Comments on: Europop 2008: Group B - Croatia 2 Germany 2

By: lex

lex — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:59:43 +0000

We will be Real Talking Mary J Blige. We do not align ourselves with the little people.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:49:07 +0000

But will you be Real Talking Jose Mourinho or Real Talking Neil Warnock, that is the question?

By: Lex

Lex — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:35:50 +0000

stevem we are only telling it like it is, a vote against us is a vote against REAL TALK

By: SteveM

SteveM — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:19:44 +0000

lex, i’m sure comments like that can only endear you to the officials, fans and press further and will have no effect on votes cast in the final group game ;)

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:43:29 +0000

Then it goes to vote difference and votes scored.

By: lex

lex — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:28:23 +0000

so hang on what happens if all the matches in this group end up as ties?! i feel rather hard done by here considering the vast gulf in quality. sometimes the fans and refs just DO NOT GET IT.

By: SteveM

SteveM — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:09:00 +0000

Not the result I wanted as I wouldn’t mind going into make or break match with the Germans with them only needing a point. Now it will be win or bust for the both of us.

Fourth draw in a row but I feel very under the kosh in this Poland match. It doesn’t help that our fans have gone extremely quiet over there…

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:00:58 +0000

NEVER WRITE OFF THE GERMANS!

By: CarsmileSteve

CarsmileSteve — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:49:30 +0000

blimey, first actual tie!

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:55:17 +0000

traditional line up of moves from croatia — germany playing a more modern but ultimately less engaging game. croatia don’t outstay their welcome and take it by a nose.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:47:56 +0000

Just over an hour left to vote!

By: koganbot

koganbot — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:12:50 +0000

Time’s running out, and I still don’t know where I stand with these. Nor where I sit with them either, though where I’m sitting right now is on the fence. I sure like these tracks more than any of the other commentators do.

The Croations set us up with a strong eastern melancholy, and then kick the rhythm alive into the land of Flashdance without losing their lightness, give us “where disco meets the Velvet Underground” intensity from the synth bass, and then in the chorus a bit of Southern Slav leg action on the offbeat. And then the woman raises her voice up to the flashing disco strobe lights. I don’t see what’s so standard about this; in any event, I’ve never quite heard this combo. So, I’d be ready to mark this in as an easy victory, but…

The Germans show up with absolutely beautiful and haunting and funny bubbles and beats from the wondrous mid ’80s. I could immerse myself in these sounds for hours. The woman singer sounds dissolute, and with one-tenth the chops of the Croation wench manages to evoke just as much melancholy. She just shows up and floats and moves her arms in a washed-out haze. The guy, however, twice as bad as the woman, is an irritant. But he’s not the show, the shimmer and twist of the beats is.

So, I don’t know; I really hate to stiff the excellent Croats for the second match in a row but I’m voting Germany. (Also, I’d told Carsmile Steve that I was open to bribes but he didn’t come through in time.)

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:06:27 +0000

This poll closes on Monday so vote now!

By: byebyepride

byebyepride — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:38:52 +0000

First match I’ve been able to watch all the way through, and I’ve not felt that the play is up to much on either side. Solid, sure, but both teams sticking to well-worn, reliable, but ultimately outmoded styles. The Croats throw it all up the pitch, but the well-drilled Germans are managing to hold them off. One team seem to be trying too hard, the others have hardly broken sweat. A stale-mate here, but I’ll give my vote to the solid German defence.

By: Doctor Mod

Doctor Mod — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:59:02 +0000

Oh dear–

Both of these tracks sound a couple of decades behind the times. A nagging question burned in my brain: Is this the return of disco?

The Croatian bit was pleasant enough pop, nothing ground-breaking though. We’ve heard all of this numerous times before. Well, perhaps not in Croatian.

But that German thing! Sorry, the Pet Shop Boys did this all soooooooo much better twenty years ago. I fantasized about hearing Neil Tennant’s voice breaking through at some point for reassurance. I suppose he could have made the insipid lyrics about the taxi not showing up sound ominous and esoteric, but not this girl. I wouldn’t mind hearing this in the background at a party, but I suppose the lyrics are what I found most irritating.

So my vote goes to Croatia, possibly because I have no idea what she’s singing about.

(Oh, and before anyone accuses me of German-bashing, let me say that my background is equally Dutch and German.)

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:49:48 +0000

I think Tom’s been very harsh on the Germans here - the vocalists are never going to win any tournaments on their own but they are very obviously the least important element of the track. Almost as if they’re there out of obligation (when will someone play a straight instrumental?) This the the 1998 France team of Europop, a poor strikeforce is rendered largely irrelevant by the quality elsewhere on the park. And this German side is solid in midfield and defence and there are goals to come from both. The groove is tremendous and that’s what matters here. I really like the clanking, chiming production, the way the synth strings swell and interlayer with the guitar in the final minute or so, and the feeling that the track doesn’t really know whether to opt for melancholy or euphoria and wanders between the two.

The Croatian track isn’t bad either, I’m not going to dock them any points for being cheap and cheerful but they are a bit flimsy at the back and the song doesn’t really take off in the way it should. Another song that feels like the verse and chorus have been grafted together somewhat, I’m not sure direct Eurovision tactics really cut it with me in 2008.

Comfortable win for the Germans, I say.

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:19:32 +0000

Very difficult to know who to vote for here, for me what with a potential decider against the Germans to come…but I will try not to let this affect my judgement promise.

That said I do find myself leaning towards the Germans anyway - just that little bit slicker a passing game, but they’ve reined it in a bit more this time in order to concentrate on pressing forward with more urgency. Maybe the flair suffers a little as a result but not to a significant extent.

The Croats impress once again tho, in organisational terms. I can see them getting something here. I’m not in love with either side today tho so a draw would suit me, in every respect (I don’t think a win for either side would be enough for them to relax a bit more for their final game). Crucial indeed.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:16:10 +0000

Both a bit frustrating. The Croatia track is good but keeps threatening to really take off, and then just settles back into trad pop again. Very pleasant stuff though and a good find.

Germany - I love the instrumentation, all metal and spartan but still rich sounding, but the vocals are RUBBISH. Lex this is off-key indie wank of the first order and I’m surprised at you.

A win for the Croats, for me, though slightly by default.