Monday, September 17, 2012

Bundesvision 2012: Hesse

I don't know if anybody else has coined the term yet, but there is a very distinct sub-genre of Caribbean inspired music that I will call "Euro-ska".  More ska than polka, but with enough elements of both to have a distinctive flavor, Euro-ska is incessantly upbeat, is easy to dance to, and is easy to sing along with.  Even without a name specifically dedicated to it (although, there might very well be one that I'm not familiar with), Euro-ska is very popular at places like European weddings, beer festivals, and other events where young and old are co-mingling and looking for something mutually agreeable to dance to.

And into this scene walks Cris Cosmo with Herzschlag.  This is a fun, danceable song that makes you happy just listening to it.  I can already see the beer tents and summer music festivals bouncing up and down to it.  Herzschlag fits the Euro-ska genre like a pair of spandex bike shorts.  What it lacks is any shadow of originality.

Sigh.

My prediction:  Cris Cosmo's Herzschlag is a tough song to predict for.  It is extremely appealing to a broad audience.  At the same time, it could easily be replaced by any number of similar songs.  That means it could either do extremely well or it could fade without a trace.  I'll split the difference by putting it in the middle, and hoping for the best.

Bundesvision 2012: Brandenburg

Naming a singer appropriately doesn't happen as often as one would think.  The singer known as Madonna bears little resemblance to the mother of Jesus.  The singer known as Jello Biafra bears little resemblance to either a delicious squishy dessert or a secessionist region of Nigeria.  On the other hand, Mellow Mark (here featuring Nina Maleika) more than earns his name with Bleib bei mir.

Call it smooth jazz.  Call it soul.  Call it an acoustic duet.  Whatever you call it, Bleib bei mir is undeniably mellow.  There is obviously skill involved, but this song's Ambien-like effect on me makes it difficult to make any kind of coherent comment.  Suffice to say, Bleib bei mir rates right in the middle of "meh".

My prediction:  Like many other Bundesvision entries over the years, Bleib bei mir is neither good enough to win nor bad enough to make you want to cram knitting needles through your eardrums.  It just is.  As Bundesvision 2012 has a pretty strong crop of competitors this year, I think this lack of punch will put Bleib bei mir down in the bottom third of the pack.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Bundesvision 2012: Berlin

Sometimes it can be tough to maintain motivation to preview every entry for a contest like Bundesvision.  Once you get through the first half-dozen or so songs that you like, you're faced with at least ten more that are - to be honest - kind of dull.

That was the situation in which I found myself.  Even if I hadn't heard all of the songs yet, I had at least a passing familiarity with most of the bands in Bundesvision 2012.  While I naturally previewed the songs that were released early first, I also had a tendency to prioritize songs that I liked.  But now that we have only two weeks to Bundesvision 2012, all of the entries have finally been released.  And now that they have all finally been released, I am finding some very pleasant surprises buried in what is left.

Berlin's entry, B-Tight's Drinne, is just one of these songs that is like a breath of fresh air and a shot of adrenaline.  Combining the energy of thrash and metal with rap, B-Tight throttles you awake from your ballad induced coma.  What a relief!  To be honest, I'm not really a huge fan of B-Tight's other work.  But Drinne demands your attention, and I respect that.

My prediction:  Berlin has won more Bundesvision Song Contests than any other part of Germany.  I don't know if interstate politics will play any part in this year's contest, but if it doesn't, I think B-Tight's Drinne stands a pretty good chance of winning it all for Berlin again.  It might be a little too hard edged for some listeners, but it will come as a welcome relief for many others.

Bundesvision 2012: Baden-Württemberg

As I spent my summer vacation this year in Baden-Württemberg, and as I have always absolutely loved Xavier Naidoo's voice, I have been looking forward to hearing Baden-Württemberg's Bundesvision 2012 entry, Und ich schau nicht mehr zurück ever since I saw it announced.  Labeled as a release by Xavas - or a combination of Xavier Naidoo and rapper Kool Savas - this song promised a great deal. 

I will admit, up to now I have not really listened to any Kool Savas.  However, as mentioned above, I am a great admirer of Xavier Naidoo.  While he specializes in soulful life-affirming ballads, which typically don't hold much appeal for me, Naidoo's buttery smooth voice has a way of burrowing through my crusty exterior husk straight to my heart. 

Unfortunately, at least for me, Und ich schau nicht mehr zurück is one of those songs that just bounces off my crusty husk.  Naidoo's vocals are, as always, pleasant enough.  But the song - another soulful life-affirming ballad - just strikes me as bland.  The addition of Kool Savas doesn't add any kind of edge either.  His rap is fairly run-of-the-mill, and seems to have just been thrown in so that he could claim a place in the credits.

My prediction: While Und ich schau nicht mehr zurück is pleasant enough, I just can't imagine it turning that many heads at Bundesvision when competing against other, frankly more interesting, songs.  It's not the worst of the songs I've heard in Bundesvision 2012, I don't think it will rise any higher than the middle of the pack.