poptimists | (no subject)

Having listened again to official, CD-quality versions of all 42 (!) Eurovision entries, my impression is that this is by some distance the worst Eurovision in the last 10 years, maybe even the worst edition of the modern pop Eurovision. My favourite song this year would probably only have been about fourth last year and wouldn't even have made my top 10 in a banner year like 2003.

12: The Ark - The Worrying Kind (Sweden)
10: Koldun - Work Your Magic (Belarus)
8: Serebro - Song No. 1 (Russia)

Nobody else on the planet will like the Belarussian entry but I think it's bloody great. It probably won't even get to the finals. There are dozens of Ark songs better than "The Worrying Kind", of course, the number of which is probably similar to the number of Eurovision 2007 songs that "The Worrying Kind" is better than.

At this stage, the other points from the Jury of Edwardistan would go to Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Moldova, Armenia, Slovenia and Netherlands but that might change a lot.

Favourites, predictions, poptimists. I predict Russia will win this time.

Threaded | Flat

I haven't listened to all of them, but I adore "Vampires Are Alive," which is Switzerland's (?) entry by DJ Bobo.

Isarael's entry is plain awesome - sounds like Gogol Bordello, has the zeitgeist power of Frankie Goes To Hollywood at their peak, and generally rules.
Then The (ever-excellent) Ark, then Switzerland.

Actually, this has inspired me to have a semi-The-Ark-Appreciation-Mania week. Bloody hell this band, when they're good, are astonishing. I nearly had that dancing with tears in my eyes just listening to "Calleth You Cometh I" just now.

I watched about 3/4s of the entries on youtube several weeks ago (http://katstevens.livejournal.com/488686.html) and can't quite remember how they all went, but Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland are all great.

Worryingly the only one apart from Vampires Are Alive that I could hum you right now is Scooch.

I try not to see/hear any of the entries before the shows! I am a purist.

I made an exception for the Israeli one (or rather an exception was made for me: my colleague discovered it and played it loudly in the office). I thought it was good too: the chorus is the only thing I can remember from it, well, and the general impression.

I'd be quite disappointed to see Serebro win this year, considering how actual Russian pop acts in past years (Tatu, Alsou, Dima Bilan) with much better entries have failed to win, and all the political significance that will be assigned to a "group" manufactured specifically for Eurovision singing something stupid even by local standards.

I also think real-world politics will probably be working against Russia. (Estonia virtually guaranteed to give 1 point; Estonia's chances will be slim as well.)

I too am this year largely waiting until the semis to hear the songs. (Contrast with last year, when I bought the CD before the contest.)

Have heard to date: The Ark (grebt), DJ Bobo (overrated, but not bad), "Push the Button" (OK) and predict that all three will be top 6 finishers.

My other prediction: Scooch will do almost as badly as Jemini.

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