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So we have our first song for Lisbon, and it isn't half bad, actually. Eugent Bushpepa's buildy pop rock ballad may have no discernible chorus, but it's got atmosphere by the bucketload, and an irresistible whoa-whoa chorus that will encourage metaphorical lighters in the air before the second minute is out.
After my crushing disappointment at learning that my two aggregations of old blokes didn't even make the final, and then my concern that some of the frocky horror lady ballads were going to nip it after some enormous crowd reactions, I began to feel more confident after the boy here got a bigger cheer on than most other songs got on their way off the stage.
But then I got the fear again as I saw the jury - a busload of middle-aged men in sobre suits and sombre expressions, two out of place ladies and one of the Allman Brothers. But somehow his soaring high notes and optimistic chord progressions won over the old boys and bagged him the ticket to Portugal. And while it's no overall winner, it's got jury bait written all over it, and could well see them comfortably into the final. It's certainly quite unlike anything Albania have ever sent before, and shouldn't need too much of an upgrade over the festive season, so we're looking forward to seeing how well it performs.
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ReplyDeleteIdeally, this will do really well at Eurovsion, which will teach Albania that a) they don't need to send shouty ladies every year and b) they don't need to enter with a half-arsed English translation.
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ReplyDeleteSo our household verdict of the song - I love it and think that although there's not much originality to it musically (Goo Goo Dolls's Iris, anyone?) it's a great change from past entries and he's a fabulous singer. I also think that a shorter, English version would benefit it greatly. The husband, however, finds it a bit meh and he's not impressed in the slightest. He might have even lost interest half way through. No domestic battle, but no agreement as well. The two-day holiday is safe from dramas.
ReplyDeleteHe has a good voice, and the song's pleasant enough to listen to, but it needs a complete restructuring to make it interesting (I lost interest 90 seconds in the first time I heard it). My first impressions aren't great, though then again I hated Origo & Blackbird the first time I heard them, so who knows what I'll think of it come May.
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