REVIEW USC 2008 SPRING EDITION

So we have Spring Edition already. After seeing Sonja win a 2nd time and the song I have given 6 stars there must be clear that the anti-Sweden vote I thought would be there, simply isn’t. Also when you consider that 2 of the top 3 in 1964 USC ended just 1st and 2nd, and teh 2 with a dark star ended bottom 3 you should pay attention to The reviews here on USC NEWS. So lets start the Spring review.

01.Switzerland - Swiss Union - San Gottardo
The first one is an very old song but still it is a fantastic opening of the show. This time the Swiss has one of the strongest entries so far. Should end in the upper half.

02.Andorra - David Gallardo - La vida bailando
Andorra is back. Andorra do a 2008 dance song with spanish guitars and the typical rapid Spanish sing style but this time also inspired with American rap in a great mix. Chorus is one of the most catchy in the whole heat. A heat of 31 songs which you would expect a lot of bad songs in but here we will listen to many great songs. Top 10.

03.Israel - Sarit Hadad - Chofshiya
The first ballad, but it is a crushing guitar pop ballad. I never really liked those but Sarits voice is my cup of tea. I like it more with video. Beautiful melody but after hearing you can’t remember much. Mid results.

04.Luxembourg - Jenifer - Comme un hic
Oh no, I don’t like these strange blip songs. And singing is bad. Annoying “ooooooooo” from choir makes it a torture 3 min. I hope 30st place (There comes worse) but some could be liking this kind but definatelly bottom.

05.Russia - Yin-Yang - Malo-pomalu
Russia come with a soulballad etno mix. Good singing and full of emotion but the song has not much dynamic and gets very repetitive when having same sound all through the song. Enormous echo and delay blurps it into a mix. Chorus good melody gives an extra star.

06.Belgium - Geena Lisa - Wheel of time
An awful entry. I hear an alarm of Scottish pipes and some enourmous synth or guitar that destroys her beautiful voice. They should made a more thin mix. Now it is at bottom, also due to a very repetitive chorus.

07.Spain - Anael - Thinking thinking
Now one of the most emotional and powerful voices. With great lyrics this mid-tempo ballad hits you right into the heart. For once a mix language version workes very well. I hope we will see and hear more of Anael in the future USC also. Oh, so will she end high or not? Of course this is a top 5 song. Congrats Spain you have a fantastic entry and even a winner candidate if juryor are in the right mood.


08.Italy - Paps'n'Skar - Balla
This is a great Italian pop song of which Italy in USC has not seen until now. I love that we get this style in Italian and not just plain English as usually. Should end just outside top 10 or just inside.Great singing and hooky chorus…tutto la notte bravissimo…

09.Finland - Sunrise Avenue - Fairytale gone bad
The voice is good but it sounds like it was produced at home in the beginning. And this guitar/drum in the first minute is awful, finally there is more instruments later on. Should be in the upper half. But the build up of layer after layer of guitars work well. Should be in the middle section

10.Turkey - Sila ft. Kenan Dogulu - ...Dan Sonra
Finally a good turkish entry agan. It is fresh 2008 and the only bad thing is the constant blips and beeps that destroys the great rhythm and drum song to a noicy disaster. Mid results.

11.Poland - In-Grid & Stachursky - I Love
A ballad with a voice that is both beautiful and boring. Nothing happens here. It is nice to have Poland in French but what help is that to a zzzleepy song. Should be in bottom but as usually Poland will be in upper half.

12.Ireland - Donal Shekan - Double cross my heart
Is this really Ireland, wait a minute now. It got to be Uk, denmark or Spain…No it is the song from the island of Enya and etno entries in USC that goes POP. Pure pop 100%. Very nice indeed. The song deserves a better artist though. A weakness is the cliché lyrics that sounds a bit stupid. Go Ireland. Top 10!!!!!

