Eurovision 2015 - Semi Final 2

We are the world's people, different yet we're the same...

So, as you may, or may not, be aware the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 is just around the corner with the to semi finals taking place on May 19th and 21st and the final on Saturday the 23rd. Following Austria's victory last year, Conchita triumphed with the wonderful Bassey-esque 'Rise Like a Phoenix', the contest will be beaming it's way across the world from the beautiful city of Vienna - and I will be there!

So, we've already taken a look at the good, the bad and the downright weird of semi final 1, but what does semi final 2 have in store for us? ONWARD!

Lithuania - Monika Linkyte & Vaidas Baumila - This Time

This is just so sweet, they're both got great voices, they're both easy on the eye and the song is as catchy as Chlamydia. Acoustic guitars offer a jaunty pop melody, their voices blend well and the chorus is simple but affective. We also get flourishes of Mumford-esque banjos in the second verse and the hand claps are ridiculously infectious. I REALLY hope this qualifies and does well for Lithaunia, plus it's nice to see a duet in Eurovision this year where the couple aren't either plotting each other's deaths or mourning for any number is reasons!

Ireland - Molly Sterling - Playing with Numbers

Oh for the days of Johnny Logan, Dana or even Dustin the Turkey (alright maybe not the last one, but you get the point)! At 17 Molly is a great little pianist (stop sniggering) with a maturity to her voice well beyond her years. The real problem is the song, it's a perfectly lovely little ballad but it screams 'album track' at me! It doesn't really go anywhere, it just lingers pleasantly for 3 minutes. Unfortunately for Molly I feel it may not end well for Ireland in Vienna next week.

San Marino - Michele Perniola & Anita Simoncini - Chain of Lights

Where to start with this? The stuttering beats of the intro are a massive red herring, anyone expecting a banger here will be disappointed. Again we come back to the lyrical idea of world peace yadda yadda, and that coupled with the tinny production make this sound like it's an entry from Eurovision 1995 not the present day. Both performers are young and have performed in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest so are used to performing on a big stage, but by the time Anita's spoken word breakdown kicks in it's just about enough to tip you over the edge. I think it's safe to say this won't qualify, bring back Valentina Monetta!

Montenegro - Knez - Adio

This song has the seal of approval from Eurovision royalty, Mr Zeljko Joksimovic, and sounds exactly like anything else he entered (see 2012's 'Nije ljubav stvar' and 2004's 'lane moje'). Balkan ethno-pop by numbers, it's okay and although it's nice to hear something in a native tongue I can't help but think that may count against it (it's one of only five songs to be delivered fully or partially in a language other than English). Plus the jacket he wears in the video makes him look like he's been upholstered...

Malta - Amber - Warrior

So this is the second song this year entitled 'Warrior' and, although I know from a fan perspective I'm in the minority, I prefer this one to Georgia's entry. Dramatic drums and cymbal clashes work really well with her delicate delivery of the verses, her vocal is good although it will be interesting to see how she gets on with those big notes in the chorus when she's performing live. It continues to build nicely over the three minutes towards an explosive climax, I really like it!

Norway - Morland & Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me

This is some dark stuff, but in the best way possible. He has a lovely pop voice that makes the pitch black material seems much more palatable (what exactly did he do in his early youth?). Her voice has a really interesting quality to it, dark and rich and it works wonderfully with the simple yet doom-laden arrangement of piano and strings. This song really takes flight two thirds of the way through, their voices soar and dance around each other beautifully, and those harmonies - wow! This is one to watch.

Portugal - Lenore Andrade - Ha um mar que nos separa

Oh Portugal, will you ever win this competition?? Based on this 2015, unfortunately, will not be your year. It chugs along quite pleasantly but doesn't really go anyway, her range is quite limited and the key change really doesn't do her any favours (and I'm a BIG fan of a key change!). Not a vintage year for the Portuguese.

Czech Republic - Marta Jandova & Vaclav Noid Barta - Hope Never Dies

This is an odd one, like a song from an Andrew Lloyd Webber show, sung by rent-a-diva and a man who gargles with gravel. Unlike a couple of the other duets this year I'm not a fan of their voices together, and I feel it almost sounds like they recorded their parts separately and they were then spliced together in a studio. Drums kick in on the second chorus and herald the start of an incline of dramatics. I just don't really get it.

