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 2010: Hesse

Oceana & Leon Taylor: Far Away

A poorly constructed love song is truly an abomination. But there is something truly sublime about a love song that is well written, and that is performed with an emotional depth that does not spill over into self-consciously manipulative sentimentality. Oceana & Leon Taylor's duet Far Away is definitely one of the latter. Far Away uses a mix of English and German lyrics (the original is all English, but Bundesvision rules require that at least some lyrics be in German) almost as a mirror of distance between separated lovers. Oceana has a beautifully rich and clear voice and, together with Leon Taylor, neither would be at all out of place in the American R&B charts.

Oceana & Leon Taylor's Far Away is yet another welcome reminder in Bundesvision 2010 that German popular music is rich and fertile ground for talented performers and skilled songwriters.

Prediction: I think that Oceana & Leon Taylor's Far Away will hit an emotional nerve with the German public. It is a well-written song that connects with universal emotion. I predict that Far Away, while probably not taking first place, will probably land in the top 5.