NO 'NO ANGELS' (IT'S ALL IN MY MIND)

Germany’s will hold their Grand Prix Vorentscheid pre-selection broadcast this Friday night, and I have diligently given a listen to the entries so I can give you my opinions.

Tommy Reeve – Just One Woman
It’s a green eyed soul song. That’s all. It’s not bad, but it’s not Eurovision (not that that matters to the big-four Germans). By itself, I actually kind of don’t mind the song, and took a look at some of Tommy Reeve’s music just based on it. But there is no reason why this should be in Belgrade.

Carolin Fortinbacher – Hinterm Ozean
Now, this, on the other hand, is a kind of song I’m pre-disposed to liking. It’s an emotive ballad with a pretty melody which is, thankfully, not oversung. Carolin Fortinbacher seems to be, if not an especially powerful singer, one who has a respectable sense of nuance and styling. That said, again, this is the kind of song that now no longer performs well due to the excess of the modern Eurovision.

Cinema Bizarre – Forever or Never
This was a bit of a surprise. It’s sort of like a darker version of The Ark. The glam rock sound is on full display here, but the song isn’t bad. This is hard to picture as a ‘Eurovision Entry’, but based on the growing inclusion of proper rock acts in recent years of the contest, I wouldn’t count out these dark horses. It doesn’t hurt that they seem to have a decent-sized fanbase.

No Angels – Disappear
My pre-listen favorite, since I’m a No Angels fan from WAY back (Like, waaayyyyyy back. Like, minutes after they’d released their first CD), No Angels are, by all rights, just the kind of act that should go to the Contest. They’re sort of campy and cultish, they sing inoffensive well-produced bubblegum pop, they are capable of putting on a great live show. However, Disappear, while an excellent addition to their own repertoire, isn’t a strong enough entry to win here. Shame, as the fan in me would have REALLY liked to see them win.

Marquess – La Histeria
This is Germany’s winner, folks. And, to be fair, it’s a LOT of fun. It still strikes me funny that Germany would send a Spanish song to the Contest, but given their recent eclecticism when it cones to their entries (in the last few years we’ve had country songs, pop/rock songs, German lounge lizards…), I have a feeling that the catchiness of this song will take it to the winner’s circle.

So there you have it. We’ll see this Friday, March 6 if I’m right.