2008 USC Summer Edition review

Summer Edition is released and here is the review of the 34 songs. Congratualation to UBU for a nice organisation for both download links and song availability on webpage this time. There are some returns to USC this edition; Malta is back as well as Latvia that has won USC before with Ella in winter 2007. Poland has been in all USC editions so far but in summer 2008 Poland is present with their absence. Also this is the edition when the ballad loving USC stopped and turned into a techno eurodance and crusching guitar contest.

1. Luxembourg - Julien Dore - Les Limites
USC can do without this type of songs. It can make people nervous and it should be released with a warning message. 1 star.

2. Iceland - Birgitta Haukdal - An pin
Birgitta is back and now she take the winning song of USC 1990 “Wind of change” by Scorpions and turn it into a fragile emotional ballad in Icelandic which we longed for for a very long time. Birgittas voice is magnificent and the flute in the original has been replaced by the melancholic cello. The result is perfect. Bravo Iceland. Everything but a top 5 result would put voters in shame. Bravo Iceland, I wouldn’t mind going to Reykjavik in autumn but it won’t happen of course. 5 stars

3. Italy - Elisa - Stay

Elisa has also very professional voice but it is ordinary that comes in so many songs these days. It must be the 97th time I hear this type of song and they never took me anywhere but I admit that it is a good production and singing is great too. 3 stars.

4. Denmark - Alphabeat- Fascination

Denmark go for retro-retro style. A new 80ies retro song in that typically 80ies goes retro 60ies retro that was popular 20 years ago. Too repetitive to get high ratings and again crusching guitars. AWould need Kim Wilde’s voice to get higher in ratings. 2 stars.

5. Sweden - Charlotte Perrelli - Bullet

So, Swedes also go for crusching guitars but in a pop song. And I must say they know how to make it great, the plastic over produced product made in Sweden. I fear Sweden could face a very low result but could also see another top 3 result. This song has already won another online contest. Charlotte is fantastic live and this song rocks. 5 stars.

6 Finland - Berit - Keurusselka

Welcome to Finland. Bingo start at 20:00 and after we dance all night long. It is a very romantic and well sung old fashioned tune that should have stayed where it belong, on the cruising boat for old dames and gentlemen. But it is one of my personal favourites and hope it will do better than I fear. 2 stars for the good melody.

7 Russia - Lolita - Orientansia sever
Now, in USC Russia has been very underrated. If they get the same unfavoured treatement this time I will be a bit angry. This is material for top 3, and I get winning wibes. A pure fantastic pop song with an aggressively powerful and emotional singer. This is the hit of Summer 2008, you just wait and see. I expect it to fight for top 5 but to see Russia take her 2nd USC victory would make my heart happy. Great entry Russia. 5 stars.

8 France - Louisy Joseph - Assis par terre
Please not again France. A totally un interesting and boring entry. Sung ok but I want Segara back, but what can France do when voters dismiss Segara? Next please. 1 star.

9. Bulgaria - Preslava - Posleden Adres

Experimental mix of pop, etno and electro and techno with a good result. All dancefloors in clubs in Turkey will play this a lot. Expect 12p from Turkey. Verses is a bit weak and I expect it to be too Arabic for most voters but this deserve a top 10 result. 4 stars.

10 Switzerland - Paolo Meneguzzi - Musica
Masterpieces come not seldom in USC and here is another. This is Mr meneguzzis best song. Watch out for this one. A passionate man with good looks that unfortunately sing a bit bad live but expect a lot of votes from USC huryor around Europe. If I am in a party mood this is a bit boring but it can not be anything less than 5 stars for a masterpiece. And it has crossed my mind to consider a 6th star this time for Switzerland but 5 is enough. Well done La Suisse.

11 Belgium - Marka and Laurence Bibot - Tu obeiras
Another great song. It seams that USC summer going to be great. And consider the boring French entries from Luxembourg and France, Belgium deserve a top 10 result for sure but gets a bit repetitive after 3 minutes. 4 stars

12 Lithuania - Aiste Pilvelyte - Leisk Sau
Aiste comes with a clubbing pop tune. This could very well be the best entry ever for Lithuania. Should do ok but the competition from other club songs is immenxe in the summer of 2008. 3 stars.

13 Germany - Marquess - Vayamos companeros
Germany goes Spanish. I am a bit surprised that it has not been disqualified. I suspect mnanagement has been more tolerable after the 1976 anti-german fiasco. Viva Espana Vivo Allemagna. A great, great pop song in Spanish and after the bad results in USC for Germany it deserves a top 10 position. Basta! 4 stars.

