LITHUANIA 2011 - C'est ma vie

Finally someone with the confidence to just stand alone on stage! It's so annoying that so many insist on having the full complement of six on stage, even when it's clearly not necessary and in fact the entry might have done better presented more simply. Slovenia, a case in point.

This is a ballad, sort of on the operatic side, slightly. That is first and foremost thanks to the singer, who has a voice that's quite simply ... wow. Beautiful. There are so many performers in the ESC who can't really sing that well, so when someone pops up who actually really has a beautiful expressive voice and knows how to use it, it's kind of surprising. It makes you kind of sit up and take notice. Like France, you really notice France. ;-) And this song's title is in French ... !! OMG it's a sign!!1!

Anyway, where was I ... oh yeah, beautiful voice. Charming lady also, but hideous dress. Please change either a) dress or b) backlight. Great presentation for this song. Beautifully performed. A pretty song, lovely melody, but at the same time kind of anonymous. I mean, we've all heard more or less this same thing before. Her voice is the main thing about this entry, and I'm not at all sure that it will be enough. Alas. Good luck to them, but my hopes aren't all that high.

This is Evelina Sašenko performing C'est ma vie by Paulius Zdanavičius and Andrius Kairys. They will be competing for Lithuania on Tuesday, May 10th.

Widescreen here.

Lyrics here.

LITHUANIA 2010 - Eastern European Funk

Unlike the other two Baltic nations, Lithuania has never won the ESC ... in fact, far from it. Their best result was an astonishing 6th place in 2006 - pardon my French, but that song sucked ass - other than that, they've generally done badly. I'm almost sorry to say that I don't think their entry this year will change that in any dramatic way.

However!! In some ways I do like this song a lot. I don't particularly care for the style of music, it's not my thing ... and in any case I think this melody is too flat, it appears catchy at first, but gets repetitive and, alas, slightly annoying. But the lyrics!! I love the lyrics. They are so creative and funny and tongue in cheek. Absolutely charming, and perfect for the ESC. :-) Only problem is that poor English diction on the one hand and lack of English skills in the audience on the other may combine to render the lyrics less than understood. But kudos for this effort, regardless. :-) The performance isn't half bad, but it may have limited appeal. I wonder if they'll bring their silver glitter hotpants to Oslo ... ?? :-D

This is Inculto performing Eastern European Funk by ... themselves! :-) This is their second time in the contest (although the first time, in 2006, they came 2nd in the national final) and they will be competing for Lithuania on Thursday, May 27th.



Lyrics here.

Lithuania, Israel, France

Yup, here's Dima. And he got stuck ... !!! LOL!!! :-D

O.M.G. o_O

This opening perfectly showcases the one major problem Russia has, and always has had: They never know when enough is enough.

Lithuania:
Boring song and boring presentation.
This kid has watched way too much MTV.
Does he have a black eye??
Anne Ida's wondering does he know enough English to understand what he's singing ... ? :-D
Boring, no chance.

Israel:
Boring.
And it's so obvious ... !! Do they think we're idiots? >:-(
Oh, and the drums ... That is soo four years ago ...
Boring, no chance.

France:
Ooh, Patricia Kaas ... !!
KAS is being so negative, she says this song is boring too. No, it isn't, it's cool!! And the presentation is wonderful too.
Oh, how she suffers ... !! See her soul just pour out onto the stage ... ! :-D
I really like this, but I don't think a lot of people will remember this in 90 minutes.
Alas.

Greece, Lithuania, Moldova

Greece:
One of the major favorites. Personally I don't see what's so special about it. It's a pretty standard dancey pop tune. If it wasn't Sakis Rouvas performing it, it'd get nowhere near the attention it's been getting.
I don't like the presentation much. It's just so ... average. So standard. What is so special about this?
I don't get it. It'll probably get through. Or will it?? I have a theory, actually. We'll see. >:-)

Lithuania:
On principle, I don't like this song much ... because it was in Lithuanian in the national final, and they're using an English version now. Why not keep the original?? Bwaah ...
It's a nice ballad, but again, nothing very special.
Presentation fine.
Ooh ... fire!! o_O

Moldova:
Yay!! :-D
Great song, a singer who can really sing, charming performance, great costumes, an entertaining show, a hint of Moldovan culture.
Nothing wrong with this.
Come down and get your plane ticket to Vegas, Nelly!! :-D

LITHUANIA 2009: Sasha Son – Love

This is one of those songs that really make you understand why the old ESC rules were better at least when it came to the language question ... because, seriously, the English lyrics to this song pretty much ruin my enjoyment of it. If you really love the love you say you love, really love/then surely that love would love/then surely that love would love to love you back. I mean, it's just ... just ... what? I so wish this could have been in Lithuanian, because I really would have preferred to not understand any of that.

Other than that, though, it's a pretty good song. A bit too boring to get very far, IMO, but still. A good melody, and he has a good enough voice - plus being young & cute never hurt anyone, although he's not my cup of tea ... There's nothing wrong with this entry in and of itself, I just think it doesn't have enough personality, enough of ... a hook, or whatever ... to really make its mark. There are too many more unusual entries this year that will probably overshadow it. It's OK but not much more. If only I couldn't understand the lyrics, this might become a song I'd quite enjoy over time. But I don't think I'll be voting for it, alas. Even though I could, because they're in the same semi as us.

So, this is Sasha Son performing his own composition, Love - he'll be competing for Lithuania on May 14th, going on stage as #14.

Weird video. If they're trying to say something, I don't get what it is.



Lyrics here.

Ukraine, Lithuania, Albania, Switzerland

Ukraine:
This is a shoe-in. Dodgy lyrics and not the best diction, but hey, English is difficult. :-) Seriously cool presentation. This song doesn't start off too well but it gets better very quickly. Me like ... and the rest of Europe will no doubt like it too.

Lithuania:
BURN ... !!!!!!!!
This is the one song in this year's contest that I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone at all can see anything in. Or hear. All the other shitty entries, Ireland, Latvia, even Estonia, and, yes, Sweden, I can see how people may like something about them. They don't do anything for me, but I have no problem accepting that others may. But this? Seriously: This guy's mother must be ashamed to see this. This is so far beyond bad that I have no words to describe it.

Albania:
A lovely ballad, with some elements of rock. Their best ever, definitely. She has a wonderful voice. This is a good entry, well presented. This definitely has a chance for a slot in the finals. I think it's a song that may appeal to a lot of different demographics (argh, that word) in the audience.
Good luck, Albania! They deserve to do well this year.

Switzerland:
Even better than I remembered!! A great presentation! :-) Wow! :-)
They should definitely be in the final. Good song, good singer, good presentation, what more can we ask for. And certainly he got them going in the Arena.
I'm optimistic about Switzerland. :-)

LITHUANIA: Jeronimas Milius - Nomads in the Night

WHAT in the name of all that's holy IS THIS??????????

The final incontrovertible proof that there is no god???

WHAT is he wearing, WHAT is that hairstyle supposed to be and WHAT is this EVIL-sounding song??? I'm sorry, 'song'?? And what is that sound coming out of his mouth?!?

This is seriously sending shudders down my spine. I don't have the words to describe it. This man needs professional help on SO many levels.

Oh, the pain, the pain of it all ... !!

I thought Lithuania had hit rock bottom two years ago - yeah, I know they did well with that, but I hated it so much, and I thought they couldn't come up with anything worse. Oh, there is no end to human folly ... ! And to prove just that - he wrote the song himself ... !!! :-o


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZT53HA6ZNM