Music Video: Pierre Ferdinand et les Charmeurs - Ganz Paris ist eine Disco

Let me just put this out there: I'm a lazy liar.  Yesterday, when I posted that I had run out of interest in previewing Bundesvision 2011, I indicated that much of it had to do with reviewing songs that were not terribly appealing to me.  Well, that was partially true.  That sentiment was based on incomplete information though.  When the bands for Bundesvision 2011 were announced way back in June, they didn't announce the songs.  So, having nothing else to go on, I listened to whatever random sampling of music I could find online.  When I came to Saarland entry Pierre Ferdinand et les Charmeurs, I was unimpressed by what little I heard.  They seemed like the kind of novelty act that is amusing for about a day and a half, and ends up losing a competition like Bundesvision by dozens of points (see Lower Saxony's Dirk Darmstaedter & Bernd Begemann's entry from last year, So geht das jede Nacht).

However, when I looked at the final scores from Bundesvision 2011, I noticed something that caught me by surprise.  Pierre Ferdinand et les Charmeurs' entry, Ganz Paris ist eine Disco, did not finish in last place as I had expected.  Not even close.  Sure, it didn't win either.  But 11th Place out of 16 entries was still markedly better than I had expected.  What is up with that?

Then I finally watched the video for Ganz Paris ist eine Disco, and I actually really like it.  It is disco with a healthy dollop of funk.  Yes, it is kitschy, and it is certainly tongue in cheek.  But it also gets me smiling and my feet tapping.  Lying and sloth may be deadly sins, but hopefully my confession of actually enjoying Ganz Paris ist eine Disco will at least take a little time off my stay in limbo.

Bundesvision 2010: Saarland

Mikroboy: Nichts ist umsonst

Every once in a while I'm torn. When I listen to Mikroboy's Nichts ist umsonst, I think to myself, "Hey, this ain't a bad tune." But then I think to myself, "But is it a great tune?" At this point, if I weren't writing a blog, I would just shrug and go on with my life. But, despite ample evidence to show that nobody particularly cares what I think about the upcoming Bundesvision Song Contest, I feel compelled to comment.

As far as the genre of alternative rock goes, Mikroboy's Nichts ist umsonst is a pretty good song. It's catchy, it rocks when it wants to, and Mikroboy has an appealing presence. My question is whether there is anything about Nichts ist umsonst that sets it apart from the pack. In addition, even if excelling within the confines of the alternative rock genre, is this really what the German public is in the mood for? If I'm honest, I really don't know the answer to these questions.

Prediction: Mikroboy's Nichts ist umsonst is a pretty good tune. But how does it compare to the competition? Depending on the mood of the German public on October 1, I'd predict that Nichts ist umsonst could land anywhere between the upper middle third and the lower top third of the competition.