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Click here to return to the main site. Music Review
Malmö in Sweden plays host to the 58th Eurovision Song Contest in May of this year (2013). Sweden has become one of the world's biggest exporters of music. This important industry recognises its debt to the ground-breaking achievements of ABBA, who turned their 1974 Eurovision Song Contest win into a springboard for an international career of unparalleled success and longevity. Thirty-nine countries are hoping to repeat this success in Malmö in front of a TV audience in excess of 100 million viewers... The Eurovision Song Contest sets no restrictions on language or style, which makes this collection of songs unique - 39 brand new compositions with only one common denominator - they have all been chosen to represent their country with the mandate of hitting the chord of European taste and carrying off Europe's most coveted musical crown. Some countries take the contest extremely seriously, while here in the UK it's seen as a little camp to embrace the Eurovision spirit. Also, as everyone knows, and retired UK commentator Terry Wogan used to love to point out, it's not so much about the quality of the music, but more to do with politics than anything else. That said, the countries have produced some incredibly catchy and memorable tunes, and it's a privilege to be able to listen to all 39 songs ahead of the contest. Personal highlights include the entries for, in alphabetical order, Armenia (an interesting AOR track that has a green message); Belgium (a catchy dance track); Germany (the track opens a little like Miley Cyrus's 'Bottom of the Ocean' and then moves into a dance track that sounds familiar... mainly because it's an amalgamation of popular tracks); Finland (a teen pop song that encapsulates the Eurovision spirit); UK (which sounds a little too much like Avril Lavigne's 'Hot'); Hungary (which has submitted a rather annoying track which becomes really catchy after a few listens); Italy (a powerful romantic song); Latvia (a teen pop offering that sounds like your typical boy band hit); Malta (a catchy, simple song); The Netherlands (hauntingly beautiful in its delivery); Norway (a thumping dance track); Romania (this year's contender for comedy song. It has to be heard to be believed, but this is one impressive track and Cezar's range is amazing); and Sweden (a song that starts slow, but builds into a wonderfully catchy dance track). The prize for oddest track has to go to the French entry. It's quite a good song, but to an English speaking audience there is unintentional humour in the fact that they insist on singing a word that sounds like "w*nker" as well as a chorus that seems to include the words: "She's got monkeys hair". I have to admit that I don't usually watch the show, but I know for certain I will take my rightful place at my girlfriend's side and enjoy this year's contest - mainly because I now have my favourite tracks and I want to see how many of them do when up in front of the European judges. Track listing CD 1 01 - Albania: Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko - 'Identitet' CD 2 01 - Ireland: Ryan Dolan - 'Only Love Survives' 10 Nick Smithson Buy this item online
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