United Kingdom 2021: James Newman - Embers

VoR said:
Not to be FATTIST, but there is a clear break where Fleur could pop out some dance moves, which I presume James won't be taking advantage of in the same way. That might have helped. Also Fleur is generally a hugely charismatic performer who could only have elevated it.

But it'd still be just OK to me, I think.
Click to expand...

Perched for the Little Big-style surprise death drop
 
If it was Fleur I'd be underwhelmed by the song but hoping for a LIVE PERF glow up that we'd all hope Fleur is still able to deliver (Belgium's What's The Pressure is obvious example here).

But it's not Fleur, it's James Newman :D
 
VoR said:
Not to be FATTIST, but there is a clear break where Fleur could pop out some dance moves, which I presume James won't be taking advantage of in the same way. That might have helped. Also Fleur is generally a hugely charismatic performer who could only have elevated it.

But it'd still be just OK to me, I think.
Click to expand...
It all depends on the staging, really. Pre-recorded backing vocals means there’s plenty of scope for dancers and somebody pretending to play whatever trumpet thing is making those sounds.
 
OK this needs three on trumpets and sax, two charismatic dancers and a feature when he "lights up the room". The dazzling heights of 19th await.
 
I just played this. After reading your comments I thought it was gonna be much much better. Not terrible and I understand your excitement after so much shit, but I find this so average and unmemorable. As someone said, it gives me Andy Abrahams vibes, sorry. I hope I'm wrong, good luck. x
 
I was thinking Andy Abrahams when I heard it first time too. It’s just CHEAP.

Anyway, yes, it’s a step up, but then there’s not much more of a barrel to be scraped at this point. I continue to be astonished that we can’t find anything better than this.

It all feels very SuRie in that it’s competent but not remotely interesting enough to do anything at all.
 
I’m so excited, @ButterTart has clearly addled his brain with too many Soleros to remember John Legend performing All Of Me at the Grammys with that iconic Shablam at the end
 
I *guess* sounding like exactly what I expect to hear when I turn on Capital FM is progress of sorts?

The first thing that came to my mind was that this is almost certainly opening the final if it gets drawn first half, and I'll push the boat out a bit and say I don't think it's necessarily got bottom five written all over it - I could see it pulling off a beefier Lucie style result of relative jury acclaim but with a slightly less cruel televote haul, to take it left hand side.

(That said, the Eurovision entry it reminds me most of is Say Yay! and fuck me if THAT isn't a chilling omen)
 
I’m still loving it and I don’t like seeing this negativity about my cousin
 
RJN said:
I’m still loving it and I don’t like seeing this negativity about my cousin
Click to expand...
It's the best song we've sent in years (apart from Lucy, obvs) and the chart-friendly banger everyone said they wanted until it happened and they now want some nebulous other thing.

I love it and I've already listened to it more than every other song this year.
 
ButterTart said:
It's the best song we've sent in years (apart from Lucy, obvs) and the chart-friendly banger everyone said they wanted until it happened and they now want some nebulous other thing.

I love it and I've already listened to it more than every other song this year.
Click to expand...

People want a chart friendly banger from an imaginary chart that features women who aren't Jess Glynne :(
 
Gangsta Nancy Lam said:
People want a chart friendly banger from an imaginary chart that features women who aren't Jess Glynne :(
Click to expand...
I mean, that sounds ideal but I think we should be grateful for this and remember that six years ago we had two people who'd never met performing a 1920s pastiche written by someone who'd only done advert jingles previously.
 
Soldi said:
To be fair Belgium managed a top ten finish opening one of the best ever finals with a Sax rip off so it might not be a poisoned chalice.
Click to expand...

I really hate how the opening song is seen in such a way now. Essentially the slot that one of the good, upbeat songs but not an outright winner gets to inhabit. The sort of song that, come May, is about 10th favourite to win. And we've now got to the point where when you're assigned first, the faces of all involved must fall, knowing that their chances are gone because first simply doesn't equal a win. This really needs to be rectified to shake things up - it's still a GREAT slot, one that can seriously help lodge in the mind of voters. The trouble is it's always given to one of the very outside favourites, so now it's repetitive that it becomes a position that doesn't bring a winner. Pretty sure some of the recent winners could still have won from that slot.

