The Pop World Cup: GROUP A

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Death metal! Bare breasts! Robot disguises! Germans! It can only be THE POP WORLD CUP, getting underway at last with the group A clash between Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany and Poland. The top two go through to the next round - as for the others it's an early bath.

You can find all PWC entries here. If you can't download or are having trouble let me know either in the comments box or at freakytrigger@gmail.com.

So here are the four Group A contenders, with exclusive team talks from their respected managers.


Costa Rica

Pseudostratified Epithelium - "The Pupil": Manager marnameow told us - "We all love music that can transcend language boundaries, and Costa Rica's Pseudostratiffied Epithelium certainly achieve this with their stunning and catchy The Pupil. The lyrics may be English (we're not certain), but the dulcet growls pervading this finest of death metal tracks means that they're equally unintelligible to native speakers of every language."

Ecuador

Can Can - "China Come": Their manager, skillextric, had this to say - "Hi there! We're Ecuador. Yes, as in the Sash! record. That won't be turning up here, mind, unless the German selection committee has a sudden fit of irony or something. No, for our opening salvo in the PWC we're sending out electro trio Can Can, about whom we don't know a huge bunch, except that they like to disguise themselves as robots, a bit. 'China Come' is gonna take you by surprise – it's the sound of danger lurking round every corner, guitars buzzing discordantly, and this weird, vapour-like synth noise hanging in the air, like something slowly falling to pieces. It'll take a few goes to really appreciate this one – hopefully we'll be through to round two by that time, though…"

Germany

Wir Sind Helden - "Von Hier An Blind": Loquacious gaffer sbp shared his thoughts with us - "I was thinking of submitting Boney M's "Rasputin" until the Graundiad G2 did a feature on them. So I had to do some actual research. 5 minutes typing "good german pop" into Google and I came up trumps with Wir Sind Helden.

These people are a poppy German band who don't try to sing in English (unless it's a B-side or video or something, in which case it's equally likely to be in Japanese or French). They have a female guitarist/singer with a good distinctive voice. The lyrics are apparently witty and full of wordplay. If you understand German, that is. Even if you don't, it's still good hooky guitar/synth pop.

This track is the title track from their second album "Von hier an blind". It sounds a tiny bit like the Cardigans.

"I can't go further... out of my mind""

(for more WSH information check the comments box)

Poland

Ewa Sonnet - "C'Est La Vie": Fresh-faced boss steviespitfire waxed lyrical to us about his latest find - "Discovered at the last second, this is a surprisingly lovely piece of Polish pop from last year. Dear Ewa is a topless model*; her song is a pop monster, lovingly crafted from pure silver and choked with bitter tears, possibly. In Poland, 'C'est la vie' is a term—appropriated from French—meaning, 'That's life'"


So how will matches be decided? HERE'S HOW.


You have 20 points to divide between the four teams, based on how much you enjoyed their tracks and on any other criteria you like.

No team can be given less than 1 point, no team can be given more than 10. If you fail to mark a team they will automatically get 5 points.

If that leaves a points total other than 20, or if you simply can't add up to 20, then the FIPA authorities will add or deduct points according to a highly complex system which can be explained in the pub by request.

Your votes should be in the following format:

"Costa Rica - 5. Ecuador - 5. Germany - 5. Poland - 5."

With the "5"s replaced by the points you allot to each team.

You can submit votes in one of two ways. In the poll below, or by email to freakytrigger@gmail.com if you can't vote in LJ polls. Any votes in the comments box will be disqualified. Voting closes at midnight GMT on Monday

The top two tracks, decided on total points, will go through to the next round. In the event of a tie the votes from the first 10 ballots received will be used to determine positions.

[Poll #654761]


Some indication of how the group stage is going will be posted tomorrow.

Commentary, "mind games", etc. in the comments box - GO!

*this fact is TRUE, do not attempt to check it at WORK.

Comments

More on Wir Sind Helden

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Also recommended "Gekommen um zu bleiben" and "Wuten genug?"
from the second album, and "Monster" and "Guten Tag" from their
first album "Die Reklamation". Their first album got to
number 2 in the German charts, and their second got to number 1.

English version of Von Hier An Blind with TinTin-style animated video
(RealMedia format)
http://www.emiextranet.com/Stream/6497/54011.ram

Page of audio clips
http://www.wirsindhelden.com/engl/worte.html

Translated lyrics
http://ssp.homeip.net/ssp/blog/2005/07/wir_sind_helden_in_english#5893
although this version is different from the lyrics in the English video."

Re: More on Wir Sind Helden

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

According to sbp

[steviespitfire.livejournal.com]

Yes. I should have stressed: DO NOT GOOGLE FOR EWA SONNET AT WORK. Though, by all means do it in the privacy of yr own home: her ALBUM is as triffic as my submission indicates.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

SEX SCANDAL HITS POP WORLD CUP!

AT YOUR DISCRETION:

[steviespitfire.livejournal.com]

Her official site:

http://www.ewasonnet.pl/

No nudie pics, but lots of heaving bosoms and clips from her album.

[steviespitfire.livejournal.com]

Lyrics to the song, fed into online translator. She is 1x poet ladies and gents:

There is evil (poorly) < evil >,
world did not promise regret have so as,
that it has not came off well once again your anger,
here they will change your regret about nothing nieeeeeeee if (or) there has to be so if (or) you must already life so and still,
that day on life already time (sometimes) żalić,
including margin (freely) and at last it apprehend this simple thing ref life is c la such happen not take over (concern) not vie,
not,
life is c not not today la such not tongue (speech) vie that you have it enough not,
not,
time already not not today,
including margin (freely) and at last it apprehend it simple thing so ref life is c la such happen not take over (concern) not vie,
not,
life is c not not today la such not tongue (speech) vie, t
hat you have it enough not,
not,
not not today

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I like how the Costa Rican flag has a competition winner's drawing from Costa Rica Blue Peter on it.

