Laters

So I'm going back to the UK today for a few weeks before I move to France.You know what that means- probably no posting.But as soon as I get to Paris,I am intending on going to see the lovely Jonatan Cerrada in the musical Je m'voyais déjà.So maybe you'll hear about that :) Tatty bye!

Top 50- 1: I don't wanna change a thing

Euroband- This is my Life

Well.As you've probably realised by now,I love songs about broken relationships,heartbreak etc etc...such an emo.But This is my Life is completely wonderful because it's just so damn happy.You can't help but feel good when you listen to it.It also helps that Friðrik Ómar has one of the best voices I've ever heard (check out his version of Somebody to Love if you're not convinced) and that Euroband are a great duo who just enjoy what they do.I hope we see more of them in the future.

Top 50- 2: Let them think what they want

Philipp Poisel- Unanständig

I haven't listened to PP's wonderful album for a while now,but Unanständig will always remind me of my time here,for many reasons.Well OK,one reason.

Top 50- 3: Why does everything have to be so complicated?

Sergey Lazarev- Girlfriend

Oh look,it's that man again.Girlfriend was easily one of the most played songs at Europop Mansions Surrey Branch last year.And for good reason- it's fabulous.We played it a good few times on Sounds of Europe too,and actually I think it was played on 2 other shows at GU2 as well.Good times!

Top 50- 4: Close to perfect and just your type

Vlad Topalov- Perfect Criminal

I've been getting into Vlad's work lately- I have his album Odinakaya Zvezda and it's pretty good.None of it as good as this banging tune though :) It's the chorus,and the clappy bits that do it for me.Yes,definitely the clappy bits.Clappy bits come in at number one on my list of best features of a song in 2008.I can't wait to play this song on Sounds of Europe when it returns later this year.

Top 50- 5: Be my lover be my friend

Charlotte Perrelli- Hero

I really wasn't too keen on Hero during Melodifestivalen.I never like the winner to start with because there's always someone else who I think has been robbed.I can't remember who it was last year,but it didn't matter in the end,because Hero is fabulous.I don't know why I suddenly started loving it,but it was quite possibly something to do with the fact it was played about 86 times at the Scala Eurovision party.

Top 50- 6: I sing to be loved

Teitur- The Singer

Teitur is responsible for one of the coolest evenings I've had here.Well,OK,it was in Denmark actually.In that case,definitely the coolest time I've had in Denmark :) Although it seems like absolutely ages ago now,there are still certain bits that I remember really clearly.Umbrellas in the Rain,because it seemed like such an odd choice of song to perform,the two women who stole my little ledge that I was sitting on and subsequently seemed to feel sorry for me and gave it back,having a chat with Teitur's support act Dawn Kinnard in between Hitchhiker and Catherine the Waitress,having a little cry at I Was Just Thinking,and this song,because it was probably the one I wanted to hear the most,after seeing the video I've posted here.The video is from a Danish TV show called den. 11 time,and I think is one of the best live performances of anything ever.He didn't disappoint at Tobakken either.I think why I love The Singer is because it's so honest,and the music (in the live piano versions at least) is simple yet quite dramatic.(On the album there's a marimba type thing going on,which doesn't quite have the same effect).And listening to the lyrics,it seems I'm a stereotypical Teitur fan :) I still think he's the best singer-songwriter around at the minute,and as he mentions in this song "I sing about my loneliness and in return they thank me"- as mushy as it may sound,his music has been a big help in the last few months (there's not much I can relate to more than his first album Poetry and Aeroplanes),and yes,I do thank him for it.

Top 50- 7: Katya answer the phone,it's him

BiS- Katya

I've extolled the virtues of BiS many a time.Yet still no news of them representing Russia at ESC- boooo! Katya is class,I love it.Thinking about it now,it probably should have been a bit higher up this chart.

Top 50- 8:No one knows who I am but I don't give a damn

Ani Lorak- Shady Lady

I love Ani,she's incredibly fabulous,I wish I looked like her.Shady Lady was arguably the best song in last year's ESC and deserved it's high placing.I had money on it too- in 15 years of watching Eurovision,that's the closest I've come to choosing the winner :)

Top 50- 8: Words cannot describe the feeling of a man whose soul is bleeding

Chelsi- Ne Hvataet Eyo Glaz/Every Little Thing She Does

Aww,I used to have that picture on my wall in Guildford last year...I'm not ashamed to admit it :) It's been a disappointing year for Chelsi I think.After the greatness of Ya Ne Umru Bez Tvoi Lyubvi,Krilya,Careless Whisper etc etc from last year,they only produced one good song in 08.Just as well it was a brilliant one then.

