It’s Almost That Time Of Year
Denmark is the oldest kingdom in Europe with a rich history of conquest, trade and culture. Regrettably, being lower even than the Netherlands, Denmark will be the first to disappear as the waters rise.
The 5.5 million people of Denmark speak a language they themselves do not understand, with a numbering system that contradicts all laws of Math. Its consonant-free nature did not stop Denmark from winning the Eurovision in 1963; they won again (in English) in 2000.
Facts
Capital: Copenhagen
Economy: Dairy products, beer, cookies, exploiting Greenland's natural resources and labour force, wind turbines
Famous landmarks: The Little Mermaid, Tivoli, Legoland, Birthe Kjær
I have found the essential guide to this year's Eurovision. The darlings at ESCnation has compiled a guide to every single competing nation (and Georgia). It is hysterically funny (and some bits are not safe for work - such as the description of Poland) even if you do not care a tuppence about Eurovision.
Speaking of which, I sat through a live-stream of the Swedish national final and sadly the best performance was a strange, beautiful version of last year's winner. I really didn't get the winning song, Malena's La Voix and, apart from a late 1990s-esque boyband and the ever discotastic Alcazar, didn't tap my feet at any stage. Hmph. Sweden, you disappoint me.
(And in case you are dying to know, Norway is emerging as the big favourite to win.)
The Hidden Cameras – Boys of Melody
This is one of my favourite songs of this past decade and this live performance tugs at my heartstrings. Enjoy.
Find An Easier Way
Observation #1: I don't outright hate the Leona Lewis cover of "Run" (youtube link) although I still prefer the the Snow Patrol original (youtube link). I am mildly disturbed and am now going to listen to ironic hipster music.
Observation #2: I recently decided that I was spreading myself thin in social networking and blogging ventures. In real terms, this meant I took a long, hard look at my networking efforts, where I was spending my energy and creativity and what sort of return I got on my investments. My conclusions were interesting, to say the least. I shut down profiles, merged accounts and am now limiting myself to very few outlets. It feels a lot more streamlined, easy to manage and has energised me. I am also surprised/entertained to see how I think of this new structure in corporate terms: efficiency, venture, restructure, investment, and management. Hmm.
Observation #2.1: While I have been pleasantly surprised by my new networking structure, others have apparently been mildly upset by my actions. What I find "better organised", some online friends think of as "shutting out". Is it a sign of how fragile online friendships are (I don't think so) or a sign of how online friendships dependent upon a given context (I don't think so either)? Whatever it signifies, I just want to clarify that I am just as accessible as ever. I have just limited the number of places where people can interact with me. Of course people can also email me, but I warn you: I'm notoriously bad at getting back to mails. Just ask my mother ..
Observation #3: I spent some quality time with my nephew (who's almost three now!) this weekend. I was amused to note that I'm the cool, slightly wacky aunt who dares her nephew to jump into mud pools and who tells stories about gnomes and elves. Oh, and who is really good at Pooh-sticks.
PS. Blur reunion?!.
Rules and Regulations
I like that Rufus Wainwright attempts to get on the radio. I am not sure it is the best format for him, but bless him. His latest studio album, Release the Stars, was said to be his most accessible and mainstream album to date. I adore that in Rufus' head that translated into "a huge wave of German romanticism" and songs about Prussian rococo summer palaces and a dramatic spoken word segment performed by Siân Phillips. I just feel like ruffling his hair, I do.
So, this is Rufus Wainwright's second single off Release the Stars, "Rules and Regulations". The video is absolutely barmy as you might expect and it's possibly the funniest thing I have seen all year:
Popscene!
Tonight's Never Mind The Buzzcocks featured the lead singer of mid-90s Scottish indie band Geneva. Boy, did that make me feel old..
Here's the forgotten(?) gem of "No One Speaks" from their first album:
.. now where did I put my miniskirt, green glitter eyeliner and 70s vintage shirts? Hey, hey come out tonight.. (YT link)
More trips down memory lane; looking back I really liked my music angsty, eyelinered and vaguely androgynous:
+ Sleeper: Inbetweener
+ Strangelove: Time For The Rest of Your Life
+ Suede: The Drowners
+ Subcircus: 86'd
(Darth Ken, don't you dare leaving a snarky comment containing a picture of me in full indie girl gear)
Into Temptation
Some nights it just happens. I fall into the depths of YouTube and I flutter between this and that .. and end up with a bonafide Finn-vaganza.
I started off with Wherever You Are, a solo offering from a 2000-2001 webcast series. Things went a bit hardcore with my favourite Finn song: Suffer Never with Johnny Marr (The Smiths), Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing) and Ed O'Brien & Phil Selway (Radiohead) as backing band. It was followed by Fall At Your Feet (studio version) - the song that made me buy my first Finn album. Then.. oh, obscurity: Don McGlashan of Mutton Birds performing Anchor Me with Neil Finn as backing vocalist. Less obscure, but certainly obscure enough, Finn Brothers performing Only Talking Sense on BBC's Later (I have an ace version of this song with Grant Lee Phillips doing harmonies, guh). And..
You get the picture.
And finally, "Distant Sun". The perfect pop song. The song that launched a thousand friendships based upon a shared love of the line I don't pretend to know what you want / But I offer love. The song that can still stop me in my tracks. This version was filmed at Crowded House's farewell concert in Sydney, 1996: around 2.11 the song just begins to hit me hard and I'm lost by the 2.35 mark. By the time the ad-libbing begins, I'm either snivelling into my tea, bobbing my head or dancing about (usually all three). It's not a perfect version but it's such a charged rendition.
Is it my favourite Finn song? No, as I said above, that honour goes to the deliciously dark "Suffer Never". Is it my favourite Crowded House song? Maybe, although I could say the same of In The Lowlands, Nails In My Feet (one of the rare studio recordings that's better than any live version) or Whispers and Moans. And then there are Four Seasons In One Day and Don't Dream It's Over, both classics in their own right. Don't get me started on pre-CH Finn songs or Tim Finn's solo stuff (Persuasion, omg! Twinkle! Why isn't there a YouTube version of the amazing Roadtrip?!).
But Distant Sun is my lodestone. It's my song. *reloads*
That’s Not My Name
Yesterday I had to convince nurses that my name wasn't Flora Westmark of [absurdly named Glasgow suburb]. It wasn't until I pointed out that Flora's patient file stated she was born in 1949 whilst I clearly was not that they went in search of my file. Oh, you wacky NHS with your strange disorganisation - I think I'm growing to almost love you and your quirks.
Title courtesy of The Ting Tings, natch. I'm naff.
Happy Birthday, Neil.
I missed it by one day (oh dear!) but Happy 50th Birthday, Mr Neil Finn, soundtracker to the Ms Bookish life for a very, very long time.
Three youtube links:
+ Crowded House: Don't Dream It's Over
+ Crowded House: Nails in my Feet
+ Crowded House: Silent House (live '07)
Euro ’08.
My personal favourite at this year's Eurovision is Bosnia-Herzegovina. David describes it as "Arcade Fire doing Rocky Horror". It won't win but it'll worm its way onto my iPod.
Five other countries of note:
+ Turkey has sent a local version of Manic Street Preaches with a hefty dash of Muse. Niice. A snowball's chance in hell, of course.
+ Azerbaijan is completely batsh*t crazy insane.
+ Sweden is strong as ever and I think it'll go top 3.
+ Israel has possibly the best singer in the competition.
+ Bulgaria is my outside bet. Regardless, it'll be a club hit across Europe this summer.
+ Switzerland is going for the boyband vote (without having a boyband).
Denmark? No. United Kingdom? Possibly too classy.