[steviespitfire.livejournal.com]

Can managers vote (for themselves)?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Yes. Though you have 20 points to allot, so you have to vote at least a bit for yr rivals too.

[catsgomiaow.livejournal.com]

Please POP WORLD CUP me at [my lj name] at gmail dot com, thanking you kindly!

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

OK if I fail to do this tonight then give me a stern reminder. Also anyone else who wants to be copied in on this gmail let me know pls!

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

How Ecuadorian ARE Can Can exactly? Direct or is the connection tenuous?

I did google Ecuador pop out of interest and got someone called MR MIDIMAN who has a track called 'Syntax Error'.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I have voted. I presume it is strictly forbidden or at least gently discouraged not to discuss who we voted as this would spoil the fun of the results?

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

No, I mean don't list what points you gave but talking about the tracks is the whole point!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Cor! I have to say I'm very impressed with all of the above. Well done troopers!

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I know, a cracking start to pop's showcase tournament I think.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Marna makes a good point re The International Language Of Death Metal - sadly it is not enough to save this track for me, fine for the first 30 seconds but I like my death metal not much longer than that.

Germany's initial offering is very pleasant indeed, like a Sunday afternoon stroll with Jurgen Klinsmann around the Swan See perhaps.

The Polish effort I find flat and by-numbers lacking real spark or charm. Most unfortunate as I fancied them as a dark horse. I may yet enjoy visiting Ewa Sonnet's site in the late hours however.

I can reveal that the enigmatic Can Can have made an unexpectedly strong impact here in the Togo camp.

IM SORRY

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

This Poland side has plenty of striking quality up front.

[jel-bugle.livejournal.com]

It doesn't help that I listened to both the free CDs that came with Metal Hammer today.

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

Well, I feel Germany have let themselves down on the day, despite fielding a strong team. I saw their (previous?) single 'Nur Ein Wort' on the TV when on holiday and totally fell for it, even if they are the German Heavenly... The video (http://www.wirsindhelden.de/engl/wort.html)'s quite cool too. Costa Rico mount a powerful charge but nothing about their performance on the day shone for me -- no Latin flair I'm afraid. + they lost points for being too goth. The Ecuadorians were the most surprising team, and although they've clearly studied their moves from European teams of the Big Beat era, it's a sound that's still a little bit lost on me. Poland were strongly seeded round our way, and don't disappoint, dazzling the crowd with their swagger and sway. Overall a very high standard so all managers to be congratulated, it's a shame there have to be any losers. My marks will be based on the, ahem, style -- look and feel -- of the team as much as their play on the pitch tonight, however. So will it be the hessians, the faceless techno boffs, the twee-ists, or the hot hot heat?

First thoughts

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

All top notch performances, I have to say. I think this stage will have to go to extra time before I can determine winners.

I've heard a fair bit of death metal recently for the purposes of my project, and the Costa Rican effort stands up well by comparison. I liked the stop-start nature of their song.

The Ecuadorians will get points for being different, that's for sure. The absence of vocals ultimately could count against them though.

Ewa has a nice pair of ... lungs. And Stevie talks a good game. Will that be enough? The jury's still out.

Typically solid performance by Germany. But a surprising amount of flair in their display too - Wir Sind Helden pushed most of my buttons; I can't resist this type of vocalist as you probably know by now.

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

Am I alone in thinking that, if I had any notion of winning this (I am managing Angola, so I don't, so this won't affect my thinking) I'd be very keen to see any other strong contenders eliminated - and I get a say in achieving just that! I'd rather come up against Costa Rica in a future round than Germany (no offence - I'm sure Costa Rica would put up a very plucky and brave fight, etc.), and I could treat the other groups similarly. Given the numbers who vote in the Now polls, I am imagining that other managers might make up a very significant proportion of the voters here. If you find a shocking number of one point votes for Girls Aloud or Daft Punk or some such, this may be the reason.

Team Tactics

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I would rather see good Pop songs battling it out regardless of where they came from or who's picked them so I solemnly vow to allocate points on that basis only...

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

poland: flashy, easy control in the mid-field, fails to boot the leather into the reticule
germany: melancholy grace combined with subtle rhythm; if it conforms to a slightly full-of-itself overall style pattern, the moments that count are memorable
ecuador: daring, compact manouevres, a blizzard of surprises and perils -- impressive, especially if there's a giant killer pay-off
costa rica: it's a formula, not one that's widely reached for, though its adherents swear by it -- the fact of the convention can be a disaster against the wrong opponents, but here the constituent parts are fitted together so perceptively that the cliches maybe flip inside out --- for me, could only come unstuck against ecuador, the real risk-takers in this group

[steviespitfire.livejournal.com]

"She can boot my leather reticules any day" etc etc.

I actually prefer Germany to Poland, now, actually! :-O but obv Poland is still the best.

[(Anonymous)]

Ecuador's strategy is to create a distraction by hiring freelance pterosaurs to swoop down and harass nearby cab drivers, the result being a gleeful cacophony. But the pterosaurs find themselve exhausted, though the second half is barely underway. This ought to free the cabbies to zoom, but they too are worn from battle, so merely putter about. The Germans, meanwhile, feint with a dark version of "Sunny," and then whoosh through the defense as if on a stroll, subsuming all distractions, cacophonies, euphonies, and symphonies. Score an easy 190 points. (We're playing Australian rules, right?)

[(Anonymous)]

That was me.

Frank Kogan

voting oops

[impudentharlot.livejournal.com]

plz disregard/erase my vote as i did not read through carefully and haven't access to the tracks on this computer, preventing me from providing a FAIR and BALANCED overview of what i liked. thx