Top 50- 9: With every step,I'm closer to the dream

Sergey Lazarev (and Timati)- Lazerboy

And why is there a picture of everyone's favourite GU2 ident maker Sergey sitting naked on a table holding a saw,you ask.Well,it's art :) I wouldn't think sitting on newspaper with no pants on is a very good idea though,personally,but each to their own.I've mentioned Lazerboy loads of times on here,and for good reason- it's fecking fabulous.I need say no more.

Top 50- 11: I'm unusually hard to hold on to

Sara Bareilles- Love Song

Summery and happy and lovely.I can sing it quite passably too,which is always a plus :) I probably would have forgotten this one completely though if I hadn't had a last minute obsession with it around December time.

MGP Round 1

How did Christian-from-a1's song get eliminated from MGP tonight? It's lovely.



Not thinking much of the 2 that got through- Tricky is just boring,and although Det Vart en Storm is a nice song (would be nice to have something in Norwegian in the contest actually),I doubt it would make an impact at ESC.As for the Siste Sjansen songs- I am loving Espen Hana's Two of a Kind.It's very refreshing.We've had loads of new styles in the last few years,some of which have worked,some which haven't.I think this really could though.And Surferosa? More like No Chance than Siste Sjansen.

The Colour of Snow

Is the name of Polarkreis 18's album.I've just bought it.It's rather good.More about that later...

Wot I fink about da Danish National Finalz...

What with Germany being all boring and choosing internally this year,I've adopted Denmark as my new homeland for ESC purposes.It is essentially just Medway on a large scale after all.Anyway,I had a listen to all the songs and wrote stuff down as I did so...

Jeppe Breum Laursen- Lucky boy: 80s tastic. Not as great as I was expecting though. Much like Denmark itself. Being one half of Junior Senior(greatest Danish duo ever, even better than Hej Matematik!), I had high hopes for this song. It’s not bad I suppose, but it’s far from crowd-pleasing. Shame.

Hera Björk- Someday: It’s a ballad, oh wait, no it isn’t! It turns amazing after just over a minute,she had me fooled there. I’ve only listened to 2 songs so far but this so has to win- the chorus contains the phrase “work your magic”, therefore it must be brilliant :) Oh,and the key change…Glorious.Oh,wait,it's "work IT'S magic".Still...


Christina Unhjem- Underneath My Skin: It’s a ballad, oh…yeah, it’s still a ballad after a minute. And after 2 minutes. Boo, it’s boring. Next…

Trine Jepsen- I’ll Never Fall in Love Again: Mmm,again, not what I was expecting from the title. Thought it would be another ballad, but no, it’s more of a flat dance song. Pleasant enough, but no chance. Too old skool ESC.

Sukkerchok- Det’ det: Oh we do love a bit of Danish language here at Europop Mansions Kiel branch. Not bad, I can see this at ESC. Again it’s quite 80s influenced I think. No idea what it’s about, but it really is rather good. I like the ending.

Claus Christensen- Big Bang Baby: Sebastien Tellier’s back…oh,no, it’s another dancy one. I’m loving the bridge and the chorus. Oh wow, check out the key change and that strange sound towards the end. Brilliant.


Jonny Deluxe- Sindssyg: Oh I love this, this is more like what I was expecting from Jeppe. So upbeat you’d never believe the singer was Danish. It’s even making me dance a little bit. Ooh, break it down…will there be a big key change or something….? No…Oh well, it’s still great. This might be my new favourite.

Marie Carmen Koppel- Crying out Your Name: Oh Lord, I hate sax. This had better get going somewhere in the next 20 seconds, or I’m turning it off…It hasn’t.Fine.

Jimmy Jørgensen- Alice in the Wonderland: Yes, THE Wonderland. Oh this is interesting. Different to all the others that’s for sure. Has a lot of potential for a big stage show. Hmmm…eh up- was that a bit of a key change? Very unexpected. This really is pretty good- could be an outsider I think.


Brinck- Believe Again: Litesound is the first thing that comes into my head. And that’s never a bad thing. Ooh, big chorus…yes, I like this one. It really does have Litesound written all over it. Would be good if it won ESC. “Dima Bilan won Eurovision in 2008 with Believe. And in 2009 it was Believe Again…” Shame it’s very un-Eurovision. It’s a really good song.

Well.It's going to be a cracking final I think.And looks like there's quite a big chance that I'll be supporting Denmark this year.Oooh...

Top 50- 12: They call me "Crazy Man"

BiS- Tvoi ili Nichei

It's dramatic,strangely discotastic,Dima has an odd voice and there's a sax solo- what more could you want in a song?! I first saw Vlad on FZ7 singing Chuzhaya Nevesta with Chelsi.It was alright,but I'm really glad he didn't go solo and ended up being in BiS instead,thus creating the coolest Russian boy-duo since Smash.Again,they're a bit different to your normal reality TV stars and that's nearly always a good thing for me.No news about the Russian Eurovision entry for this year,but I really really,really hope it's BiS.I think they'd be super.

