As we are doing with LATVIA, we at ESC UNITED are featuring another OGAE REST OF THE WORLD country in our ROAD TO MALMO series: HUNGARY!
To start things off, we are reviewing the ten songs of Heat 1 in A Dal 2013, the Hungarian National Selection. Six songs will progress to the semi-finals: three via televoting and three via jurors. Matt and Zack’s thoughts are below:
Agárdi Szilvi-Pál Dénes : Szíveddel lass (See With Your Heart)
Zack: Moody, atmospheric. I was worried this would be possibly butchered live, but seeing this video from The Voice Hungary changes my mind. I am excited to see how this turns out at A Dal.
Matt: I’m a big fan of duets, the male vocalist has a very deep voice, possibly too low for some people’s liking. While the song is not offensive, it also lacks a hook and something to set itself apart from the competition. The fact that they just won a talent show certainly will help their odds but the song alone won’t cut it.
LISTEN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V_azPt8gzs
Background : Neonzöld (Neongreen)
Zack: Current in terms of current pop music, and in terms of Eurovision music, given the presence of the repetitive runs of consonants (“Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh-whoa”). This could be an energetic stage performance.
Matt: It’s catchy and will stand out; I don’t speak Hungarian but am already singing along. It seems modern enough and this is the kind of song that may benefit to be translated into English.
LISTEN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWw8otJGoTM
Baricz Gergo : Húz (Pull)
Zack: A pleasant rock pop song but I don’t see it standing out like the previous two entries did. I’m afraid it’ll get lost in the mix of things.
Matt: The biggest problem I have with this song is that I immediately forget about even after two listen I remember not one thing about it. That can’t be good, right?
Listen: http://videa.hu/videok/kreativ/baricz-gergo-huz-1wNyfbfSlLU9s9pX
Bogi : Tükörkép (Reflection)
Zack: Nice use of the horns and the drum in this song. Nice catchy pop song. This is how one stands out in the middle of the draw!
Matt: This song is really cute though the verses are a lot stronger than the chorus. Nevertheless, it’s uplifting and a lot more cheerful than a lot of its competitors and with the right stage performance could go far.
Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2za_ohEoZ0
Fehér Zoltán : Nincs baj (No Problem)
Zack: Another rock song that really didn’t stand out in my opinion. It wasn’t bad, but it just didn’t feel like it would on the Eurovision stage.
Matt: Garage band style music and if you’re into that, you may appreciate this one however if I have to sum up this song in one word I’d have to say “incomplete”. It may not be enough for the Eurovision Stage though.
Listen: http://videa.hu/videok/kreativ/feher-zoltan-nincs-baj-uj-LQPBaab4Vrywle2A
Gyurcsik Tibor : Örök harc (Battle Forever)
Zack: Starts off to sound like a Swedish pop song and then goes into a more rock direction. It reminds me of the version of LiteSound’s “We Are The Heroes” that was performed in Baku. I like. Oh wait, rap middle 8. Ugh. This is what made me not get completely sold to Musiqq’s “Angel in Disguise” in 2011.
Listen: http://videa.hu/videok/kreativ/gyurcsik-tibor-orok-harc-uj-8jeljvbCPftrS5oa
Keresztes Ildikó : Nem akarok többé játszani (I Don’t Want to Play Anymore)
Zack: Overdramatic, something like a rock musical. I cannot say if I like this yet or not. This is one I’m worried could be performed live very poorly. In other words, it may sound good in the studio, but with live vocals, this could be a trainwreck. The more the song progresses, the more I like it. So I’m optimistic.
Matt: The song is a bit too messy for my liking, it’s like they want to combine multiple genres in one song. That being said, the chorus is incredibly strong so I wish the song had more structure.
Listen: http://videa.hu/videok/kreativ/keresztes-ildiko-nem-akarok-tobbe-1nTsRAuWbUHdngbR
Mrs Columbo : Játszd újra (Play it Again)
Zack: Cute song, but I don’t think this quite fits what the Eurovision fans will want.
Matt: After this never ending intro I was expecting something very different. It’s not a bad song and her voice is memorable, it clearly is a song that will benefit from a convincing live performance.
Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSDSaaYwcEo
Palcsó Tamás : Ezt látnod kell (You Have to See This)
Zack: Nice song, nice melody. There is some interesting layers of instrumentation going on. I’m not sure if the song has that climatic finish that Eurovision songs typically have. But I think this has a good shot to progress through to the semi finals if performed well.
Matt: This song is chill and likeable. The song puts a lot of emphasis on the backup singers which I actually really like, this one screams qualifier.
Listen: http://videa.hu/videok/kreativ/palcso-tamas-ezt-latnod-kell-NLAdhZLf4GRCbgHu
Rácz Gergo : Csak állj mellém (Just Stand Next to Me)
Zack: I could see this on the Eurovision stage. Very 80s anthem meets boyband kind of feel. He’s a looker too! As the song progresses, the more I like it.
Matt: A solid pop song that is current and retro at the same time, the catchiness is undeniable. This has mass appeal and that is exactly what you need in Eurovision.
Listen: http://videa.hu/videok/kreativ/racz-gergo-csak-allj-mellem-TBR9hRfdfq8byVfp
Six of these will qualify to the semi-finals. We each have our six picks that we would like to see make it through.
ZACK
1) Rácz Gergo : Csak állj mellém (Just Stand Next to Me)
2) Agárdi Szilvi-Pál Dénes : Szíveddel lass (See With Your Heart)
3) Keresztes Ildikó : Nem akarok többé játszani (I Don’t Want to Play Anymore)
4) Palcsó Tamás : Ezt látnod kell (You Have to See This)
5) Background : Neonzöld (Neongreen)
6) Bogi : Tükörkép (Reflection)
MATT
1) Palcsó Tamás : Ezt látnod kell (You Have to See This)
2) Rácz Gergo : Csak állj mellém (Just Stand Next to Me)
3) Bogi : Tükörkép (Reflection)
4) Background : Neonzöld (Neongreen)
5) Keresztes Ildikó : Nem akarok többé játszani (I Don’t Want to Play Anymore)
6) Gyurcsik Tibor : Örök harc (Battle Forever)
Dentistas Barcelona
February 15, 2013 at 18:38
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Roy van der Merwe
February 2, 2013 at 05:21
Matt, Zack, thanls for spending soi many hours to lusten to all the new songs and inform us about them. I hope Hungray brings out a compilation CD of their selection songs
Roy van der Merwe
February 2, 2013 at 05:20
I have not heard any of the songs but looking at the titles (the English translation), I quite like PLAY IT AGAIN (unlike Nicky French’s song one year DON’T PLAY IT AGAIN) and also YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS (and hear it) and then also JUST STAND NEXT TO ME. I always believe in good titles.