14 Turkey - Hande Yaner - Hipnoz
And again we go electro pop techno and people could put this way too low. This is also a good club song but is there enough of them already? I think so. And this one is not one of the better ones. Low results for Turkey. 1 star.

15 Estonia - Mari-Leen - Printsess
These crusching guitar songs I can tolerate but not more but Mari-Leen sings great and it is a great song she represent Estonia with this time. Too rocky for my taste but it is a sure 3 star song anyhow..

16 Former Yougoslav Republic of Macedonia - Sibel Redzepova - That Is Where i ll Go

Finally a ballad that we are used to get a lot in USC. After Iceland this one takes your breath away. Sibel is a queen of power ballads and the obvious borrowing from Sweden was genious by the FYROM management. In Autumn 2006 Sweden borrowed Rosa and won, Macedonia borrow too and will do very very good. I can not see this be any lower than 2nd place. Also Sibel managed to be runner up in melosongfestivalen and lost to Charlotte with only 1p so she is very popular within USC community. Bravo. Winning feeling. 5 stars.

17. Spain - Bea Bronchal - Sin ti

Oh my personal favourite. I simply adore these latino etno pop songs and when sung in Spanish I get wild. This should be winning. Bea has also sung my 2nd fav Spanish song but I fear USC juryor do not share my taste in this kind of explosive music. And competition is too hard for a victory but top 5 should be possible. Possibly the best song Spain sent to USC. 5 stars.

18. Austria - Manuel Ortega - End Of Time
Eh. Another Spanish artist. It is a summer trend but now they took an old westlife song and turned it into a sleeping pill. So 90ies and so boring. 2 stars.

19 U.K. - Duffy - Mercy
Oh la la. UK really can take the bottom crap in ESC but in USC UK must be considered very very hot. This is a winner candidate. An remodernised 60ies soul song sung by the best singer in this edition. The groovy song deserve nothing but the trophy this time. Who can not start to dance to this fabulously masterpiece of true music. Lyrics and singing style will put USC in shade if you don’t give UK a top 3 result!!! 5 stars AGAIN! This is a great edition indeed.

20. Bosnia and Herzegovina - Dino Merlin - Da sutis
This kind of etno ballad has been rated too low in USC and never did it win either. I think Bosnia deserves a top position too but I doubt they can manage. Dino sings great. 4 stars.

21. Portugal - Mariza - Ha uma musica do povoNo. I find this Portuguese style so boring. I understand nothing. Where is melody, where is the joy and the rhythm. Ok it is emotions 100% but I feel like falling asleep at a funeral. Next please. 2 stars (one extra for some beauty in melody)

22.Cyprus - Anna Vissi - Agapi Ypervoliki
After a 3rd and a 4th place in USC Anna is back. One of the queens of USC now I suppose she need to come back another time to claim a victory but this is one of the better techno club songs in summer edition. And there is “Sagapo” in it so it could do top 7 or so. She is a great singer and song is quite dance friendly so 3 stars for Cyprus.

23.Greece - Sakis Rouvas - Kai Se Thelo
The king of USC is back after 2 years. In Summer 2006 Sakis was runner up with a ballad, now he do the club song as so many others so can Greece be top 3 again? That is no doubt the case. A victory? Absolutelly when it comes to Greece in USC. Anything else that at least 6 12p is a surprise. So we might very well stay in Hellas for Autumn. But a victory would be wrong. 4 stars.

24.Malta - Chasing Pandora – Memories
This is a lovelly song. This is a such badly recorded mp3 version. The bad version could put Malta at the bottom but this is a very good country song that deserves top placing as well. 4 stars. For you all to be ably to hear better version, see video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cga54ltSm-c

25.Ireland - Damien Leith - Shine like the sun
A song with crushing guitars is not my cup of tea but this is a good song and sung well too. Should end up in the middle and deserves so too. 3 stars.

26.Romania - Arsenium – Rumadai
Numa numa lei. No please this is a noicy crap thing with awful lyrics that makes you feel ill. Who did it a 10 year old lunatic. Worst club song ever in USC. NO STARS.

27.Andorra - Monica Naranjo – Europa
What e mess. Another disaster. At least lady can scream some notes in this repetitive thing. I like the drums here but the whole piece is a screaming dog. 1 star.

