Spain and Sweden both got off to shaky starts in Europop 2008: who will take the points here? Listen to the tracks, vote in the poll, and look below the cut for managerial comment, analysis, match reports and previews.
Audio Player Audio PlayerHow to vote: Just tick the one you like best (even if you don’t like it much!). This poll closes next Thursday, 15th March.
Spain v Sweden: Which track do you prefer? [ballot]
- Sweden: Lacrosse 61%
- Spain: SFDK 39%
Total Voters: 23
Poll closes: 16 May 2008 @ 12:00
Loading ...SPAIN: SFDK – “Mi Nombre Es Rap”
The manager says: “A surprise last minute selection by the Spanish manager sees him put his faith in the daddies of Spanish rap. Since 1993, MC Zatu and DJ Acción Sánchez have been churning out rhymes and the new millennium saw them hit the big time. ‘Mi Nombre Es Rap’ was first called up to the international squad after appearing on 2007 album, ‘Los Veteranos’, and the gaffer will be relying on SFDK’s bags of experience to earn the win that could smooth a passage into Round 2.”
Our analyst says: Not a formation we’ve seen much of in this tournament, but it’s one that needs a sturdy defence and fast-paced strikeforce to really work. My feeling here is that their ageing legs may tell against the Spanish team, even if they get the basics right.
SWEDEN: Lacrosse – “So Sad”
The manager says: “It starts with a whistle! Jolly Swedish popsters! Possibly a bit too indie, but nevermind hey? A flambouyant 3-5-2, it’s about how many you score, not how many you stop.”
Our analyst says: This side come out of the blocks quickly and while purists won’t appreciate their style of play there’s a shambolic energy which makes them watchable. They give away possession all over the shop and their defence looks porous to say the least but they’ve pace to burn and that might prove enough of an edge against Spain.
MATCH REPORT: Italy 1 Romania 1: With crowds slipping, the tournament organisers are hoping that this wave of draws soon comes to an end. Romania were good value for their point, though, taking a lead against an Italy side who, despite all their talent, bore out their manager’s worries about complacency. Italy rallied at the end with a late equaliser which keeps them top of a very open group: a point against France will now be enough to see them into the quarter-finals. Romania meanwhile need a win against Holland to guarantee their progress.
COMING NEXT… Group A reaches its climax on Monday with two games. Portugal and Switzerland have all but qualified – a draw would see them both through whatever happens in Turkey v Czech Republic. If one of those sides wins heavily and one of Portugal and Switzerland see a heavy defeat, we could see an upset. Could a second Portugese fan invasion hit Switzerland’s hopes? Can the Turks finally fulfil their potential? We will see.
My god. I never expected to draw against Italy. I’m very proud of my squad for pulling that off. Now that the match is over I’m happier to comment that the Italian song is easily my favourite of the tournament so far, it’s fantastic. Can’t believe I haven’t heard of them before.
I cannot decide. Spain’s backtrack is little similar to Massive Attack’s ‘Better Things’ – as usual it’s difficult to guage the vocal delivery but it sounds competent enough – as much as any other rap played in this tournament so far at least. Perhaps the Spaniards aren’t sparkling enough at this tempo tho.
The Swedes are quicker this time but lightfooted with it – constantly launching and leaping for high balls I’m not sure they can always win. The pace may give them the edge here but it should be a fairly close call. I just hope the stadium fills up a lot more before the half time naranjas.
I think my vote might go a different way at another time – but sat here on a gloriously hot Friday afternoon, the languid tempo of the Spanish team just works perfectly.
Oh, the jangle pop of the Swede’s wins this one by a mile – the Spanish track is just a bit of a lumpen mess. Albeit my Swede vote is mainly based on a guitar sound which reminds me a bit of Thousand Yard Stare, which I doubt will win them friends elsewhere.
Yes I think the Spanish one falls into that comfortable 5-out-of-10 zone most Eurorap lands in. I don’t think the Swedish tune is a stellar example of its genre either but it’s more than bearable.
This intrepid observer has now listened to each track twice and is now on his third go with Sweden. Anyhoo
Spain: I like the sampled vocal shots, the beat is monolithic and slow which could be mesmerizing but isn’t, the rapping has feeling and phlegm but no lift. Sluggish, on the whole.
Sweden: Indie pop by singers who want to make something of their ordinariness and their shambling nonsynchronicity. As for the song; well, it is a song. Has shambling synths. Whoever heard of shambling synths? The whole thing is like grass that’s trying to flower and that sort of half succeeds. This gets them by the Spanish, but won’t take them to a fourth shot on my mp3 player.
blimey sweden is like some massive hole in the space-time continuum back to the mid/late 80s isn’t it? it’s possible that the glockenspiel (xylophone? can never remember which is which) sends it over the edge into “oh dere lord, is there ANY need” territory, but the spanish beats are rly quite lumpen even if the rapping’s not bad, so i think the swedes, after running rings around the spanish defenders and having 40 shots off target, just manage through weight of numbers (and more of a 3-2-5 formation frankly!) to knock a couple in, despite the crunching tackles.
Lacrosse are a guilty pleasure. I almost sent a song by “I’m From Barcelona” instead. They are are like a 1-1-8 formation.
ESP = lumpen and flat-footed, TERRIBLE rapping
SWE = twee and vile and the xylophone does tip it right over the edge
worst match yet? I think so!
I always know Lex will hate my songs :(
I like the Massive Attack sample, not so keen on the Go Team chirpiness.
The Spain track is awful, the beat drags and the MC has no rhythm or flow whatsoever, just rambles all over the place like a Spanish version of El-P or one of those other dreadful Anticon type rappers. Ugh.
The Swedish track I’m not feeling either, it’s got that trademark tweepop over-earnest bounciness that is so peppy as to be faintly creepy, like happy clappy Christians or something. And it has a xylophone, peppy tweepop kids should never be allowed near xylophones, is this the Swedish Los Campesinos or something?
These are both pretty bad, I’m voting for Spain by virtue of not being annoying puppy-eyed tweepop, and because nobody else will. Still, Alan Hansen is rolling his eyes, Mark Lawrenson’s every word drips with a combination of boredom and disdain, Gary’s doing that sheepish mocking ‘well, they can’t all be great’ look.
I’m extending this until tomorrow (which is when the Group B finale will go up too) – vote vote vote!
Sweden right back in it! Spain have a mathematical chance of progression – this group could still end with four teams on four points.
I now have all the Group B tracks so that’ll go up on Monday.