Posh on Bosnia-Herzegovina

Regina – Bistra voda 5/5
I love everything about this song. Specially the drums. And the voice. And the melody. And… I could go on and on really. Top marks from me and probably televoters across Europe too. Will be surprised if this is not the semi final winner. Good chance of winning the whole thing on Saturday as well. Fingers crossed!

Bosnia 12 points

And if there was one performance that bettered France, then of course it must be the wonderful weirdness of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Laka and Mirela and their knitting ladies is my favourite entry out of all 43 this year.

Sir Terry Wogan of the BBC hated this one completely and more or less quoted it as a reason to give up on Eurovision altogether. Poor Terry, not to see the beauty and mastermind of this.

No more Balkan ballads, bring us things like these from now on, please!



Laka - Pokusaj - Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008
10/25

Semi 1: not too bad, eh?

I can hardly remember what countries I predicted beforehand, but we did predictions also after seeing the entries on telly, and then I had a new bunch of songs.

The ones I thought
Israel, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Greece.
Not too inaccurate, I must say. I had two things wrong and eight countries right. I am particularly happy about Ireland and Estonia losing out, proving there are still things such as sensibility, taste and fairness in the world.
I feel genuinely sorry for the Netherlands - this time they really deserved going through. And I wonder if Andorran television is beginning to have second thoughts about entering the ESC.

But the finalists!

ISRAEL
Fantastic to have them through, as Boaz sang very sweetly and the song is enchanting. Also good to see that being drawn as #2 doesn't automatically stop you.

AZERBAIJAN
They did well live, but I thought the cocktail would prove a bit too much for the average viewer. It seems the average viewer is capable of more than I thought.

NORWAY
I got really nervous about Norway as they were in the last envelope. For a while, I thought they had failed and was prepared to cry bitter tears. Maria was brilliant and sang really well.

POLAND
There is something about Isis Gee that is a bit scary: especially the teeth and the drop of sweat that came off her during the song. But she sang like a marvel and the song is truly worthy of a place in the final. Most probably the choice of the jury, though.

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
The stars of the night! Wonderful, brilliant, wacko, hysterical and very, very good. They can still win it!

ARMENIA
A video went around Youtube of Friday night's rehearsal, where Sirusho sang quite flatly all the way through. Tonight she sounded a lot better, and danced with more gusto. But it feels like the director of the show is not her best friend - lousy camera work on this one.

FINLAND
What happened here? Finland in the final for the third year running? I don't understand a thing, but it is good for the domestic ratings. I am contented. But I hope Teräsbetoni won't do too well, for the sake of next year's national final.

ROMANIA
Classy and good, but I had hoped for something more. Even more drama and prettier clothes. But still, surely a contender for Saturday night.

RUSSIA
I don't think the stage show really worked. Frenetic, too many things happening, too much acting. I just get bored and distracted, but it was expected that people would like this.

GREECE
Just like Armenia, the director seemed not to be too keen on this one and missed the big trick with the book. Wouldn't surprise me if it was tonight's winner, though. Better vocal performance than the Greek final suggested.

Now it is time to head for bed, more analysis to follow tomorrow...

More Laka... and Alf

Doesn't Laka's "Pokusaj" reminisce a bit of Alf Poier's "Weil der Mänsch zählt" from 2003, at least madness-wise? The attitude, the madness... not to mention priceless sidekicks.

Alf had his wonderful Tamara Stadnikow in red - Laka has his sister.

The real difference is that "Pokusaj" is an almost perfect composition, while Alf was more fun than good, in all fairness.

(What else unites them? They both compete in years when I sit at home instead of being present in the hall. Hooray.)



Alf Poier - Weil der Mänsch zählt - Austria 2003
6/26

Laka rules

I hope nobody is expecting us to be balanced and neutral or anything... cause here it comes. I just LOVE this year's Bosnian offering. Everything about it is pure magic and poetry and I can hear it over and over...

And see it. Because all versions have been totally amusing; the first presentation on Bosnian TV as well as the rehearsals in Belgrade. Not to forget the rather fabulous video clip.

I hope they win!



Laka - Pokusaj - Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008

Posh on Bosnia-Herzegovina

Laka - Pokusaj 5/5
Sweet Jesus, I’m in love! I get all bubbly inside when I hear “Pokusaj” and how the song builds up to fabulousness, happiness and craziness. Watching the rehearsal made me give full marks (had it as 4/5 before) and knowledge of that Bosnia is this year’s Ukraine. Intelligent humour + hooky song. Ljubavi!

Bosnian rehearsal

This year, you can find bits and pieces of the rehearsals on YouTube, which is both a bit of a spoiler as well as quite useful when you sit bitter at home wondering what they are up to in Belgrade.

Today, Bosnia-Herzegovina had their first rehearsal, and I can't keep this from you, if you haven't seen it. Bosnia is more and more coming out as my possible #1 of the entire lot, and I can't resist these people.

I hope they win! Cables and shoes!



Laka - Pokusaj - Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008

Becks on Bosnia-Herzegovina

Laka - Pokusaj 5/5

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." How nicely put (even if I can't remember exactly what rock celebrity said it at this very moment), and how appropriate when Bosnia's king of wacko rock steps on the stage accompanied by his sister, a chicken and half a village's worth of farmers.

What follows is a three-minute rock opera that is way more performance arts than your typical eurosong. Based on a Bosnian nursery rhyme, the lyrics ring out in incredibly melodic ways as Laka and Sis hurricane their way criss-cross over the stage, delivering a most seductive number for the people in the right mood.

There lies the problem - not everybody is going to be charmed by this. Maybe there is tiny bit too much bazaar going on to allow the average viewer to really get into this tune, and maybe the havoc will stop Bosnia from stepping into the final on May 24th.

But I hope not. This is sheer brilliance at its maddest. At a time when the bombastic Balkanic ballads starts feeling a tiny bit old, nothing could be more welcome than a bit of this. Well done.

In the final?
Yes, I think so. Unless Europe lost its sense of humour completely.

Wow, Bosnia!

For the third year running, Bosnia-Herzegovina selected their entry internally and after two traditional (but good) ballad efforts, bosnian television has opted for something different.

In fact, something very different.

More than one person have described the chosen entry as more of an installation of conceptual art rather than a eurosong. I won't disagree on that one. And just like modern art, it is not really a question about trying to understanding what the whole deal is about. You just have to decide whether you like it or not. It won't come to you automatically.

I'm not just liking it, I am wild about it. To me, it is an entire rock opera squeezed into three minutes, very reminiscent of the more ambitious rock groups of the late 60's. I love it and wish them well. But I demand that the mad backing singer is present in Belgrade. As for the peasants and the chicken, I don't really mind as much.



Laka - Pokusaj - Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008