Top 50- 13: Release me from these arms that never loved me

Dima Bilan- Lonely

Last year was a busy year for Dima.Starting with the Russian Winter Festival (one of the best days ever)- oh,belated s novim godom Russian readers,I completely forgot :/ Yeah,the RWF,then the national finals and all that "no you're not allowed to use that Spanish song,and oh by the way,you're not allowed to call yourself D-D-Dima Bilan anymore" controversy,then preparing for Eurovision,winning Eurovision,touring Europe,doing a few extra gigs in Germany at the same time as Dancing on Ice,presenting the Russian Music Awards,releasing the new album...No wonder he's always so hyper.Lonely is a great song,I love Ty Dolzhna and Eta Bila Lyubov and all the classics,but these kind of songs suit him better I think.

Top 50- 14: You and I need a miracle

Marie Picasso- Miracle

Marie's album The Secret is really rather good.As reality TV stars albums go I'd say it's one of the best.Of course there's the odd cover on it (only 1 though actually if I remember rightly),but as I mentioned at number 33,it's not all samey lovey lovey drivel as Idol/X Factor/whatever else winners seem to produce.Germany's version Deutschland sucht den Superstar starts tonight,although I leave here next week and won't see the final,I'll follow it as I'm intrigued about what kind of winner the Germans will choose.I bet it won't be a bland singer of ballads.Maybe a bland singer of pop-rock though :)

Top 50- 15: Now I see you're not for me

Ruslan Alehno- Hasta La Vista

It's Razzle!Mmm,just watching the video back I'm remembering how delightful he is,and how exciting it was seeing him at the Scala back in April.Mmmmm...Anyway,whatever your opinion on the complete rewriting of Hasta la Vista,it still deserved to qualify from the semis.But,he did his best and that's all that matters...

Top 50- 16: Something inside me called freedom came alive

The Rasmus- Living in a World Without You

I really didn't like the direction TR were going in with Hide From the Sun,so I'm really happy the new album is more like Dead Letters with a few elements of Into thrown in.Everything about Living in a World Without You is brilliant,as I think I've written on here before.It's anthemic,cool,a little bit sexy...I just can't wait to get back in the studio for Sounds of Europe to blast it on a proper system :)

Oh,and I know it's an ancient picture and Eero looks like he's growing out of Pauli's side,but I think Aki looks really nice in it :)

Top 50- 17: Who are friends?

Jakob Sveistrup- Hvem er Venner

Who are friends?Good question.Also the only bit of the song I know in English.My Danish listening skills are poor,and I tried to find the words to Hvem er Venner,but according to the website I found- Jakob sung "For Those Of Y'all Who Wear Fanny Packs," "One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces" and "Satan is my Master".But no Hvem er Venner.Anyway,it's a good song.My favourite song in the world ever for about a day and a half.I look forward to the release of the album,whenever that may be.I have both Fragments and the self-titled first album,although I've only quite recently got into them.I have discovered though,that they're a great soundtrack to walk along the Flensburger fjord to :)

Oh yay

Well,Petr Elfimov won the Belarussian final with Eyes That Never Lie.Because of course,what Eurovision needs is more crap rock.It could be worse I suppose,at least he can sing.Doesn't change the fact the song is awful though,like it's from some terrible 80s rock musical about Dracula or something.Anyway,here it is in such HD quality that you're not quite sure who's singing exactly- is it Evgeny Pluschenko? Vlad from BiS? Dima from BiS........?



Oh God,that end note.... :/

Top 50- 18: And I lie to survive again

Prata Vetra- And I Lie

It is a fact that Prata Vetra are criminally underrated.Sometimes you'd think myself and Europe Crazy were their only fans.You'll probably remember them for the erm,interesting performance at ESC 2000,but there's more to Prata Vetra than cutesy pop songs like My Star- although I love them very much too :) I like the direction the band have been going in of late,and And I Lie is a super song.Normally obvious rhymes make me cringe,but the chorus- "Stop if you're going down/if you wanna take a rest/just for a while/leave the town/you are strong/the road is long/carry on carry on/we can't go wrong,no we can't go wrong" is just a lovely sentiment I think.

Wow,look,I managed to a whole post about Prata Vetra without mentioning how cute Renars is! Oh...

Top 50- 19: Every night I pray that I'll find you

Ich+Ich- So Soll es Bleiben

The second song from this duo in my top 50.Yes,if you can remember that far back,Stark was number 37.So Soll es Bleiben is a bit more upbeat.Actually,now I've read the lyrics,maybe it isn't,but it sounds it :) The version I've linked is a little bit different to the one I have for some reason,but it's still good.I like the video too.For some reason.

