Saturday, February 02, 2013

MGP 2013: Week 2

Another Saturday night and another exotic Norwegian destination on the MGP-tour.  This week it was Florø's turn to host the Melodi Grand Prix extravaganza.  I've still got mixed feelings about the opening title sequence, although it is rather 'epic' I guess.  It turned out to be more epic than the songs this week...

Yes, if you thought week 1 was a letdown then you ain't heard nothing yet!


"Det Vakje Mi Tid" - Martin Blomvik.

I initially had high hopes for this one after seeing Bjorn Johan Muri's name in the songwriting credits, but Martin, dressed like a Primark-gangsta, was a let-down and the song went nowhere, a repetitive, irritating retread of Labrinth's "Let The Sun Shine".  One listen was enough and I would be happy if I never heard it again. 


"I'm With You" - Annsofi.

This one grabbed the headlines due to its songwriter, a certain Mr Rybak, but this folkie ballad was anything but a fairytale. Where was the tune?  Already a pattern was beginning to develop in this week's heat: unimpressive vocals and an unconvincing performance.  I was relieved when it was all over. 


"On Hold" -Shackles.
 
I'm not familiar with the work of Shackles, but they were apparently in Norwegian X Factor.  (Points immediately deducted here, from this X Factor-hater).  It was all very contemporary, but I had to deduct further points for the song's disturbing similarity to that Rita Ora "Hot Right Now" song which I can't stand, so you won't be surprised to learn that this was yet another one I wouldn't want to hear again. 

So far, so much negativity from  me.  So I will say something nice for a change: I loved Jenny Skavlan's blue velvet dress this week!



"No One" -Hank.
 
Right, this is a strange one.  A Peter Jackson-lookalike who fronted black-metal combo Turbonegro, standing on the MGP stage crooning a surprisingly sweet song.  It wasn't great, and everything about it was probably wrong, yet it seemed to strike a chord with me where some of the previous entries hadn't. 

"Ulvetuva" - Fjellfolk.

For folk's sake - it's another folkie number.  This kind of thing can go down quite well at MGP.  It wasn't that bad but a pattern has clearly developed in this year's "Melodi" Grand Prix where most of the songs are actually missing a tune.  Still, the Bret McKenzie-lookalike guitarist provided a nice diversion. 


"Shine With Me" - Haji.

Forget everything that's gone before: for the awfulness of this knew no bounds.  Off-key from beginning to end, you really felt for him by the end of it and he probably wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. 


"I Feed You My Love" - Margaret Berger.

So now to the highlight of the evening.  Not a classic by any means, but this was the best song and performance of the night, although it took some guts to wear that catsuit!  (yep, I'm just jealous.)
A bit more of a tune wouldn't have gone amiss but the way things are going it's going to take something big to stop this one representing Norway this year. 

I didn't stick around as Denmark (and the DMGP final) beckoned, but it was no surprise that "I Feed You My Love" qualified direkte till Oslo Spektrum, and a folk double-whammy for "Ulvetuva" and "I'm With You". 

Please let there be better songs in the 3rd heat - I never thought I'd say this about one of my favourite national finals but (so far) you're letting me down, Norway :((
 

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