France take on Russia for the third semi-final place: listen to the tracks, vote in the poll.
How to vote: Just tick the track you like the most. Because I’m going on a mini-break at the end of the week this poll will be up until Monday 16th. If you download the tracks, please take the time to vote!
France v Russia: Which of these tracks do you prefer? [ballot]
- France: Najoua Belyzel 82%
- Russia: Alsou 18%
Total Voters: 22
Poll closes: 16 Jun 2008 @ 11:36
Loading ...FRANCE: Najoua Belyzel – “Gabriel”
The manager says: “This was tough, since we had a big, big selection problem – several young, hungry players forced to sit in the stand, shrugging disdainfully. In the end, we couldn’t ignore the claims of this youngster, mostly because of several great performances on the training pitch, or Alysons IPOD as we lovingly refer to it. To paraphrase Charles Barkley, we don’t know nothing about Russia, cept Russia’s in trouble! Vive La France!”
Our analyst says: France’s slow start in this tournament may have been a blessing: they’re hitting form now at the right time – this is a very capable team, playing an attacking pop formation in support of a skilful and dangerous frontline. France are being tipped as tournament favourites and this may be the game where they start living up to that tag.
RUSSIA: Alsou – “Before You Love Me”
The manager says: “I’ve always considered this to be Russia’s best ever pop song, even beating t.A.t.u, but I haven’t played it so far because I was avoiding posting something people may know already. However, as it’s been a long time since it was out in the UK, and it was hardly a raging success, I’m going to take that chance and see what happens. Alsou is one of Russia’s top pop ladies, was in Eurovision with an ace song called Solo in 2000, married a millionaire Mountain Jew in 2006, and was (rather randomly) in a low-budget English thriller movie alongside Billie Piper in 2004! Before You Love Me is super-catchy, cute and utterly poptastic, actually something Billie (or Britney) might have released in her early career i.e. very Max Martin. The chorus exemplifies that era of pop perfectly. I’d love to know who actually wrote and produced it, but so far my Googling only took me back to my own blog!”
Our analyst says: Russia, like France, are believers in classic pop tactics and as the manager herself admits, this selection owes a lot to the Swedish coaching methods that revolutionised the international scene at the turn of the decade. Always a pleasure to see a team play this way, and Russia do it well, but I wonder if they have the flair needed to progress.
MATCH REPORT: Poland 2 Portugal 3 (aet) Two evenly matched sides contested one of the games of the tournament, with Portugal needing to take the lead three times to defeat a feisty Poland side. Portugal’s mix of aggression and skill was ultimately just enough to take them to a semi-final against Switzerland: Poland are left to reflect on a great tournament.
Coming Next: Greece and Italy contest the fourth quarter final. Greece topped their group by playing patiently against opponents prone to self-destruct. Italy meanwhile have put some extremely talented sides in the field but flirted with disaster in a heavy defeat to France. Both managers face a difficult choice between flair and pragmatism in Thursday’s game (which will also end on the 16th).
Erm yes, now with actual tracks!
A close match but France tips it for me – the way the striker gulps down her vocals is surprisingly un-annoying and even intriguing.
Russia’s tactics are instantly recogniseable even if the players themselves are unfamiliar!
Lightbulb moment! ‘Gabriel’ sounds very much like a track off the Infernal album!
Cracking match this one – biggest pop injustice of 2001 (only scraped the top 30 in the UK) vs my favourite foreign language song of 2005 – and the first one where I know both contenders, which certainly doesn’t make it any easier to choose.
I adored the Alsou one at the time (although more familiar with one of its club remixes which basically just speeded up a bit, with the result this version sounds a little slow to me), and its got a great, catchy chorus.
I love the production on the Najoua Belyzel track, as well as her distinctive voice (I must admit though, it grates a little over the course of the whole album), and in the end it just swings it for me, as the Alsou one sounds a little dates in comparison.
Quite happy today.
France, I love the chord pattern, could be classic reggae, if they’d headed in that direction, and I kinda wish they’d gone for more of a reggae-like bass undertow; the melody isn’t striking; however the singer comes through admirably, pretty tones but with lungs rather than the usual French breathiness (not that I’ve got anything against French breathiness). Her short wails and fast vocal glints are terrific, focusing the energy, delivering excitement.
Russia. This sounds like the Russkies listened to ’80s U.S. even more than to late ’90s Max (the two hardly being exclusive of course): dark sexy larynx, Flashdance boots, crypto-Latin passion, Madonna wail. A fine style.
A hard one to pick; Najoua Belyzel’s ingenuity and expressiveness finally carry the French over.
But a tip of the hat to the Russians.
(Now to YouTube to find more Belyzel and Alsou.)
Completists may wish to enjoy the accompanying Belyclip, in which our heroine turns into a statue to…er…save someone else from being a statue!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aYIjHOPQzxg
And in the name of fairness, here’s Alsou, and a man running up a wall!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TiTCDDJllYg
Alyson (VLF)
Both of these could do with a bit of oomph I feel, the French production could do with being a bit more old-skool Britney, but it’s still my favourite by a clear distance. Especially the spindly guitar and overdubbed harmonies in the chorus.
It comfortably wins out over the Russian entry which just kind of trundles along. The French vocal performance is loads better as well. Deploying a free-roaming vocoder has not really worked for me in this tournament.
Well this is all looking pretty good, so far! All we need now are more spectators! More votes!
Actually, maybe I should shut up, the Russian Mafia might make a come back!
From the Zephyr, from wind
You lie like an infant
And you flee up above
As soon as your sky splits
It is gratifying to confirm that I voted for a track that is UNUTTERABLE KITSCH!
Quick schedule update, cos I’m on holiday so not neccessarily posting much (this also affects Popular).
Greece-Italy will go up tomorrow.
This game ends on Monday.
Greece-Italy will end on Tuesday.
BOTH semi-finals will go up on Thursday 19th (I know this only gives me or Matt 1 day to find a track)
They will close on Monday 23rd and then the final will be on Thursday 26th with results on Monday 30th.
Easy!
Two excellent tracks here. I agree with Kat that the French track sounds a lot like Infernal, and was actually thinking that it would be perfect for a boshing remix. The Russian track is good too, very US/UK sounding. I prefer the French vocals though, they’ve got something a little different to them.
A really tough call.
I think I’ve lost my game! Greece have invaded, just like the old days!
I’ve no idea why the Greece-Italy poll has suddenly appeared there instead of the France-Russia one! Eek!
Eek! indeed! Is it rooted! I think I was winning! Well, I’m guessing I was! Now I’m worried! Eats a baguette nervously!
The ref bounds on to the pitch with the pop-ball still intact. The crowd roar and heckle in equal measure, but sit back, assured that fair play continues.
Friday the 13th innit.
I like both of these, even if they’re both showing their age. Russia started the fasted (great intro!), but France has the stronger legs I think and ultimately wins my vote.
Well, it doesn’t sound promising, but since I (probably) introduced Alyson to Najoua B in the first place, and would have certainly played it myself if I had France, I think I deserve a little credit nonetheless. It is very difficult to be playing against one of my own favourite songs.
I will keep this open for another hour or so if anyone else wants to vote.
Ouch.
I would venture to say that Russia were better than this scoreline suggests.
I’m surprised that no-one mentioned the sunship remix of the alsou track, which is just (as any other sunship remix of the time) massive
Hee hee! Vive La France!
I think I’ve spent all my good material though! What a bugger! It could yet be Chantal Goya singing about hunting rabbits at this rate!
That would guarantee my vote :)
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