So, I've come to terms to the new version after listening to it far too many times, and I've come to the conclusion that the revamp was mainly positive, with just a few negatives:
+ First positive is that I am actually able to listen to it on repeat, I couldn't do it before without getting a little sense of cloying ("empalago" in spanish, I had to look the word up but I hope it means what I want it to mean). I do believe it was a bit too sweet, and somehow it isn't so much anymore.
+ I think it is because the song is more varied in dynamics and instruments now, so it gives you other things to focus on besides the melody. As a result the song also flows much better. I've seen a lot of comments saying that the song is less "boring" now, I guess the song was too flat for these people before, so things like the guitar and percussion in the second verse do make a difference, without substracting the intimate and special vibe Amaia and Alfred voices create.
+ Their voices sound much better now. Alfred controlled some of his weirdness (wich I don't think he will be able to do live), and Amaia's voice shines even more. I like the sublte changes they did in the melodies in different parts of the song.
+ As a whole, the song sounds much more professional now. It's only logical, the previous version was produced in only two days or so, and it showed. This is not a demo anymore, and I specially love the vibe of the first two minutes of the song.
- But it's true that I think it loses part of its special vibe in the ending. They had to do something with the bridge, beacuse it never really sounded good live, and it was obvious it needed to be tuned up a notch. They are not so exposed now during it, so that's good. But at the same time, the build up they decided to go for, which inevitably takes it to the explosion in the last chorus, makes the song more "steurotypical" (misspelled it on purpose
). I would have prefered a more sofisticated approach, but they went the easy route. Still it works to give the song a different dynamic as I said, and I think the average viewer at Eurovision will like it, so...
- As a result of this grandiose ending, the song does indeed lose a bit of the intimacy it needs. I do think that it already lost some of it before with the previous ending and specially the bridge, but it still managed to be "cozy" enough for the listener to be conected to Amaia's and Alfred's love. There is a disconnect now, and I hope they are able to make up for it in the staging somehow.
- And as a final note, I would like to talk about the "sincerity" or "realness" lost in this revamp, as I have seen it mentioned some pages back. I do believe that the more barebones a song is, the more sincere it is. Songs are almost always created with a guitar or a piano, so of course it's going to sound more "sincere" when we hear it like that. The problem is when you are aware of the changes. I am sure that if we were used to knowing even Amar Pelos Dois played only in piano, the strings they added afterwards would sound like unnecessary flourishes to some. Absolutely gorgeous flourishes, of course, but they are only there to make the sound prettier and more emotional, and therefore less "sincere". I don't know if I am making my point right.
Soo, there you have I almost made a complete review!
Just wanted to add that I don't think the revamp will make a big difference in the entry chances in the constest. If we look at the odds (should we look at the odds?) it actually hasn't moved one bit, so there's that. I really believe that there are two things that will make or break the performance in May; the staging and Alfred levels of weirdness (voice, faces, etc). So we'll see when the time comes.
