Monty’s Eurovision Countdown 2013 Part 8 - CROATIA Mizerija by Klapa s Mora

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Eurovision is nothing if not informative. Were it not for this year’s Croatian entry I wouldn’t know, for example, that klapa is a traditional Dalmatian form of singing for the male voice. It’s usually a-capella, but can have the addition of some gently lilting instrumentation, as it does here. Thank goodness it does as I’m not given to a-capella one bit. To be honest I’m not much given to this either. Croatia had a brief spell in the 90s of some great songs but you have to go all the way to 2000 to find their last placing inside the top 10, and if I get my way this year will see them not qualify at all. I really dislike the male ensemble formation, the types that’s usually belting out some cod-classical number, but even with the knowledge that this is a UNESCO protected singing style (it’s on its list of “intangible heritage” thank you very much) there’s still no excuse to go parading it around on a Eurovision stage. How will it fare? It won’t for me, though this kind of thing can be inexplicably popular. I’m hoping there are sufficient people to have been put off by similar sounding unwelcome crooning around a Mediterranean dinner table to off-set the schmaltzy memories of those who have been won over by a tableside serenade and an over-priced plastic rose.

My score: nul points! 

Monty x