Greece look for the win which would secure them Group D qualification. Russia came within a whisker of winning against Spain and are looking to better that result. Hear the tracks, vote in the poll, and click below the cut for managerial comment, analysis, match reports and previews. EDIT: The Greek track plays a little too slow in the in-line player – you will need to download it to hear it as intended.
How to vote: Listen to the tracks and just tick the one you liked more. This poll closes on May 12th (next Monday – so you only get 6 days to vote).
Greece v Russia: Which of these tracks do you prefer? [ballot]
- Greece: Marsheaux 55%
- Russia: Zhanna Friske 45%
Total Voters: 20
Poll closes: 13 May 2008 @ 12:00
Loading ...GREECE: Marsheaux – “Promise”
The manager says: “This team mostly play in the Thessalonika Electro Leagues, but I want them playing a simple game tonight – keep things tight and punt it upfield for the chorus. Russia are a strong side and we have to respect them: I know the fans back home are asking for Roussos, but some lads are just <i>too</i> big.”
Our analyst says: Having beaten Sweden with electropop we’re not seeing too many tactical changes for the Greeks here. The team are being asked to play in a direct, English style, and a great deal rests on the front pair having the technique for it, as I can’t see many goals coming from this midfield.
RUSSIA: Zhanna Priske – “Gde-To Leto”
The manager says: “The chorus of this song does sound a bit rude, but as far as I know it’s not. In fact it’s a very cute and jolly, summery-sounding song. Zhanna’s career began in a girl group called Blestyashchie (not quite as catchy as ‘Sugababes’, is it?), which she left in 2003 and subsequently became one of Russia’s biggest pop stars. She’s also an actress, star of the Night Watch film series, the first of which was the highest-grossing Russian release ever. Having read what it’s about, I get the feeling Gde-to Leto probably wasn’t on the soundtrack!”
Our analyst says: Russia are playing a high-tempo game, looking to swamp the midfield as an attacking platform. Their tactics don’t deviate much from a standard Europop blueprint, though, and a lack of flair might punish them.
MATCH REPORT: France 2 Holland 2: Holland’s campaign is on a knife-edge as they let a two-goal lead slip here to give France their second draw of the tournament. Having been put firmly in control by their charismatic striker, Holland found their shaky backline no match for a French side determined to keep their destiny in their own hands. By the end it was the Dutch who were on the back foot and the final whistle may have come as a relief. All eyes will now be on the Italy-Romania match – but both sides will be desperate for a win in their final games.
COMING NEXT: Spain only just scraped a draw against Russia and will be hoping to outclass their fellow Group D underachievers Sweden. On paper the Swedes’ pop pedigree is first-rate but a lot depends on their maverick manager’s team selections. With the papers back home speculating his job could be on the line, there’s an aura of uncertainty around this game which could make for a fascinating match.
The Greek track sounds quite a bit slower on this than on my MP3 of it.
When looking for a YouTube version of the Greek track I discovered to my somewhat horror that it is an COVER VERSION of a track by When In Rome that was a big hit in the US (but not in the UK).
The performers are Greek though! But I felt I ought to own up to this – I thought it was somewhat more tuneful than the rest of their record…
the greek mp3 is encoded at 48kHz, and will be playing as if it was 44 (because of Flash’s limited mp3 playing), so yes it’s about 10% too slow as played inline
I find both entries strange. Marsheaux sound deliberately affectless, as if determined not to submit to the catchiness of “Promise” (a song that I remember not at all from 1988, as it was neither “Pour Some Sugar On Me” nor “Sweet Child Of Mine”). Zhanna Friske is hop-skipping nicely on a two-step four-beat disco synthesis (or something), performing in front of a freestyle-italodisco motif, but Zhanna is not the most nonaffectless singer in pop either, though I don’t see any intent in her woodenness. She’ll get my tick, though, thanks to the motif.
(I voted but there’s no indication that it registered.)(EDIT: Oh, now it seems to have. Very strange: it showed up, disappeared, then reappeared.)
(Also, France seems to have vanished from the standings.)
Not really sure about the Russian entry, it sort of ambles along bouncily enough but I’m finding this strain of jaunty route-one Eurodisco a bit wearing by this stage of the competition. Nice drums in the breakdown though.
The plucky Greeks on the other hand turn out a winning performance. I initially thought it sounded a bit on the drippy side but then I heard those intertwining boy/girl vocals and imagined the credits rolling at the end of a teen flick set in 80s American suburbia and suddenly became enraptured. I’ve never heard the original, which helps. This might be one of my favourites of the tournament so far.
both of these = BLAHHHHHHHH
RUS has a bit more verve and panache, though not much of either, so gets the tick. honestly though this type of generic europop suxx completely.
This is a real struggle – although I think it would have been a lot easier for me had an american colleague not introduced me to the original of The Promise about a year ago.
In comparison to the original, the Greek cover sounds so anaemic, both the production and the vocals.
The Russian one also has a lot of promise but doesn’t really go anywhere either, and doesn’t even have the catchiness of the Greek tune.
So it’s a reluctant vote for Greece for me.
I actually prefer the vocals on this – that chestbeating 80s style isnt working for me – but the production I think is way too tentative, it doesn’t know what to keep or discard from the “80s vibe”
VOTE FOR IT ANYWAY OBV. ahem.
Marsheaux also do an OK cover of New Order’s “Regret” and an enjoyable one of Hot Butter’s “Popcorn”.
I found it hard this week – being a big fan of Eurovision type music, there’s a lot of Russian Europop which I like, but not much I think is really interesting and unusual like the first track I posted for this contest. I decided to just go for the best Russian Europoppy track I had on my computer – I think it’s lovely, personally!
I like the drum break in the Russian track, so that gets my nod.
Another day to vote (maybe another 2 days if I don’t see the Czech Group A track, but don’t bet on that!)
OK this is closing VERY SOON so vote while ye may!
A good performance from the Greeks – I think the cover version and shonky MP3 hurt us and we could have pressed on for a win here.