28.Netherlands - Tatjana - Ik laat je gaan
Medium song at first listening but it is a grower. Medium was the word, we heard it before and has little personality as a song but the lady know how to sing and I love dutch and melody is not that bad after all. 4 stars.

29.Latvia - Alise Ketnere – Rain
Psychedelic pop in modern disguise is nice. The most original and special song. A love the violin in it and the mystic enya style makes this into one of my favs but I doubt that it will do good in voting. Still it deserves 4 stars.

30.Czech Republic - Sarka Vankova – Stir
Nice fragile voice but this is not good. Very predictable and could put even the most hyperactive person to sleep. 1 star.

31.Norway - Elisabeth Carew – Destructive
Very much typical in the crushing guitar trend and I can hardly stand to listen to it. But it is a good song and singer do a good job. 3 stars.

32.San Marino - Jovanotti - A Te
Talking italian in a song is maybe considered an art in Italy and San-Marino. A babbling of some important thing he want to say of course but not for a song contest. In the end it gets more singing but by then it is too late. 2 stars for the passion in the end.

33.Slovenia - Neisha - Vtrilijak (Merry-go-round)
With Luxembourg a song I can only laugh at.A total mess in lyrics, singing and arrangements. Next. NO STARS.

34.Hungary - Desperado – Tancolj
After so many bad songs here in the lower half it is good to get a good song from Hungary that usually have sent really boring songs. Here we have very greek and Spanish rythmics and a pop tune that should be higher than average this time. For once I also like trumpets which I usually detest. I hope for top 7 but top 10 could be possible but I doubt that too. 4 stars.

So this time it is Russia, FYROM, United Kingdom and as usual Greece that will fight for the victory even though Greece do NOT deserve it this time. Sweden and Spain could also be up in the top. Considering there is really only 2 ballads that could get massive votes from ballad lovers FYROM could see her to take a victory but I prefer to see Russia, UK and especially SPAIN to take their first edition victory. There is only 2 countries that I both believe has a pretty good chance winning and that I also think deserve it very much and that is RUSSIA and UK so there is wher e I put most of my money. Overall I am a bit amazed over the very high quality of USC songs. Congratualations. There are many crap ones as well but this contest is still king when it comes to quality of the music. Good luck to every one.

USC Summer

This time 34 Countries are in this Contes.

The best countries in this music competion (Sweden=6x 1st Place with all "special editions" and in the Statistics 2nd Place with 1209 P)and (Greece=2x 1stPlace and in the Statistics 1st Place with 1322 P)

Sweden entry is Charlotte Perelli with "Bullet" she won the ESC for Sweden in 1999 and singing in the Esc 2008 for Sweden again (18th 47P in the final)

Greece entry is Sakis Rouvas with "Kai Se Thelo" he sing for Greece in the ESC 2004 and made the 3rd Place with 252 P in the final.

So good chance to win again for those great countries?

Not forget the other 32 Countries here some songs:

Denmark (Alphabeat Fascination)

Germany(Marquess Vayamos Companeros)

or the UK with the HIT Mercy from Duffy

There is one thing i know it will be exciting on the 23 August at 18:00 in the

Soulseekroom.Because they all want the same...to win the summer edition in GREECE!!!

So good luck for all countries!!!!

USC 1976 IS GERMAN HOSTILE

Again outrageous decitions from UBU 1976 organisers. This time both of them concern Germany. Not only the West Germany (BRD) but as well the East Germany (DDR).

Debacle on "Daddy Cool"
First , as most of you already are aware of "Daddy Cool" with the german supergroup Boney M was considered as non German and was disqualified because the male voices in all their songs is not considered important.Boney M. is a pop and disco group created by West German record producer Frank Farian. The four original members of the group's official lineup were Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett (Jamaica), Maizie Williams (Montserrat), and Bobby Farrell (Aruba).
German founder of the group Frank Farian began recording Boney M.'s first LP, for which Marcia Barrett had already recorded some songs with Farian: these were the title track and "Lovin' or Leavin'", both previously recorded in German by another Farian act, Gilla. While Maizie Williams' voice wasn't considered good enough for recording purposes by Farian, and a try-out with Bobby Farrell doing "No Woman No Cry" didn't work, Farian decided to use only Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett along with his own studio created deep male voice and high falsetto voice to create the Boney M. sound. But this is not enough for USC. In search in internet you get hits by the combination "Boney M and Germany" more than 2 times more often than "Boney M and Jamaica". Numerous music websites also speak about "the German pop success", "The famous pop group from Germany". If there ever was a soul of Boney M it is definatelly German. Mrs Germany, Liza was forced to replace Daddy cool with another song which she has done now.

