ScottyEm

Christ almighty that boy band at the end could quite possibly be the worst thing to grace MelFest. It looks and sounds AWFUL. Krista sounds interesting. Robin Bengtson, the jury is out. Overall a very iffy heat.

If you told me two years ago that I'd be fired up for Lithuania NF, I would've laughed and laughed...

I was getting so bugged out with where I recognised the melody but yes it really does have a VERY similar melody. That said, I'm undecided. I think the fact Italy are sending something which is above 100bpm and not sung by a female could be blurring our opinions. I'm not hot on any of the entries yet and were already nearly a quarter of the way there :(

Germany may not need to worry about getting a third consecutive last place then... Seriously, this is so truly awful.

A shoddy, shoddy heat. The Mariette track, by contrast to her last effort, sounds incredibly lacklustre(yet it's probably the best on offer). Don't even think I'll bother watching...

Completely forgot about Denmark. Those three tone-deaf estate agents they sent last year were hideous. Actually, they are hideous nearly every year.

Netherlands. They've been in my bottom 5 three years on the bounce now. Poland and Belarus are also woeful.

I think "Wild Child" feels not just cross-generational, but also something which will translate on a continental level. If this wins, it could go all the bloody way. While it doesn't move me the way "Don't Worry" did (I'm a total sucker for 90s piano house), there's no denying this is a savvy, well packaged song.

Is it just me who isn't hyped over Ace Wilders offering? I'm liking the sharp, brash verses but the chorus might as well have been lifted from a Pixar soundtrack. Disappointing as 'Don't Worry' was so, so, so stupendously marvellous. "Hold On' is o-kaaayyyyy. In 2013. Hmmm, roll on week 2.

Ace Wilder really sticks out there. As does Nano. I can see the latter winning the whole thing already. And a stupendously brilliant write up. Love it.

Labour. My worry, however, is if Ukips momentum surges and labours dives over the coming years...In which case I'd "consider" voting Tory purely by default. However, with how May is getting snuggly with Trump,I couldn't... Just couldn't.

When did Lithuania suddenly get good at this? The Aminata-penned one is, of course, brilliant as per. Agreed the vocalist isn't working it.

Agreed. I think joe public need reminding that 5 of the previous 10 winners are non EU. It's typical British arrogance expecting to just win anything we put our hand to least of all a "poxy song contest". Almost NO ONE is thinking "oh I like that song, but I can't vote for it, it's the UK". The only country I could possibly envisage that resistance to would be Russia and, well, who won the televote last year?

I think Olivia would do well with juries but couldn't see any of them getting the televote in May. Yeah, left hand side of the board is out of reach I think for yet another year...

On balance, it's a better mix than last year. But, by that I mean, we've raised the bar from 3/10 to 5/10.

Just sifted through these on lunch at work (although I did have the feedback minimised on the screen). I ask myself the question: Which of these - staging permitting - would (hypothetically) make their way out of the semi finals? I think Freedom Hearts is solid, but not exciting enough. I Don't Wanna Right is a bit watery, but it has an OK hook. Really could do with a BOOM DROP! The rest I have forgotten about already... which is not good.

Given the strong Polish dyaspora, Poland are surely in contention of winning soon? Poland would've never qualified since 2014 had it been left to juries. They just need to win them over with something that is vaguely listenable.

I'm in work tomorrow but hopefully I can sly in the earphones.

I've always thought Attention from 2014 was a bit of a vibe. *runs for the hills*

I wasn't a massive fan of "Only Teardrops", but it was a deserving winner back in Malmo. I'm optimistic of at least ONE decent entry. I would like to see UK deliver an electro, icy pop banger, but I don't envisage it sadly...

Paper is good. Not sure about paper as a metaphor but the icy production and 80s tones has won me over. Iceland would sail back to the finals with this.

Cyprus and Georgia in top two places. Bulgaria only in 10th. Needs a bit of a slap I think...

I'll take Germany 2011 all the way. Sweden 2013 is "OK", the rest are varying degrees of woeful. That Norwegian entry from 2010 was a particular low point... rather like the 2010 contest itself.

Someone probably dropped out! Or, maybe he's there to vote on the "visual" aspect, which would seem redundant given the visuals are usually determined in May. CeCe Sammy has been on a UK jury once before I believe.

URGH A naff guitar boy-band. I'd rather have nothing than this. I'm only bothered because I'm actually going. Can they roll back in Loreen and counteract them?