A real turkey

As usual, it's difficult to rate a Eurovision album. Sure, there are some strong songs on this album (from 2008), including those from Russia, Serbia, Sweden, the Ukraine and Norway. There are also some cult classics, such as Belgian Ishtar's entry "O Julissi", ostensibly sung in an imaginary language, which turns out to be suspiciously similar to garbled Slovak!

Unfortunately, there is also a lot of filler on this album. It includes what could be the worst Eurovision entry *ever* - and let's face it, the competition in this race for the bottom is pretty stiff! I'm referring (of course) to Ireland's talking doll Dustin the Turkey and his abominably bad "Irelande Douze Pointe". Sure, it's supposed to be parody, but...naaah. It was thankfully voted out already in the semi-finale. The trashie doll apparently ran for Irish president at some later point, but was voted down there, too. Otherwise, the so-called PIGS crisis might have become...well, interesting. Not to mention the Northern Ireland peace negotiations.

Overall, the Eurovision public gave most of the freak songs thumbs down this year, and I don't blame them. For some reason, Sweden's strong act "Hero" with Charlotte Perrelli was also dissed by the ESC faithful, despite a major promotion campaign during which Perrelli even visited Albania! People in Sweden still talk about Perrelli's fiasco, five years later. We still haven't gotten over it. It's a damn good song, OK? (Malta got it. Thank you.)

Due to the large amount of crazy static on this album (which includes 43 songs!), I only give it two stars. Good as cultural studies, perhaps.