Top 50- 20: How can we make it together?

Sanna Nielsen- Impatiently Waiting For You

Well living in Germany I've become so environmentally friendly,that I'm going to recycle a post from PVE I wrote about this song last month.
"I have a new favourite song in the world ever.For probably the next 2 days or something.Just like Jakob Sveistrup's Hvem er Venner was my favourite song ever for the middle of last week.I've only heard it twice,but wow,isn't Sanna Nielsen's Impatiently Waiting For You bloody amazing? Yes,it is,that's the right answer.I've never heard any of her stuff before,but somehow came across this and I love it.Partly (mostly?) because it kind of reminds me of Celine's I Drove All Night in a way (in musical terms of course,lyrically it's kind of the complete opposite).It's so upbeat and I love how the verse kind of builds up to the fabulous schlager-lite chorus with its simple but effective lyrics.It's wonderful.Listen."

There.

Go Litesound! Maybe...Not that bothered actually...

Tis the Belarussian national final tonight,where Petr Elfimov,Litesound (and Dakota),Domenika,Gunesh and Veter v Golove will be competing to get to Moscow and try and do better than Ruslan last year.Incidentally,Ruslan will be on the show as will Ani Lorak.Oh yeah,and the whole thing is being presented by Dima Koldun :) :) :) Watch it here if you're that way inclined.Let's just hope the feed is better than it was last year...Oh.And it starts at 20.50 CET whatever that means.

I'm falling in love with your favourite song

In an aside to the Top 50,how good is Mando Diao's new song Dance With Somebody?



Rather,I think.

Top 50- 21: The time has come to celebrate our loneliness

Polarkreis 18- Allein Allein

I thought this was some British indie band song when I first heard it in the shoe shop before Christmas.I don't know what I thought they were saying in the chorus but it wasn't "allein".Anyway,it seems to be pretty big over here,I'm still hearing it all over the place- even the housemates were singing it on Big Brother the other night :/ But it is a great song,you don't get many good current German bands singing in English so it's refreshing.The boys will be representing Saxony in next month's Bundesvision Song Contest (seemingly a bigger deal here than ESC itself) with their second single The Colour of Snow.More about the BSC another time (although I'm actually moving to Paris the day it happens)- seems SH's representative is Ruben Cossani.From HAMBURG!Since when has Hamburg been in Schleswig-Holstein? Hmph.

Top 50- 22: Was it all that easy to just put aside your feelings?

Leona Lewis- Better in Time

I got Leona's album for Christmas not last year but the year before,but as with most new CDs I get,it takes me forever to get round to listening to them.So I actually discovered this song from seeing the video in summer.I love it.Because of the lyrics.For a change.

Top 50- 23: I was the life of that nation

Monica Naranjo- Europa

Monica is the most fabulous diva of our time I think.The Tarántula album is one of my favourites of last year,and I've recently been getting into it again bigtime.It's so varied,from the chilled out El Descanso,to the hyper Kambalaya to the shouty but wonderful second single Amor y Lujo- all of the songs are great.But none more so than Europa- Monica's first single for a few years.I really think it's a modern day masterpiece.Wonderfully dramatic and slightly operatic at the beginning,going into turning into a funky modern dance beat after a few minutes- it shouldn't work but it really does.Monica has such an interesting,versatile voice too,it's hard to imagine anyone else singing this song.

Top 50- 24: Give me what I want, give me what I need

Aleksei Vorobyov- Desire/Etoi Nochyu

This is so sexy.So damn sexy.Well,Aleksei's version anyway- I wasn't keen on Darin's from the Austrian/German Idol performance I saw a while back.And of course,everything in Russian is a pleasure for the ears.You could sing the Medway phone book in Russian and it would be sexy.*Goes off for a lie down*.

Top 50- 25: I want to mean more to you,be someone to you

Karpatenhund- Zusammen Verschwinden

One of the best songs my Flensburger friend has sent me this year.I don't normally like girl singers in the pop-rock genre,but Claire (or is it Stefanie?),I think is rather good.As always,I love the lyrics to this song too,and those of all the other songs from the album that I've heard.I have concluded Karpatenhund are a very good band (with a cool name) and should probably be more popular than they are :)

Top 50- 26: And I know now who I am

Newton Faulkner- Dream Catch Me

Just a kick arse song that reminds me of the best year of my life.That's all I have to say about that :)

OK maybe tomorrow

I'm watching Casualty on BBC1- in Germany! It's an exciting thing,I don't know how long the link will last for so I want to make the most of it...

I'm back...

So without further ado,let's finish the top 50 songs of last year but they become the top 50 songs of the year before last ;)