REVIEW USC 2001

OK, I will make a review even though most participants will be very upset. But to them I only say - Bring better songs to USC. Shame on your selection methods. I can not say I enjoyed this edition very much but if you have to do it you have to.

1. Norway – Espen Lind – Life is good
USC 2001 stars with a nice song sung by a nice artist in a nice way. It gets so boring and it should be more punch in voice or song for more than 2 stars. Goodnight sweetheart goodnight Norway. Bye Bye lalala lalala song isn’t good.

2.Greece
Another Helena Paparizou song through Antique, again, well both are often fantastic. This repetitive thing should never been put on a cd. Lyrics are just stupid and the song is made so repetitive it feels like half an hour long. 1 star.

3.FYR MacedoniaSongs made to sound as if they were 20 or even 40 years old has nothing to do in a contest. Girls sings great though. And you get in a positive mood of the happy tune. But it’s no winner. 2 stars.

4. Italy - Tiziano Ferro – PerdonoThis is a great artist that made many great song. I know it is a huge hit in Italy. It is also nice to have this kind of modern up to date song in a contest but…..it is not great for dancing nor listening nor a romantic Italian dinner so it can not be many stars here. 2 stars.

5. San Marino - Elisa – LuceWell, this edition is really bad. If Norway was boring this is even worse. But I like her passionate singing and I suppose it is too good, too much quality for USC to gicve high position. Yes its boring but it is great thanks to the artist presentation. Pure art but she should have had a better song. 3 stars.

6 Netherlands - Jody Bernal - Que si que no“Drrrrrrrrr”, if you get this in a song then you must be a bit on gard. Why they have these synth drums a la 1986? When it is 2001 and these kind of summer hits with sound effect of cocktail party voices, whissling and the annoying trumpets make me feel ill. The rhythm is good and chorus is ok but the whole thing is destroyed by the “drrrr” whisles and well after the 12th time you hear the hook you REALLY feel ill. NO STARS.

7 Czech Republic - Holki - Kdyz me libas
Recording is a bit weak but enough to give an opinion. I love this language and it is has a bit feeling of Kim Wilde even though production is bad but the melancholic melody and voice makes it one of the better ones. Bravo Czeck! 3 stars.

8 France - Helene Segara - Tu vas me quitter
Well, in USC France seams to sail up as the superpower behind Sweden and Greece. One ballad more marvellous than the other one and is there no end of them. Well, I am a huge fan of Helene Segara, who won with Andrea Boccelli in 1997 and also finished 2nd in the very same contest. 5 stars for a masterpiece. Congratulation France.

9.Luxembourg - Daddy dj - Daddy djPlastic pudding in a costume of techno a la 1990ies but it will be the hit of the year. Weak verses but the chorus is absolutely fantastic. Nonsense lyrics but as a dance song it is ok. 3 stars.

10 Spain - Merche - No Me Pidas Mas Amor
Another star, but with a weak song. Typically Spanish mid-tempo pop song with rhythm that makes you wanna dance. More annoyiong trumpets but here low in the mix and Merches passionate strong singing is the reward for listeniong this weak song. 3 stars.

11 U.K. - Steps - It's The Way You Make Me Feel
Finally, another song that sparkle of the new millennium. A fantastic great ballad in a mid-tempo costume sung in perfect harmony. Some Britney Spears wibes and some Westlife too and this mix is fantastic. Just to say that United Kingdom bring great music to USC is so rare that you got to give an extra applause for that. Or maybe it has to do with the change of management in national selection of UK?. Anyway enjoy your 4 stars England.

12 Austria - Marque - Electronic Lady
Austria usually end up very low and almost without stars. I love the verses and the bridge in this pop song. And the build up to chorus is fabulous but when the chorus is over you think…hmm…nothing more? But when you hear again…it is better. He sings also great and lyrics is pure pop. 4 stars and I hope Austria do good this time.

13 Sweden - Bosson - One In A Million
One of the few that persist in making national finals for history as well. Bravo. One star already for that. Bosson, Bosson why Bosson…there was Nanne in Melosongfestivalen and also Jessica Folcker with a fantastic pop song and you bring this one to victory. The Swedish jury has selected wrong this time. Very very wrong. This piece of …is very annoying and the sound of the constant falsett singing is so annoying. Bad choice Sweden. 1 star.

14 Germany - Jeanette Biedermann - How it's got to be
And now Germany and another ballad. Eh…this is so strange beginning for a ballad…wait a minute is this Robyn…I really had to check twice to see if this really was Germany. This time Germany comes with something totally different from what they usually bring to USC you simply got to be a bit impressed, Nice girl singing groovy song that has both rhythm and melody. But it is more weiling and singing than drumming dance so only 3 stars this time. But it could end up away from bottom this time.

15 Denmark - Aqua - Around The World
Denmark and Luxembourg will take votes from one another. It is a bit ok as a pop song but the singers I really do not like. And this song is one of the worst they made. Next please. 1 star.

16 Ireland - Johnny Logan – AngelsFinally something that sounds so 100% to be from the country it represent. Mr Eurovision enter USC for the first time. A risky business for him because he might go very bad since this song was a huge hit by someone else. Song is great but I must say I prefere the bigger hit. Anyway it is good music. 3 stars

17.Andorra - Alazan - Alcanzaras La LunaOh no, this is the 3rd latino song in 2001 and this one of the most annoying , must be a trend and this singer is strange and sound awful. NO STARS

18.Estonia - Ruja - Eesti muld ja eesti suda
Eh….is this folk music of origine population of saamic nation of eesti?. I like the emotional singing and dramatic drum and etno sound. But in USC this will fight for 0p…again…the return of Estonia is a return to last place tragedy. If it was from 1967 it could get more stars but now only 3 STARS for pure art in singing.

19 Slovenia - Nusa Derenda - Cez dvajset let
Congratulations to an anthemic rock song that sound pop and etno at the same time. A wonderfully passionate and emotional voice in a so beautiful language in this amazing melody. Masterpiece, Winning feeling is written all over this one. I suppose the runaway victory of Israel in USC 1968 will be sweapt away by Nusa and her in the future classic USC entry. If one single song could make up for all the torture in a bad contest this one is the one to do that work. Finally Slovenia has the best song. 5 bright stars (close to 6 stars actually). This is the perfect song…

20.Hungary - Crystal - Nincs tobb lanc
This is nice song but I heard these crystal songs 200 times now and they all sound the same. I’d give 2 stars because its boring no matter how great the production actually is and I like this kind of mix of gengre. But 2 stars.

21.Turkey - Tarkan – HupNo Tarkan, I like Turkish language and Turkish rhythm but this is not good enough. Maybe in a club in Ismir but here you got to come with better things. 2 stars.

Oh what a bad year. Well winner got to be Slovenia and runner up France and UK but I Wouldn’t mind seeing Austria succeed also. But this contest is all about how Alovenia came and conquered or how Nusa was robbed by a crap jury voting. Most of you must shape up for next year. Call Alan, Greg and Mischa and ask how they find these songs.