of qualifying: 70%

Stefan:
For a novelty entry to do well, it needs to have pan-European appeal and/or reliable friends. A song that mocks Eastern block voting clearly doesn't have the former, and Ireland lacks the latter too. Borderline qualifier, 2/10 from me.

Alexander-NL:

Well, right out the gate, let me say I don’t think this is funny. When a lady tells me to shake my feathers and bop my beak I can get a smile out but that’s as far as it goes. And anyone over 5 who can laugh at a fart is hard to come by. On the upside, the chorus is very groovy and a lot of people in the West will love Dustin because they’ll consider it “speaking up to the East” if that makes sense. Needless to say, this will “fly” to the final without a problem.

6/10 (22^nd)

Harrow:
Musically I quite like it, visually I quite like it, lyrically I quite like it. Shame certain MBers keep driving forward and backwards over the same issues, making roadkill of Dustin the turkey. 7/10

Boog:
Like Lordi, this will be an entry that will have attracted a serious amount of publicity before hand. (We all know in this media-driven society, it actually doesn’t matter whether the publicity is good or bad.) If you’ve not heard it, basically it starts with a dark, dungeon atmosphere that tolls the bell announcing the death sentence on ESC itself. A muppet puppet then proceeds with the aid of the proverbial fat lady ( we have a saying, ‘it’s never over till the fat lady sings’) to implement the public execution. A funky beat accompanies the turkey’s rants, many of which are not only funny, but painfully accurate. Mind you, the humour is very celtic, the north of the Liffey accent unintelligible to many, and Dustin himself isn’t exactly lovable, so although a final slot is secure, the fear that many have of this winning the final are, in large part, unfounded. Dustin is correct tho’ in confirming that Ireland is truly ‘party central’ in Europe!

Personal Score out of ten (6) Winnschans (10%)

--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Ireland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Poland

Semi 1 - 10

Poland

Isis Gee
For Life

Lobo:
Haven´t listened to it. It´s my least favourite ESC country, so...

Ade:
It's a (dated) simple song from a pretty girl. As a package it has more than a little charm, but if you're going to go for American style power ballads, you need to be able to pull off the accent. She really can't, giving it a clunky sound. I'd imagine that with repeat listening, I
might like this. For the first listen, it is a mid range belter with
potential for a missed note giggle on the night. 3/10

Alexander-NL:

There’s a few things I need to get off my chest. She’s American right? How come her English is the hardest to understand in this entire semi? And both her teeth and hair colour are so fake that it hurts my eyes. It’s not an awful ballad and I said right away that with the right draw she could go very far. But alas, she didn’t get the right draw, so for me the story’s over. I don’t think the jury will save it either. I’m sorry for Poland because they were so close in the past. 4/10 (36^th)

Harrow:
Deathly dull, but not the worst song in ESC, unfortunately. 1/10

Frank:
My vibrator will go on! Soon featuring in a Duracell ad near you!

Tore:
Poland gives us one of the few traditional pop ballads in semi 1. It’s pleasant and delicate, but also very predictable and in real danger of being a total bore. Some have compared this to Israel’s entry in 2005. I think that’s a way too far comparison as the Israeli song is a much better one, but it could very well please the same audience and give Poland a final ticket, their first since 2004. Poland is however in heavy competition with Romania later on in the draw that also has a MOR traditional ballad. Chances of qualifying: 30%.

Boog:

A pleasant American-sounding ballad which sounds as if it were plucked straight out of a flickchick movie. I have a bit of a tummy upset today (too much information!) and this is rather soothing. A chorus soaring above the clouds gives it a lift, however the lasting memory is one of finding a can of beans in the biscuit section of the supermarket. A Leona Lewis album track, certainly. A Eurovision entry, hardly. In competition with Andy Abrahams for the award for principled music making. Britain owes Poland a lot more than douze points, as we can now access a decent plumber in times of need!

Personal score out of ten (6) Winnschans (0%)

Stefan:
Isis Gee fought a desperate battle with the tune during the Polish final, but that still didn't stop her from winning it overwhelmingly. It's a classic American ballad, and if she can win the battle in Belgrade, may reach the final. 8/10.

--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Ireland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Norway

Semi 1 - 09

Norway

Maria
Hold on be strong

Stefan:
Too bad JESC wasn't around yet, when 15 year-old Mira Craig wrote that tune. This would have saved the real thing from this overhyped little entry, but as it *almost* sounds like a proper song, it stands a chance in this semi. 4/10.

Boog:

Unsurprisingly an early fan-favourite which pushes even more ESC buttons than the previous song. Again we have a verse which has value in its own right. Unfortunately the chorus strays into cossack territory, and you can just about imagine Taras Bulba lifting up his son with pride at the end of the song. (You’ve heard of mixed metaphors? This is mixed cultures. Maybe a forlorn attempt to gain a few Ukrainian televotes? Who knows? I certainly don’t. Birthe, my Brother-in-Law’s partner is here (remember I’m in the wilds of Perthshire as I write) on holiday too and she’s never heard of this. Tellingly, she’s heard ‘Hero’. I leave you, gentle reader, to make your own conclusions. Norway, the land of the 10 euro beer, so is it any wonder we never want them to win?