I think if James got that slot we should be happy. With that song, it's the best he can hope for if he's drawn first half for a non-embarrassing result. Not that it guarantees success either...
 
funky said:
Oh hey everyone I just popped in to say that I heard this this morning and it’s the absolute DRIZZLING SHITS :D

like I really didn’t expect it to be this bad but it really is putrid. I thought I was going to come out in a RASH just listening to it

Sorry everyone :(
Click to expand...

this doesn’t stack up to me. name me 5 Eurovision songs you like from the past five years (quickly)
 
Raining On Me said:
I really hate how the opening song is seen in such a way now. Essentially the slot that one of the good, upbeat songs but not an outright winner gets to inhabit. The sort of song that, come May, is about 10th favourite to win. And we've now got to the point where when you're assigned first, the faces of all involved must fall, knowing that their chances are gone because first simply doesn't equal a win. This really needs to be rectified to shake things up - it's still a GREAT slot, one that can seriously help lodge in the mind of voters. The trouble is it's always given to one of the very outside favourites, so now it's repetitive that it becomes a position that doesn't bring a winner. Pretty sure some of the recent winners could still have won from that slot.
Click to expand...

@Indie can empathise :(
 
COB said:
Obviously we don't know anything about the staging etc, but I reckon a nice respectable mid-teens result is extremely possible for this and would probably be seen as a big success.
Click to expand...

The trouble is it means SHIT ALL as always.

We come 5th or whatever with Jade - so the natural thing to do, is send Josh Dubovie in 2010.

Blue come 11th, so send Engelbert!

Molly was progress, but never mind, let's have that odious experiment for 2015.

It just goes on and on.

Lucie was a right step - 15th felt like it was, though lower than deserved, really fought for in that year, because of the staging and how she sold what could have been an average song. But SuRie as a follow-up? Again it's back to aimless, basic, forgettable crap.
 
Raining On Me said:
I really hate how the opening song is seen in such a way now. Essentially the slot that one of the good, upbeat songs but not an outright winner gets to inhabit. The sort of song that, come May, is about 10th favourite to win. And we've now got to the point where when you're assigned first, the faces of all involved must fall, knowing that their chances are gone because first simply doesn't equal a win. This really needs to be rectified to shake things up - it's still a GREAT slot, one that can seriously help lodge in the mind of voters. The trouble is it's always given to one of the very outside favourites, so now it's repetitive that it becomes a position that doesn't bring a winner. Pretty sure some of the recent winners could still have won from that slot.
Click to expand...
It's like how everyone goes on about second being cursed. Nothing will ever win from second simply because it's known to be cursed and so whatever came ninth in the semi final gets shoved there.
 
Raining On Me said:
The trouble is it means SHIT ALL as always.

We come 5th or whatever with Jade - so the natural thing to do, is send Josh Dubovie in 2010.

Blue come 11th, so send Engelbert!

Molly was progress, but never mind, let's have that odious experiment for 2015.

It just goes on and on.

Lucie was a right step - 15th felt like it was, though lower than deserved, really fought for in that year, because of the staging and how she sold what could have been an average song. But SuRie as a follow-up? Again it's back to aimless, basic, forgettable crap.
Click to expand...

But we're forgetting- there is no overall plan, but there is never the intention to have that either. The same way every other country doesn't have an "overall plan". It's about what turns up from year to year and what the BBC can get their hands on. The problem here is that we don't have anyone mid to top level willing to give it a go and show that we can get a good result and let the floodgates open to better acts and songs. The only time we've had good results since the turning point of "Cry Baby" were Blue and Jade, because both were "names" (Jade wasn't, but ALW was) and with the songs that matched such a level. Neither of those were top drawer, Dua Lipa-level of acts, but I still can't believe the BBC can't throw money at someone/something of that level again.

Why do I feel I write this same paragraph every year?
 
I really don't like this song but it is better than last year's. Yeah, great it's a dance song. But it does sound cheap and unfinished. However most definitely not SuRie or Andy Abraham levels! It's got way more potential than that, if they manage to make it sound like it BANGS HARD on the night, somehow. Whatever trickery they need. There's a chance it can still work, and I agree with whoever said it, if we draw first half, opening is the best chance we have of not being forgotten. I worry James will be a blocker.

I don't think I expected better, because it's still James Newman from last year, and that can only lead to so much. But it reeks of being left behind. Who will vote for this as their favourite? I want interviews and reasons as to WHY. But I'm wishing it well - it's not HOPELESS. This is a plus...I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top Bottom