Helena paparizou was born in Sweden and has Greek parents and has been living all her life in Sweden but since her "soul" and "nationality" is said to be Greek she can and has represented Greece in USC. How conveniently nice for Mr Babis. Oh, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad who was born in Norway with a Norwegian mother and German father is definatelly Swedish because she moved there and has been singing, recording and living there and so on in Sweden according to Alan . Well, Mr Alan and Babis these arguments is bound to be the same when it comes to Boney M as well. They were, sure born in many different non German countries but has been living for many many years in Germany where they recorded and had their lives just like Frida and the "soul" of them is German by no doubt. Mr Babis claims that some of the members moved back to Jamaica. Sorry, but this is very much a plan to eliminate competition from others. Favours to fav countries Greece and Sweden while poor Germany is standing without the biggest German hit ever in the history of music and it is...yes folks...disqualified on grounds that seams to be no other than that German has special appartheid rules.

Debacle on "DDR in 1976"
Now if this was not enough. As you might remember Germany was devided in 2 back in 1976. West and East. In USC 1975 both west and east germany was participating. In 1976 however DDR (East Germany) is no longer a country. A application to participate in 1976 was formally sent in to the UBU but was refused and DDR has been denied entry in USC 1976. The reason is that it is very hard to found information about if an artist from germany is considered west or east due to the lack of information. Well United News Magazine (UMM) has found plenty of information on artists who recorded and performed in 1976 west as well as east. There could have been a ruling also that east and west Germany can "borrow freely" from one another just like Cyprus and Greece has been allowed to do since their artists also belong to the same "national entity" and let DDR stay in USC but no, it was not the result. DDR stand without a participating ticket even though they had an East German song.

Different rules for Greece and Germany again. UMM has found out in their research that many artists who was either born in east germany or had been working as professional artists was banned from singing by the communists and had no alternative than to be imprisoned or silenced or even sent even futher east. The denial of the existence of a nation called DDR is a humiliating and discriminating scandal for all these suffering artists in music. All these events together makes us draw the simpliest of conclusions: there is a hostile anti-german UBU at the moment.

So for you who love both West and East German music we give you the real west and east german 1976 songs. Greg, Mr France has "no comments". Mr Greece, Babis commented that "history will judge us". Indeed.

Boney M - Daddy Cool (from 1976 TV show)


Puhdys - Lebenszeit (a live performance from 1999, 23 years after the refusal, this song is still loved by almost everyone in the audience).

Bea Bronchal will represent Spain

In the most exciting Spanish National Final ever, Bea Bronchal and Sin ti have won the pass to USC Summer and will represent Spain in the contest. She was first with only one 12 points, but 15 points more than the second song in the top: Per un sospir from Berta, sung in Catalonian.

1. Bea Bronchal 90 points
2. Berta 75
3. Son de Sol 71
4. Marta & Alaska 66
5. La Casa Azul 65
6. Mónica Naranjo 63
7. Mirela 60
8. D'Nash 57
9. Angy 55
10. Las Primas 36

Good luck to Bea!

Supermodel shakes up National Final!

The Dutch National Final for the Summer edition of USC 2007 has become a big surprise. Allthough Anouk and Within Temptation had the best reviews beforehand, supermodel Tatjana ran away with the victory against all odds. Her song (Ik laat je gaan) will represent The Netherlands in the Summer USC 2007. Tatjana did not suffer the Tanja Dexters Syndrome and gave a stunning live vocal performance of her song.
Afterwards the audience were very enthousiastic about her act.



1st (54) Tatjana Simic - Ik laat je gaan (I let you go)
2nd (52) Anouk - I don't wanna hurt
3rd (51) Within Temptation - All I need

4th (44) Glennis Grace - Hoe ? (How?)
5th (43) Jeroen van der Boom - Eén wereld (One world)
6th (37) Di-Rect - I forget your name
7th (34) Stevie Ann - Changes
8th (34) Maj Farah - My watch
9th (33) Tessa - I put my trust in you
10th (32) Alain & Dane Clark - Father & friend
11th (27) Sela - Het mooiste lied (Most beautiful song)
12th (23) Kraak & Smaak - Squeeze me

Champagne for The Dutch Rock & Roll stars in USC 76!