13.Germany - Mark Ashley - Give me a chance
Spring Edition is a ballad edition and Germany has the ballad of the ballads. Very slow and they try another Cascada but with a man this time. It has one of the best choruses in the whole contest and without competition the best “hug your love” song of them all. Mr Ashley has a fantastic voice that suits this kind of song perfectly. Congrats Germany. But I get half asleep with these ballads and there is only 2 choruses and verse 1 is way too long. Mid results

14.Slovenia - Yuhubanda - Pred oltarjem (At the altar)
Hmm, Balkan folklore dancing? I mean not the etno drum music but the kind you dance in pairs to. Let’s dance to Slovenian version of “Barbados” of Sweden (who had Magnus Carlsson as singer before). This singer is just as good as him, but the song is too sweet. Casanoca singers exists in all countries I guess. But it is very good. The key change and the empesis on the schlager structure gets an extra star. Top 10 eay.

15.France - Helene Segara & Laura Pausini - On oublie jamais rien, on vit avec
After a cancelled French national final that was a disaster with bad songs going to 2nd round I am happy to see the internal jury selecting such a smart and great entry. They combine The USC 1997 winner Helena Segara with a superstar from Italy again. This time not Andrea Boccelli but with a female star, Laura Pausini who was runner up in USC 2002. So a double USC duet that sparkle of 2008 modern French popballad. Pure pleasure but with so many ballads you get a bit worn out from listening. Could face some trouble coming top 5 but top 10 should be easy. Dince I love both Helena and Laura. It can only be 5 stars.

16.Lithuania - Pokeris – Stone
Well, now another ballad that has crushing guitars. I am really tired of ballads at this point but it is ok . Weak melody but good production and voice is full of emotion but weak. Lower half.

17.U.K. - Zoe Birkett - Treat me like a lady
FINALLY – YES – FINALLY. I can 100% support UK. A club song a la 2008 that will smash television sets all around Europe. I love these reviped disco beat songs. A bit stupid lyrics but in this kind of song that do not matter at all. GO UK. GO Zoe. TOP 5 is that possible for United Kingdom? In ESC ? No . In USC: YES

18.Czech Republic - Iva Fruhlingova - La muerte
I guess I am ambiguish about this one. Great rhythm and drums but the strings are annoying. It. isIs very good and very spanisg in style. Singer has powerful and beautiful expression at the same time. Good entry Czeck Republic, mid results.

19.San Marino - Anna Tatangelo - Il mio amico
OK, a ballad directly from San Remo festival. It is starting to be ridiculous with all these ballads but Anna has a great expression in her voice and again Italy send a talk/sing song. Beautiful melody but voice is the real benefit here. Lower half but should be upper half.

20.Austria - Marque - Rose Without a Thorn
Please, you have DJ Ötzi, and now this??? A country ballad with another choir with annoying “ooooooo” singing. Marque is better than song that is Ok, even good in a country destival. But this is USC. Wait a minute. This is a grower. A true Soulballad goes country. But to score high it needs more than this . sorry

21.Fyr Macedonia - Tijana Dapcevic - Sve Je Isto Samo Njega Nema
Noice. Null points. OK, she is not bad but speak and song is simply terrible. Tijana will go better than…Luxembourg…that is all. 30th

22.Slovakia - Maduar - Hafanana
Hafana, lalalalalalalal. Hey. This is so different. Hey. And so surprising to come from Slovakia, but this is the kind of mix of style, culture and music that I love. And this has rhythm plus a great catchy tune. Childrens fave I am sure. The second WINNER candidate. Go Slovakia. Tjoooohoooooo. GO GO GO , Hafana, Hafana. Lyrics are nonsence but it works anyway. Party Party, Happy, happy, hopa, hopa!!! TOP 3!!!!!

23.Netherlands - Hind - Fado mae
Zzzzzzzzz……..(no words needed) …..A lullaby that makes you feel ill and try to be emotional but gets just terrible. I thought it was Portugal first. Chame on you Netherlands if this is what you have in 2008. But ok you want to be different or make variety. Ok good on the initiative. But there must be better. And This is definatelly the strongest candidate for Null points in USC so far. It is also squeezed in between 2 of the best songs in this final so It can only end in one way.

