Georgia’s song selection for Eurovision 2016 takes place this Monday, February 15, but voters in the country are already voting. Sadly we don’t have a Georgian passport or mobile phone, but we do have opinions on each of the five songs. Over the past week the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — has been reviewing Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz‘s five songs. We’re honest and uncensored, and we promise this hurts us more than it hurts you. Today we finish with “Midnight Gold”.
Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz – “Midnight Gold”
”Midnight Gold” reviews
Kristin: Aaaah… the ’90s Britpop sound is strong with these guys. And they are most welcome in the sea of endless R&B pop numbers flooding the national finals this year! I have no objections whatsoever. This goes down smoothly on my part, especially the guitar riff and the heavy drumming. What a delight.
Score: 8.5/10
Luis: I’d buy this as a Blur song from the ’90s. Blur is my favourite band, and ’90s Britpop is my favourite music genre, so I’m totally loving this. It only needs a good revamp, but it’s just a matter of polishing some sounds, not making major changes, because “Midnight Gold” can be the song for Stockholm. Yes, Georgia, you’ve won me with this.
Score: 9/10
Antranig: “Midnight Gold” is one of the songs in the Georgian final that’s least likely to make me want to cry myself to sleep. That said, it is completely terrible. At best, it is noise pollution; at worst, it’s like jabbing a needle in your ear. The world’s bat population might enjoy this as most of the noises can probably be picked up best with echolocation. Sadly, I am not a bat.
Score: 2/10
Robyn: It already looks like 2016 is going to have more rock-oriented acts than we’d normally see, so if Georgia is going to send a rock band, they might as well go all out with the song. “Midnight Gold” is brash and obnoxious with a totally seductive bassline. With 43 acts in the show, competition is going to be tough, but that’s no excuse for Georgia to play it safe with some of the other songs. Also – that squeally feedback solo absolutely has to stay.
Score: 9/10
William: This is indie and it’s angry — and I like it. It’s one of their more memorable options, perhaps because of the rage that lurks beneath the surface and then comes out full pelt in the bridge. The ending is curt, abrupt and clever.
Score: 8/10
In the Georgian jury we have 14 jurors but only room for five reviewe. The remaining nine scores are below!
Cristian: 8/10
Dayana: 5.5/10
Edd: 0.5/10
Maria: 4.5/10
Mario: 3.5/10
Renske: 6/10
Rezo: 8/10
Sami: 7/10
Zakaria: 9/10
The highest and lowest scores are dropped prior to calculating the average score. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 0.5 and a high of 9.
I wasn’t so impressed with this song, to be honest. I’d prefer a version of “Weagree” with slightly better production. The lead vocalist didn’t impress me too much here – the instrumentals are going crazy while the vocal line is just completely unemotional.
@Ian: “Eurofans seems to generally prefer more of the same and hate stepping into another genre.”
You mean, eurofans are a narrow-minded bunch who always fall for the same old, same old… But that’s a nice way of putting it, I have to say.
This is a good song, but I doubt the Eurovision audience will be receptive to it. Eurofans seems to generally prefer more of the same and hate stepping into another genre.
Then again, rock has done well at Eurovision before, but only when adapting pop elements.
The best choice in a bad bunch. Though I didn’t mind listening to this one
The best choice for Georgia. I actually enjoy this.
This is the clear choice in what is a very strong selection, despite what V says.
Rubbish. Like all the other. No final for Georgia this year.