Eurovision First Impressions

Here are my first impressions of this years competitors in the Eurovision Song Contest. These songs will be the last 9 to perform in the Second Semi Final on Thursday 14th May.

Hungary 67/100

A thumping dance track sung by a man with lame lyrics. Think Turkey 2007. Think Switzerland 2008. One of them came third overall. The other failed to qualify for the final altogether. With this one, who knows.

Azerbaijan 68/100

The competition to be the first winner from the Caucusus is hot. Azerbaijan, like Armenia are getting closer to the formula for success, but this falls a little short.

Greece 86/100

Greece know how to stage a Eurovision Song on the night and are one of the most succesful countries in the last decade. I suspect in 6 months, my iTunes will tell me that this will be the track I have listened to most from this year though it still lacks a certian fizz. A good prospect, and Sakis has been third at Eurovision before. I still claim he would have won that year if he had ripped his vest off as well as his jacket...

Lithuania 64/100

You don’t see nearly enough white waistcoats these days. Very George Michael in his Listen Without Prejudice era. Without a doubt, Lithuania's best entry ever, though probably not a contender.

Moldova 92/100

This is a right rollicking knees up of a song that makes you want to dust down your best embroidered goatherder jacket and start folk dancing. This is the best Eastern Europe power-folk-dance-oompah number this year and will certainly qualify for the final. The Moldovans always stage with humour and a surprise (I remember the 101 year old grandma on the drums). The fact Nelly's publicity shots make her look like Eva Peron's and Zsa Zsa Gabor's Moldovan granddaughter simply add to the allure for me.

Albania 90/100

Suddenly we have got to the good stuff! There is something a bit restrained or mournful about all of the entries this year, but this is the best pop-fusion I've seen so far. Depending on the draw and the staging, this could be huge.

Ukraine 95/100

I have a new favourite! At least you know you truly are getting my first impressions as I am changing my mind every 3 minutes. How do the Ukraine do it? Last year we had a 'Shady Lady' but this year is just down and dirty! With a good draw this will surely walk it on the night. With 'that' drummer and backing singers dipped in 80% Green and Black I don't see how it can fail.

And with odds of 70-1, this is worth a £10 each way bet in any currency! (Except Icelandic Kronor... )

Estonia 81/100

This and The Ukraine represent the successful musical extremes of Eurovision. A serious and beautiful song, this is haunting and atypical. It could easily steal the show in the way that Nocturne did in 1995.

Netherlands 61/100

And here is the final extreme of Eurovision! The kitsch 'message' entry. If Eurovision is a forum for healing the world's war and pain, I am not sure the middle aged Agadoo wannabes are the right frontmen for the job. That said this is the only downright cheerful song submitted this year and they do get the Obama's into their video! Nonsense. Endearing. Dreadful. Inspired. Embarrassing. Would have won in the early 80s without a doubt! Please not this year.

For anyone new to Eurovision who wants an idea of what it is all about, then just look at the last five entries from this Semi Final. It's all there... The ballad, the thumping floor filler, the modern folk and the classical fusion. Wow.

I can still only see five 'must qualifiers' from this Semi and this does indicate that the songs are not broadly of a great quality. The general motif is melancholy, mournful, serious. Certainly there is little out and out cheerfulness, and I do hope that doesn't leave a wide open goal for the Dutch to take advantage of!