Champagne has won the 1976 National USC Final with their song “Rock and roll star”. After their performance the crowd really went wild. The only competition came from the song Mississippi by Pussycat who became runner up with just a margin of 3 points. Anita Meyer ended in 3rd position with 33 points. But she represented The Netherlands in the winter edition of USC 2007. If Pussycat would not have entered two songs they might have won. The song Smile finished last with 19 points.

Full result:

1st (44) - Champagne - Rock And Roll Star.
2nd (41) - Pussycat - Mississippi.
3rd (33) - Anita Meyer & Hans Vermeulen - The Alternative Way.
4th (30) - Bots - Zeven Dagen Lang.
5th (27) - Maggie Macneal - When You're Gone.
6th (26) - BZN - Mon Amour.
7th (25) - Arjan Brass - Leonie.
8th (24) - Lia Velasco - 5.05 PM.
9th (21) - Teach In - Upside Down.
10th (19) - Pussycat - Smile.


Watch the reprise after Champagne's victory:

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=2rPDGSW0hsQ

Algeria in USC

It´s the first time that Algeria is in the USC .

The new manager Mymmi is very happy to representing her country and she answer some question in

an interview with me:
Interview

Vesi: Why you take Algeria in the United Song Contest?

Mymmi: My father is from Algeria and i love this country so much!And Algeria never was in USC.

Vesi: You take the song "Halili" from Cheb Mami feat. Elissa do you think it has a chance to win?

Mymmi: Hm...It´s the first time that Algeria is in the USC and it´s very hard to win when you have hard oponents like Sweden or Greece but i think positive and maybe it is in the top 5 ;)

Vesi: You were at Soulseek and met some other managers what do you think about them?

Mymmi: Yes,thats right i talked to Alan the Slovenian manager and to some other manager and they are very nice
i hadn´t problems with them...so a good sign ^^

Vesi: Last question,Why you take the song "Halili"?

Mymmi: I think it shows some things about the Algerian culture and the song is very nice.

Vesi:Okay Good luck for Athen Mymmi !!!So let´s watch your taken song Halili

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=IgT-UHnNx-8&feature=related

Marquess for Germany

Marquess is a German band established in Hanover.

The bandmembers are Sascha Pierro (vocal), Christian Fleps (keyboard), Dominik Decker (guitar) and Marco Heggen (b, keyboard).

Marquess has been on the charts all over Europe with songs like “El Temperamento”, "You And Not Tokio", "La Histeria", "La Vida Es Limonada" and also the song that will compete in USC Summer edition 2008 "Vayamos Compañeros".

In june 2008 they released a new album called “ YA”.

“La Histeria” was the song that Marquess competed with in the German national final for Eurovision Song Contest 2008. Unfortunately they sent No Angels insted...... so
I will give them a new chance here in USC. Hope you like it!

National Final NL for Summer 2008

For the Summer edition in USC The Dutch management arranged once again a national final to select the best song. Twelve songs will competing for the honour to represent The Netherlands. These are the participants:

01 Kraak & Smaak - Squeeze me
02 Glennis - Hoe? (= How?)
03 Tessa - I put my trust in you
04 Jeroen van der Boom - Eén wereld (= One world)
05 Anouk - I don't wanna hurt
06 Maj Farah - My watch (pictured)
07 Sela - Het mooiste lied (= Most beautiful song)
08 Within Temptation - All I need
09 Alain & Dane Clark - Father & friend
10 Di-Rect - I forget your name
11 Tatjana - Ik laat je gaan (= I let you go)
12 Stevie Ann - Changes

All songs can be found here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZTMW2905

votes in 12-esc-style to be send to rollercoasterslow[at]hotmail[dot]com

USC 1976 NL national final starts!

A - Lia Velasco - 5.05 PM
B - Pussycat (pictured) - Smile
C - Teach In - Upside Down
D - Bots - Zeven Dagen Lang.
E - Maggie Macneal - When You're Gone
F - BZN - Mon Amour
G - Anita Meyer & Hans Vermeulen - The Alternative Way
H - Champagne - Rock And Roll Star
I - Arjan Brass - Leonie
J - Pussycat (pictured) - Mississippi


The songs can be found here (megaupload) (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=M3VHK7EB) and here (yousendit)

Vote esc-style (12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1).
Send votes to: hebbuzz [AT] hotmail [DOT] com