Personal Score out of ten (7) Winnschans (4%)

Tore:
OK, I know I’m biased, but I really like this one. I didn’t like our entry last year and was only mediocre happy with “Alvedansen”. “Hold on be strong” has been criticized of sounding constructed and that the words don’t fit the music. I however think that just puts a charming identity to this song. Stumbling naïve lyrics written by a 15 y/o girl. I have no idea where this will bring us in the end and I don’t really care that much either. But it’s a good mid-tempo song, the retro orchestra arrangement works well and Maria is a very secure vocalist. Chances of qualifying: 40%

Frank:
Bad crimes, mad rhymes, it ain't Maria S's gig!

Harrow:
Nice song but growing a bit tired of it so try not to listen to it too often. If it aint right it is wrong! 9/10

Alexander-NL:

Even though I’m not happy that this won Melodi Grand Prix, in hindsight it may not have been a bad choice. It’s a song that makes me shrug, I don’t care for it particularly. I like the girl though! But after red canary, angel wings and Slovenian whore, this comes across as some normal decent music. So good job on Norway, I think a spot in the final should be in the bag, even though they shouldn’t be too confident of what happens when they get there.

6/10 (19^th)

Ade:
This has such a cold vibe, but I'm not picking on that as a bad thing.
It's well structured and if you can overlook the shockingly awful verses
(in particular the first one), it builds nicely and flows well. Can't
help being reminded of Malene Mortensen and I wouldn't dismiss a similar
result. It ought to do better though if the performer can exude more
personality. There are moments during the song where I reckon I like
this A LOT. 6/10

Lobo:
It's a girl singing a ballad? A jazzy one? Not sure if i heard it.

--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Poland, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Slovenia

Semi 1 - 08

Slovenia

Rebeka Dremelj
Vrag naj vzame

Frank:
Namen, Samen, bitte auch mit Damen. Semi, Amen, well it’s not a drama.

Harrow:
Nice song but growing a bit tired of it so try not to listen to it too often. If it aint right it is wrong! 9/10

Alexander-NL:

I’m probably expected to like this. Well, I’m so sorry to disappoint you. Too easy. You’re not winning me over with some “Ta-ta. Ta-ta. Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta”. And then when you’re holding your breath for it, it doesn’t have a key change!! So it’s simple AND boring. And what that tells me is that even if I, lover of all things middle-of-the-road and poppy, don’t even like this, how on Earth will Europe vote this into a top 9? I’m not buying it.

2/10 (42^nd)

Stefan:
As usual, Slovenia is sending some real trash - just this time (maybe I lowered my standards?), I like their entry. It's a bouncy little ditty that won't leave a lasting impression, but brings a smile on my face nonetheless: 8/10.

Boog:

For the next 35 entries I have no access to internet / vids etc so my judgment of the visual impact of the performers will be even more compromised than usual. If that’s possible!) A very promising start which engages very well provides the foreplay which will appeal to viewers who have traditional expectations of what constitutes an ESC entry. The verse builds up well too, but the tum-ti-tum see-saw chorus disappoints (although, for British readers, it’s possible to do the ‘slosh’ to this rather satisfyingly.) Not quite as disappointing, tho’, as the ‘bridge’ which stutters into life. (Either that or my mp3 is faulty.) An opportunity missed, as they say. They tell me that Ljubliana is the new ‘Prague’. Also is ‘EO’ the shortest MB nickname?

Personal Score out of ten (6) Winnschans (0%)

Tore:
A typical Slovenian entry. “Vrag naj zame” or “Heavy weather” is a bouncy poppy number that fails to be anything but a run-on-the-mill song in the end. It’s quite likeable while listening but it also lacks something extra that will make most people remembering it at the end of the voting day. Chances of qualifying: 40%

ade:
One of the most (Eurovision) traditional of the songs on offer this
year. Reasonable chorus and she's a pretty girl, though it loses its way
towards the end, when any stand-out song ought to be building to a
massive finish. If they stick to the staging from EMA, they're sunk. It
sends across the message that those behind the song lack confidence in
it and need to distract the viewer. It sits in the ropey schlager box,
not helped by her raspy voice. 5/10

Lobo:
Listened to it once (in English). Ridiculous.