Israel - Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy

Well, this is an odd one. It's like 3 songs stapled together, completely disjointed madness. First off we get the beginning of a pensive ballad that then gives way to 'Señorita'-era Justin Timberlake which in turn then goes batshit bonkers by going all Holly Valance 'Kiss Kiss'! It really shouldn't work, let's be honest it should be a car crash, but somehow I still like it - god help me! In a sea of ballads this will definitely stand out but I'm not sure if that will be in a good way or a bad way.

 

Latvia - Aminata - Love Injected

This is something a little different for Eurovision, much more modern from a production standpoint and has a similar minimal feel to the Belgian entry. Sparse backing in the verses gives an eerie element to her girlish vocal, speaking of which she's going to have to tread carefully not to shout those big notes in the chorus. The crashes, piano and backing vocals all ramp up the impact of the chorus and some lovely doom-wobble dubstep touches add something different. I like this one, but again I have no idea how it will do!

Azerbaijan - Elnur Huseynov - Hour of the Wolf

So, now for something more akin to normal service, this is a big blousy ballad that has Eurovision running through it like a stick of rock. The shuffling military-style drums are a nice touch and his voice is really pleasant to listen. Initially the chorus is a bit of a non-event although that all changes with the epic key change that is signposted a mile off. The closing section of the song sees Elnur's vocal shine, his voice has an amazing range and will be really impressive if he can pull it off live. I can't see this winning but I'm pretty sure that Azerbaijan will keep up their 100% qualification record.

Iceland - Maria Olafs - Unbroken

Yet again we find ourselves in Ballads-ville. A slow build throughout the first verse with instrumentation building on the drum beats leads into a catchy little chorus. She has a pretty little voice, although I'm not sure about her delivery live. Is it just me that thinks this has a touch of the Frozen's about it? It's not exactly an earth shaker but there are worse ways to spend three minutes (Finland).

Sweden - Mans Zelmerlow - Heroes

So, ladies and gentlemen, here is the hot favourite to win the whole blooming thing next Saturday. Let's get this out of the way, yes it's a blatant rip of 'Lovers on the Sun' by David Guetta, but that doesn't detract from the fact that this is a total tune. Vocally he's a safe pair of hands and the staging is spectacular (although he was threatened with a copyright lawsuit by an artist so there will be changes for Vienna). Simply by virtue of the fact it's upbeat will count in it's favour, I just wish the piano riff section in the build up to the final choruses was used more throughout the song. Watch this one fly up the scoreboard next week.

Switzerland - Melanie Rene - My Time to Shine

Yet another ballad, although this one starts promisingly with stuttering beats and sinister synths. Melanie has a lovely soulful edge to her voice and this really drives the verses towards the chorus (I honestly thought she said 'No more f**king around' the first time I heard it). There are nice flourishes of flute over the chorus and it has dramatic cymbal crashes, but the guitar solo does age the production. Any other year I would say this wouldn't make it out of the semi final, but this year is so open I have no way of predicting where this one will end up!

Cyprus - John Karayiannis - One Thing I should Have Done

This is a perfectly nice acoustic ballad, but I'm sure you know by now I'm not a fan of 'nice'. He actually has a good voice and the simple acoustic backing to the start of the song is a pleasing change from the bombast of some of this year's other entries. Strings add emotion to the second verse but that's about it, it just doesn't really progress from there. Not a bad little song but not a knockout either.

Slovenia - Maraaya - Here For You

This is one of my favourites this year and could be something of a dark horse. Modern beats coupled with an unusual voice and light touches of drum & bass in the chorus really set this apart from the crowd this year. I feel that the use of violin and piano temper the more outlandish elements of the song just enough to make it attractive to both the voters and the national juries. Fingers crossed that this one does well next week, love it!

Poland - Monika Kuszynska - In the Name of Love

Well this is certainly a change of gear from the salacious milk maids of last year! It is ballad by numbers and nothing more, it has no real drive or progression. She has a pleasant voice but it really lacks range, although this may be down to the song rather than her. I may need a couple of matchsticks to stop me nodding off next Thursday evening, not exactly a show-stopping end to the show.

So, there is the full line up for the second semi final of Eurovision 2015, what do you think? That's 33 songs down and 7 to go, check back soon for my thoughts on the entries from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom, Australia and the host nation Austria.