Time to catch up on the #Eurovision semis after a ridiculously busy week! Unlike last year I’ve only listened to each song once so the performances are going to be like new songs for me, except for #Croatia (the only melody that stayed in my head).
Arp Laszlo
More Notes & Asides
This is my favorite #quote from #JosephCampbell (and one of my favorite #quotes, period). It made me think much more deeply about #mythology and its’ purpose, as well as its’ relevance to life and humanity (and, of course, myself). Modern life is so distracting; it’s hard to be truly connected with ourselves. Maybe mythology is a solution. People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. That’s what it’s all finally about, and that’s what these clues help us to find within ourselves. Joseph Campbell #wisdom
O M G this looks emotional and compelling. The first movie blew my mind so much that I didn’t even notice that #MilesMorales did not have his tragedy yet. Not only does the #animation look gorgeous but now the whole chased by the League of Spider-people (I just made that up AND said it in Lucas Lee’s voice) thing makes more sense. Looks like this one will live up to the first #movie (which I saw 3x in the theatre) and I MUST see it in #IMAX again. Interestingly, YouTube served up the #Indian #trailer for me first and there are some HUGE differences compared to the US version. They focused completely on drama, with a couple of laughs thrown in. No mention of The Spot. And tied it into the live action movies to clue newcomers in. They know what sells in #Bollywood! Check it: #IntoTheSpiderverse #AcrossTheSpiderverse #Movies #YouDontKnowAboutTheLeague?
#TMNT was OUTSTANDING! Purty #art, well written, plenty of feels, great #characters, great #CharacterDesign – and it was FUNNY. The #90s #HipHop was cherry on the cake, with #ODB an unexpected surprise. #WuTang
Failing #DollarStores is a good thing. Now if we could only change the entire concept of #stocks and #shareholders to prevent a ridiculous focus on growth & numbers to building sustainable #businesses that pay #LivingWages and are not focused on squeezing profit from a stone.
Man, the stage is CRAZY. We’re gonna have to see this live some day. #Eurovision #ESC #ESC2024
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So #Cyprus is starting, but the running order had them 8th?
This is a solid song. Not groundbreaking but not bad. Kinda generic tho.
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The visual fx for #Serbia are stunning 🤯.
The song, not so much. Great voice but it feels like I’ve heard this song before.
Trying to remember the video, was it just her & some rocks & water?
#ESC
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#Lithuania’s not too bad, I dig the energy after Serbia tried to depress me into sleep. But it feels like I’ve heard this song before too, it’s generically catchy.
Plus his performance is blah, they’re using lots of camera motion to mask it.
#ESC
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Alrighty, been waiting to see what #bambiethug
was gonna do!
Finally someone taking creative risks. She & her song are weird & concerning & I AM HERE FOR IT.
Wait – where’d her black outfit go?!! Replaced by #trans colors? NICE!
A HUGE improvement over their faceless entry from last year. I’m adding this to my playlist.
#ESC #ireland #realtime #reaction
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#BambiThug is the best thing about #semi1 so far.
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#UK next, I remember the video was 1-2 clubby guys in a black hallway. I remember it now – the song is an ultra generic dance choon.
Dude’s voice ain’t all that, kinda weak and little whiny. The vocal performance is soooo bland. You gotta do better than look good, dude.
#ESC
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Bridgy Response
#Ukraine now, a nice step up from the meh UK song & performance. The song isn’t anything amazing but the performances are making it.
I dunno wtf the song is about (Mother Theresa, the horrible human being) but the women performing are killing it, and the fx really set the stage.
#ESC
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Ah – I like #Poland’s song, it’s got good energy. They did well drawing from the #80s and the #90s without overdoing it.
#ESC
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Finally #Croatia, easily my favorite song in contest! I love it when folk music is adapted so you damn well know a song is from a specific place. Fun, good sense of humor, catchy, memorable, an adorbs one-eyed cat, & wistful thoughts of the cow he sold.
Kickass song’s an earworm, great performance.
#BabyLasagna is this year’s #Kaarija, he better win.
#RimTimTagiDim #ESC
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LOL #BabyLasagna knows he killed it.
#ESC
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I was happy when I saw #Iceland’s video the first time, it’s nice to see someone over 25.
An uplifting dance track needs a vocal performance make it and she delivers.
Thumbs up.
#ESC
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YouTube has been trying so hard to make me play #Isaak videos, but it hasn’t worked so far. Maybe I’m remiss because this guy has a helluva voice. Plus, he likes dogs.
This is not my kind of music but he’s really selling me on it. He’s pouring his heart into this performance.
#ESC #Germany
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#Slovenia had the video with the blindfolded guys running around? This is heavy handed.
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#Windows95Man hits the #wtf / #weird target on the bullseye. Be ridiculous and lean into your ridiculousness as hard as you possibly can 👊🏽.
Bonus points for the dancers in #JNCOs 😆
#ESC #NoRules #Finland
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#Moldova is one track I don’t mind only because the wobbly synth bass during the chorus. I’m literally just waiting to hear that sound.
Did I ever tell you how much I like #synthesizers?
#ESC
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Fucking #Sweden, gifted a victory last year so they could host on #ABBA’s 50th anniversary.
These were the 2 guys I thought were from the UK before, they’re still stuck in their hallway.
This sucks, mainly because their voices are whiny af. The synths can’t save this song, despite some really nice sounds.
I’m assuming they keep repeating she’s unforgettable so they won’t forget?
This song, singers, and performance is forgettable.
ftr, Abba
#ESC
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I have minimal idea where #azerbaijan is (blame my US Ed) but this song is not inspiring me to figure it out.
I could have sworn I already heard this song tonight. This is truly pedantic.
Being earnest while looking like a space garbage man does not help.
Two thumbs down. I wish I had 2 more thumbs to contribute, this is the worst song so far.
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Ah – #Australia’s bringing the classic house piano stabs. This is a good song – voices, driving beat, housey vibe.And the #digeridoo seals the deal.
Two thumbs up.
#ESC
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This isn’t all that but her voice & the synth bass (occasionally, for some reason) are keeping me interested. I vaguely recall it sounding better in the video.
#ESC #Portugal
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I dig the old school vibe to start the song. Not bad, some creative risks that paid off.
Solid overall.
#ESC #luxembourg
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On to #semis2 & #Malta. It’s taken me so long to decide if I dislike this song or not that I’m sticking it firmly in the middle. Neither good nor bad, not adventurous nor staid.
#ESC
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Hmm #Albania. I got excited because I thought it was #Armenia, which is in my head as the first song I heard this year. But no.
I feel like I heard someone else sing this in the other semifinal, but better.
#ESC
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#Greece is an interesting melange of sounds.
#ESC
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I think #Nemo was the dude in the train. I dig the musical vibes, this is better than a run of the mill pop song.
#ESC #Switzerland
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I might have confused Poland with #Czechia.
I LOVE the goth-y #80s vibe. The message is really hitting you over the head but the song’s just too damn good, building to a nice climax.
A solid #2 for me after #Croatia.
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Not a fan of ballads, but the dude’s got some pipes.
#ESC #France
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Omg #Austria 🤦🏽♂️, this feels totally manufactured. #Eurodance is back and there’s some words anyone can sing along with.
Despite the tasty 303 & the #90s breakbeats, 2 thumbs down.
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I remember #Denmark. Run of the mill song but the singer is so, so, so good. She carries it all.
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Bridgy Response