Comments on: Europop 2008: Group A Finale

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Wed, 21 May 2008 22:44:20 +0000

This is a great moment for the game! Portugal are certainly bringing all the best stories in this tournament so far.

By: Metricks

Metricks — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:51:29 +0000

I just discovered this great place for music lovers, and it was a great surprise to check that one of my musics was here to represent my country in the Europop cup, and it really made me feel very honoured. I want to thank to the manager of Portugal team for selecting my tune to the team, and i glad it gave a point for my national team, and helped going into the quarter finals.

Thank you all, for the great comments about “Postcard to Outerspace” truly appreciated!

Go…go…Portugal!!!!! :)

By: pete

pete — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:35:22 +0000

LUCKY! I have six songs and I play them as I see fit. After all, this is the POP EUROPEAN CUP and as such a sub two minute slice of perfectly pleasant but anonymous ambience versus my shonky but pop pop hook-laden reggaeness should have had no chance. Admittedly I may have played the game rather than the best track, but I was confident of progression and the next rounds will see even more exceptional tunes.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:50:49 +0000

Yes, I think the Swiss have been a little lucky too - though I really really can’t talk on that front. Generally, with the exception of maybe the wacky first Czech side I think pretty much everything in Group A has been solidly enjoyable - I wasn’t expecting it to come out the best of the groups but it has.

By: koganbot

koganbot — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:10:41 +0000

Shocked by how soundly the Turks thrashed the Czechs. I voted for the Turks myself, but it was a close thing, the Czech singer being sweet without sacrificing strength, if only she’d had a song more worth singing. Meanwhile the Turks were tripping over consonants with abandon, propelled by Asian power riffs. Energetic but hardly seemed dominating.

I voted for Portugal in the opener, liked how the melody was card-shuffled and flipped, though really the vote was by default. The Swiss put forth the entire playbook and kept getting all entangled in it. A strong reggae song emerged, though clumsily executed. A tie is about right, though frankly I think the Swiss have been extremely lucky so far, facing a disorganized side back in their first match, and a lacklustre one here, while the more talented Turks are going home.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:10:09 +0000

Polls closing in a cpl of hours!

By: jel

jel — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:51:02 +0000

I like the Swiss song, and the thing about the Portuguese song is that anyone can make music like this (and probably make it more interesting). So a win for Switzerland.

The Czech’s seem to run around a lot in midfield, but there is a sense of fatalism, what’s the point of putting a cross in? the striker will only miss. The Turks are having a strike whenever they can, though most of them hit the corner flag, they still manage to win by an own-goal.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:05:07 +0000

You’ve ONE MORE DAY to vote in these.

By: lockedintheattic

lockedintheattic — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:15:27 +0000

Czech song = dull, sorry. I hate Les Mis too so maybe that’s why. Turkish song much more fun, nice to here rap with Turkish elements rather than just trying to ape a US sign. Plus the language works well with rap, which is not something that can be said for all languages.

Switz vs Portugal is a match worthy of two of the best teams in the tournament, and I could have voted for either - but in the end it just feels like the Swiss want that win more, the Portuguese players just feel like they’ve got a bit overconfident, I’m sorry to say.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:01:14 +0000

Did anyone else assume until about 1′30″ that the Czech entry was going to go BOSH CRAZY?

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:41:11 +0000

I actually think the CZE sounds like solo bit from a school choir concert, performed in a shopping centre just before Christmas. It’s the naff synth backing and pan-pipe moods feel that does it.

This is not inconsistent with sounding like it’s from Les Mis.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:39:53 +0000

Anyone who unearths a track that sounds like something from West Side Story immediately earns my vote, by the way.

By: lex

lex — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:06:01 +0000

I like Evita as well but only when Madonna is involved. Actually ONLY because of Madonna tbh. The CZE track sounds like it’s being sung by a street waif confessing her love for the hero with her dying breath.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:01:14 +0000

I knew i would be forfeiting your vote with this track Lex, it was a risk I was willing to take.

Cor, imaginge the only musical you like being Les Miz? That’s about the only musical I DON’T LIKE! The CZE track is much better than that turgid song cycle.

By: lex

lex — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:58:33 +0000

Easy wins for POR and CZE here. When I first heard the SUI track I thought it was a joke - please no more of this ‘comedy’ crap! By contrast POR burbles along v nicely, it doesn’t insist on its presence being felt but it’s subtly warm and soothing.

CZE is like something out of Les Misérables (the only musical I have ever enjoyed)! TUR just a bit dull in comparison to the vaguely consumptive melodrama.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:41:54 +0000

In the other game, the Turks put in an infectious but tough-tackling physical performance, and what they lack in flair they more than make up for in grit and enthusiasm.

Easily enough to overpower a flimsy Czech side, they’ll be hoping for a combination of a resounding victory here and a hefty favour from the Swiss, but qualification looks a tall order. They’ll need a miracle here to overturn the impressive vote difference of either of the top two. Both teams on the first plane home, but not without gracing the tournament with some very entertaining play.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:36:30 +0000

Strong couple of games here, possibly the shot in the arm the tournament needed by this point. This Switzerland side is tremendously entertaining, a solid pop-reggae bedrock is enough to ensure their catalogue of flicks, tricks and, erm, Smurf voices is balanced with enough end product to see them through.

Portugal meanwhile are surfing on a wave of goodwill, this reminds me of Aphex Twin circa I Care Because You Do, but there’s a suspicion they’re passing it calmly round the centre circle, content to play for the draw that would take both teams through to the last eight. I wouldn’t bet against it.

By: SteveM

SteveM — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:13:17 +0000

I quite like all of these - well done teams. Entertaining draws all round, just for a change…

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:31:57 +0000

Well i think this double header shows exactly what the Pop European Cup is all around. Four diverse entries, all strong in their own special way. Trying to judge between the chalk and cheese pairings is going to be really difficult here - which may end up with a pair of results that favour Portugal and Switzerland more than the underdogs. I think the Czech might just eke the win in their game - but that’ll be worth nothing if Switzerland & Portugal get a draw.