We’re cutting it real close here. I might have mixed up the days and thought the first semi-final was Thursday. Well, these songs won’t review themselves! Today we have:
- “Tick-Tock” by Albina (Croatia)
- “Discoteque” by The Roop (Lithuania)
- “Fallen Angel” by TIX (Norway)
- “Dark Side” by Blind Channel (Finland)
- “Love Is On My Side” by The Black Mamba (Portugal)
PHOTO CREDIT: EBU / BORNA HRŽINA / VAIDAS JOKUBAUSKAS / NRK / JULIA MARIE NAGLESTAD / YLE MONA SALMINEN / ARLINDO CAMACHO
Albina – Tick-Tock
The form of this song is actually quite interesting. The verse and the prechorus allow enough time for the song to build up nicely. The second verse sounds so different that it sounds like a bridge. And then to spice things up, Albina switches to Croatian for the third chorus. My only concern is that certain lyrics seem to give contradicting accounts of her level of confidence. The Croatian lyrics make Albina sound scared, but the English lyrics make it sound like she’s in control. I guess you can technically be both, but it’s probably for the best if I’m not too picky about it.
The Roop – Discoteque
“Discoteque” is one of those songs that I feel weird liking but I’m strangely addicted to it. I think the breakdown after the chorus is my favourite part. Oh, and the instrumental breakdown before the final chorus (trying to copy the thing he does with his fingers as I type this). The chromatic descent gives off that eerie vibe and I really dig it. At the same time, the vocalizations during that part make my skin itchy. I’ll get over it eventually. I also support The Roop’s message: “it is okay to dance alone.”
TIX – Fallen Angel
Let’s put aside the chains, the wings, and the shades and talk about the music here. I will admit that this entry never fails to put a smile on my face, but I don’t know if it’s for a good reason or not. I know I said that a little cheese is good for the soul but too much cheese sometimes gives me indigestion. The only criticism I’m comfortable giving about this song is that he says the same thing in three different ways in the lyrics. It would have been nice if he had elaborated more. Even if TIX doesn’t qualify for the finals, he will still have been the most iconic non-qualifier this year.
Blind Channel – Dark Side
I wonder if Blind Channel feel the pressure of being a rock band representing Finland when Lordi is Finland’s most famous winner of the Eurovision Song Contest. On top of that, they’re also competing against another rock band this year, Måneskin. Maybe they think “the more rock, the merrier?” Regarding their entry, the sections between the choruses were pretty short, making the choruses feel too early. To fix this issue, they could have cut one of the choruses out. Other than that, I kinda dig “violent pop.” I guess I’m just embracing my dark side.
The Black Mamba – Love Is On My Side
This song is quite straightforward. You either like it or you don’t. I personally am not a fan of his voice, but I still appreciate the message of the song. When life becomes bleak, you could choose to let the bitterness consume you. Instead, the woman in this song chose to believe that she deserved better. Obviously the story in this entry is an extreme example, but we could use this message to treat ourselves better.
Who has my vote (for now)?
It’s such small thing, but I notice how many entries in the Eurovision Song Contest stray from the typical pop song format. I feel like that what makes Albina’s song so solid in my mind. I give my vote to her, even though it was very close. “Discoteque” gets an honourable mention. Let’s all dance, headbang, and wave our phone screens in support of these entries.