Thursday 19 June 2014

ON TAJNA MISJA....AND WHEN A SINGLE IS NOT A SINGLE?


I must confess to getting a little frustrated when i read nowadays that a 'single' has been released.
For many of us, or those of us at a certain age i suppose, the above image is a single.  A beautiful 7" slab of perfectly molded plastic.  Normally black in colour and most times sporting a full colour picture sleeve.  It plays on a record player.

For me, a file that most people seem to download illegally from the internet does not constitute a 'single'. The Official 'singles' chart is simply a fallacy of what it used to be unfortunately.  Yes, times have changed but as far as i'm concerned not for the better.

For me, music isn't just about the song or the tune.  It also has a visual aspect.  I need to hold it in my hand, play it, place it in a plastic protective sleeve and keep it, as my own personal property, forever.
I rarely download anything.  I would normally only download something if, and only if, it is not commercially available on any other format.

With that mini rant over on to Tajna Misja.
The 28 people who have read my (W)inna? review will know that i'm not all that keen on the album as a whole.  I don't hate it it's just that much of it does not sound very much like the Ewa that i know and am a fan of.
It's has it's high points and Tajna Misja is one of them.  It's one of the few tracks on the album which sound like the Ewa we have all gotten used to over the years.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  As i stated in my review 'why try to fix something that isn't actually broken'?  I love it and hope that it does very well.

I suspect that Ewa will not be all that happy with it's release.  I've absolutely no evidence to support that assumption.  It's just a feeling.
Almost every time she has talked about (W)inna? she has said that it reflects what she wants to be doing, sound wise, with her career in the future.  That future appears to be a jazzy, bluesy sort of thing which doesn't really do much for this fan i'm afraid.

With that in mind it begs the question as to why the most standard 'pop' song on the album has been released as a lead track (i refuse to call it a single)?  Surely if the new direction is what we are going to have to get used to now then something like 'Tu bi kontinuit' would have been the obvious choice?  There also seems to be a strong opinion in fandom that Rutyna would have been a better choice.  I don't share that opinion as it's another track that i don't really 'get'.

So why wasn't it and what say Ewa had in the decision we will probably never know.  We do know that (W)inna? was not a commercial success.   It certainly wasn't a failure but reviews were mixed and it didn't stay for very long in the album charts in Poland.  So, is the more experimental sound of  (W)inna? now over? The release of TM would strongly indicate that some rethinking has been done.  Time will tell.  I personally believe that when the Czech version is released we will see some significant changes in the tracklisting.

It may sound that i'm being a tad critical?  That's not my intention.  I reserve the right not to like (W)inna? much and i respect the opinions of others who love it.  It's just an opinion.  Any of us who have invested a lot of time, effort and expense into Ewa have the right to hold an opinion.  If that opinion is sometimes a negative one, then as long as it isn't personal, so be it.

Tuesday 10 June 2014

OPOLE MUSIC FESTIVAL (PL) 2014




















The annual Music Festival was held in Opole (Poland) between the 6th and 8th June 2014.
Ewa was nominated for 2 awards - Best Female Artist and Best Album.  She won the award for best album with (W)inna.
Also performed a medley of Znak and Tajna Misja which is to be the new 'single' from the album. The 4 people who have read my album review will know that it's my favourite track from the album.
Many congratulations from all at EFUK.

Sunday 1 June 2014

EWA IN ZLIN (Cze) 30/05/2014



Ewa made an appearance, played a shortened set and did a meet and greet at a Movie Festival in Zlin (Cze) on 30/05/2014.