--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Norway, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Azerbaijan

Semi 1 - 07

Azerbaijan

Elnur & Samir
Day After Day

Lobo:
It will sound like hell in Belgrade. You heard it here first.

ade:
I'm not convinced that the theatricals and supposed shock factor can disguise a shockingly poor lead vocal and an unstructured song that throws so much into the mix that it ought to be laughed off the stage. Surely this is a parody and amongst the other oddities, it won't be quite so stand-out as it was when first chosen in the dark days of national final season. 0/10

Tore:
In the Azeri final this was a complete mess. A screaming falsetto angel mixed together with the pompous vocals by the “devil” in such a bad and mumbling English you were wondering if there was a melody hidden somewhere underneath it all. I’ve been told the Azeri diaspora will vote this to the final so it probably will. And after hearing the studio version it’s actually not that bad either, but it’s far from being a favourite. Chances of qualifying: 60%

boog:
It is hard to imagine two singers (apart from Andreas and Carola) less likely to gel in time for the show. I guess they’ll try to distract with strong visual imagery. Unfortunately there are a few angels entered already, one of which appears later in the Irish entry, which will highlight the unfortunate symbolism.
As a song, this is also a grower, I like it in a sort of ‘opening credits of a spy movie’ or ‘Phantom of the Opera’ sort of way). Maybe the guy who looks as if he’s from Erasure should dress up as Shirley Bassey? Yet another new country who will receive a warm welcome. I don’t think I know anything about Azerbaijan other than it has a fairly homogenuous population so don’t expect too many ‘friendly’ votes. Personal score out of ten (6) and Winnschans ( 2%)

Stefan:
I hate this ridiculous screaming. And the addition of yet another country using ESC for its own political agenda is sickening as well. That said, it's this year's "I hate it but it will still do very well unfortunately" entry: 1/10.

Alexander-NL:

OK. Don’t get me wrong. This is totally going to qualify and do extremely well in the final, though maybe not win, but… I decided I don’t like this. lol I wasn’t aware of this for a while, but I decided it not too long ago. The verses and especially the bridge are extremely weak to me, the chorus is nice enough, but the best part is that one scream, at like 0:15. Can’t explain it, it just is. But to the voting audience this won’t matter, it’s a guy with angel wings!!

4/10 (35^th)

Harrow:

Hehe I like it, Azerbaijan have grasped what Eurovision is about with their very first entry! Lng live the far East! 9/10

Frank:

The angels and devils meet at night with Klaus Nomi by their side.

--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Slovenia, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html

Semi 1 - Belgium

Semi 1 - 06

Belgium

Ishtar
O Julissi

Boog:
I betray my age as this reminds me of Margaret Rutherford , black and white films and innocence. An irrepressibly chirpy , happy song that is bound to irritate many but just makes me want to frolic. ( any takers?) I found Sanomi much more irritating ( particularly the ‘handjive’ which one of this year’s entry has emulated (more of which, later)), and am less ‘aware’ of the made up language. I doubt this will work ion a large arena, as it’s dependant on musicianship. I’m not even convinced they’ll nail the vocals, to be honest, but I do wish them well. ( if only to annoy Frank!) Until recently, Brussels was the most boring capital I’ve ever visited. Actually, I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings , but it still is. Personal score out of ten (8) and Winnschans (1%)

Frank:
Oh, you … oh, you ... I forgot my lyrics

Harrow:
Phoneme vomit. 5th time in 6 years that Belgium have been in my bottom 5 (Kate Ryan being the exception) 0/10

Tore:
Belgium has done very well in ESC before with an imaginary language song. But there stops every similarities with their previous entry “Sanomi”. “O julissi” has far more in common with another imaginary language ESC-song; “Y Asi” from Austria which failed miserably from its early position in the 2005 ESC semi final. I hope, but I’m not sure, Belgium will face a similar faith as this is nothing but an annoying “charm” song that never seems to end. Chances of qualifying: 40%

Lobo:
I think it was a girlie group singing something jazzy, right? Unimpressed.

Stefan:
The clever guys from VRT only took five years to realise that imaginary language once did well for Belgium. Too bad it won't a second time, as this is a contrived piece of old rubbish. Nerve-wrecking! 3/10.

Ade:
Sounds like something twee from the 1960s that the Swiss might send knowing it stands no chance. It's simple enough to pick up a few votes, but lacks any real hook and ends up sounding like repetitive lift musak that outstays its welcome long before three minutes are up. 3/10

Alexander-NL:

Well, I think we’ve established that the more one hears this song the more annoying it gets. And to me it was pretty annoying to begin with, because it was beating some great songs in the Belgian selection. Yet, this is another entry that scares me. Grandma and grandpa could just be convinced that this is somehow “actual”, “real” music, like the majority of the Belgian voting audience thought. It does stand out enormously which can always go both ways.

4/10 (34^th)

--

To contribute to the future reviews, which continue tomorrow with Azerbaijan, email your reviews to escnationblog@gmail.com. Alternatively, feel free to add your review of all the songs already featured so far, with a rating out of 10 as a comment on each of those posts. All rankings out of 10 contributed to semi 1 songs before 20/04/08 will go towards the ESCNation Blog's ESC 2008 Review Poll. For more info see here: http://escnationmbmusic.blogspot.com/2008/03/esc-2008-mbers-reviews.html