24.Croatia - Emilija Kokic – Andeo
A ballad that grows with more listenings. It was a bit boring first time, but now after the several play through it is one of the best songs in this edition. She is 100% pure art and the church sound and dynamics of the song works perfectly. If a ballad will win this is definatelly a strong candidate. I am sure top 5! And WINNING material. Bravo Croatia. One of the best or THE best in USC for Croatia. 5 stars for sure.

25.Romania - Alexandra Ungureanu feat. Marquess - You and not Tokio
A ballad that is Ok but just ok. We heard many of these and is gonna be a hit song in many countrys now when it is being in USC. But the competition is hard. Will fight for a top 10 spot.

26.Bulgaria - Karizma - Fool for you
A bit midle east, a bit Turkish, a bit India, a bit opera, a bit flute a lot of drums and 2 great voices will put Bulgaria in the top 10. Very very good mix of gengre that works for me

27.Bosnia - Herzegovina - Hari Mata Hari - Zar je to jos od nas ostalo
Another flute and now etno ballad. Mata Hari knows how to bring emotions to a song. Melody is painfully beautiful. In ESC a top 3 result but here I think top 5 could be possible is what it can do due to bit too slow tempo. But the instrumental part in the middle is wonderful and second half is amazing. By far the best Bosnian entry EVER in USC. Congratulations! 5 stars easily and I considered 6 for a while..….masterpiece!!!!! Thankyou Bosnia!

28.Hungary - Lola - Hallja meg a vilag
This is another ”Best song ever in USC”. Pure schlager-rock. Hungarian manager has made revival in USC for sure. Is Budapest going to host USC in summer? Very possible. A song that rocks the house and makes you both happy and puts you in a mood to dance. Top 5 candidate and one that can WIN also.Congratulations Hungary.

29.Norway - Secret Garden - Sleepsong
HAHAHA. So we got irish Enya style after all. Ok it’s an artist that won Eurovision but still, after Hungary it feels so 10 years old lullaby good night lullaby. For film, not USC.

30.Sweden - Sanna Nielsen - Empty Room
Beginning feels a bit weak and production very thin but then it becomes fantastic. And this time it is Sweden that has the voice. A huge emotional explosion in singing. You can see audience stand up, crying, as Sanna sings her reprise. What a glorious ending for Sanna to win in Sweden. Expect no audience applause. Epect a THUNDER ROAR that will be heard all the way to Moscow and Lissabon. Sweden sure has another WINNER candidate. If this is a ballad edition Sweden will fight it out with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia for the victory and if so Sanna will be Queen of Europe. Breathtaking performance. Not one eye is without tears. Oh, lyrics are fantastic as well. Congratulations once again Sweden for a fabulous entry.

31.Greece - Kostas Martakis - Always And Forever
Last but not least Kostas will rock the house. Verses are a bit weak but this entry has the BEST CHORUS of the whole USC so far in 2008. So again Greece will make a SOTY entry.

To conclude. A very, very strong edition, With no less than 9 five star songs and 5 4 star songs this edition must be considered to be one of the greatest of all time. So, with a new management finding new plöayers that both votes and send great music USC seams to turn out to be one of the hardest contests online to win. Here a top 5 song isn’t enough. You need a masterpiece of a song combined with an amazing artist and also an astonishing live performance to be able to reach near the top. USC is quality music at its best. Congratulations all that get to hear the show may 3rd.

So who will win? This time ist is very very hard. I have so many favourites and so many that deserves to win that the whole top 10 will probably be like the last 10 editions winners played in a row. Slovakia and Hungary is the up-beat winners, but after Sonjas schlager winner and Celine Dions disco victory maybe it is time for a ballad now. Then it is again Sweden with Sanna or Anael from Spain or Mata Hari from Bosnia-Herzegovina or Emilija from Croatia. If I have to say one…..BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, SWEDEN…or HUNGARY…hmm…Ok I will say BOSNIA WIN, SANNA 2nd and CROATIA 3rd.

See you in Globen and Stockholm 3rd of May.