· May, 2008

Stories about Music from May, 2008

Azerbaijan: Eurovision Debut Reaction

In Mutatione Fortitud, the blog of a political scientist from Azerbaijan, comments on his country's first ever debut in this year's Eurovision Song Contest and says that it appears as if the song, Day After Day, was “pretty successful.” The Revolving Madventist Church of the Golden Worm of Mu agrees...

Serbia: More on Eurovision

Anegdote comments on Eurovision: “But gay in the original sense of the word: happy, cheerful, was Bosnian song, which gets all my regards for not being a yet another stupid once-upon-a-time-turbo-folk-now-ethno-pop cry for euthanasia.”

Armenia/Azerbaijan: Eurovision Success

After yesterday's success enjoyed by the Armenian and Azerbaijani entries in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, Unzipped posts a photograph of Armenia's Sirusho celebrating. In the comments section of the post both myself and the blogger agree that the reason we like the photograph is that “she looks lovely” and...

Azerbaijan: Eurovision Debut

The Long Aye-lander in Glasgow comments on the first semi-final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia. The blog pays special attention to Azerbaijan's debut entry and says that with “a guy in huge angel wings, gyrating girls in leather dresses and ear-splitting falsetto” there's no point in...

Armenia/Azerbaijan: Eurovision Semi-Final Results

Life Gets In The Way reports that as predicted by many blogs, both Armenia and Azerbaijan have made it through to the 24 May final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia. The blog says that the vocal range of the Azerbaijani act was amazing and their performance show-stopping....

Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Update

Unzipped Gay Armenia says that Sirusho, the country's entry in this week's Eurovision Song Contest, is the best yet and stands a good chance of winning the international song contest. The blog also says that if she does, next year's Eurovision would be held in Yerevan and attract the attention...

Blogger of the Week: Jillian York

Today's Blogger of the Week celebrates the work of Jillian C York, our Morocco author, and a regular contributor to Voices without Votes. A freelance writer, blogger, and author of a guidebook to Morocco, Jillian currently lives in Boston, US, after spending two memorable years in Meknes, Morocco.

Caucasus: Eurovision Countdown

With the first of the semi-finals in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia, just days away, the countries of the South Caucasus are becoming increasingly excited about the international song contest and how their representatives will fair. Global Voices rounds up the reaction to the three songs in the Eurovision blogosphere.

Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Interview

Krik! Music Corner posts an interview it held with Armenia's entry into the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho, while she was on promotional tour last week. The blog was impressed by the young singer who it says was beautiful, kind and friendly.

Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Rehearsal, Opposition Urges Boycott

The Armenian Observer posts video of the first rehearsal by Armenia's entry into next week's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, but also reports that opposition plans to urge a boycott of the young local pop star, Sirusho, continue. Regardless, with interest in Eurovision and Sirusho eclipsing local political frictions, my...

Caucasus: Creative Commons

Social Science in the Caucasus posts more details, including a video, on Creative Commons and comments on the importance of introducing the licensing concept to the South Caucasus. My Caucasus Knot also weighs in on the significance of promoting Creative Commons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Lyrical Content

  14 May 2008

ttgapers.com reports that Jamaican dancehall artist Buju Banton “is pleading with fellow…entertainers to clean up their lyrics in order to stem the social decay that is not only present in Jamaica but most of the Caribbean countries where the music is very popular.”

Russia: May 9

Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow posts two informative and insightful entries on the complex politics and other dimensions of May 9 in Russia – here and here.

Armenia: Sirusho Soundcheck

All Kinds of Everything comments on the soundcheck by Armenia's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho. Although reporting that her initial soundcheck was “absolutely dreadful,” the blogger says that it improved although the young singer still had problems with the high notes.