The Severed Cortex

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Taranta-Gogol-Bordello/dp/B000RGSOI2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-1514635-5264950?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1193708490&sr=8-1

I really struggle with what to write when I really like a band. I've had this CD for several months and it's still in my rotation. That says a lot with the amount of new music I buy. Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll get caught up on music posts and you'll see how far behind I really am.

Ukrainian Gypsy Punk.
Let me repeat that.

Ukrainian Gypsy Punk.

If you've ever said to yourself, "self, I'd like to listen to more gypsy music if it were, say, more Ukrainian or more Punk, or dare I dream, more Ukrainian punk", then I'd have to say that you should consider yourself lucky for reading this. I guarantee I have what you've been missing. It's called Gogol Bordello and they have a new(ish) release called Super Taranta!.

Gogol Bordello is unlike anything you've ever heard before. Sure, you'll hear Borat mentioned countless times, and that probably puts a reference point in your head, but I think that comparison is grossly unfair. Gogol Bordello is fronted by Eugene Hutz and I'll agree that his speech patterns and Sasha Baron Cohen's Borat character are similar, but that's really where the similarities end. (By the way, that's Hutz with an umlaut if you're an umlaut lover, and we all know that placing an umlaut anywhere in a name immediately connotes kick ass heavy metal). It only takes two minutes of watching Eugene to realize that if there is no other occupation in the world that this guy could do except carry on the fine bard/wandering minstrel tradition. Granted, I've only seen them on You Tube videos, but I think you can get an idea what you might be in for if you have the guts to attend a live show. And I want to attend one. Bad. Unfortunately they aren't slated to be in middle America anytime soon.

Obviously I want to watch them for the show, but it's really much bigger than that. It's the whole persona that this band portrays. That persona is the one of carefree, partying, wanderer, who spreads happiness and good will. Forget your minor cares and worries. Life is too short. This isn't like playing in any other band. It's clearly not about just playing tunes every night. It's about carrying on that persona and there's no way to portray that unless you live it. I'm sure all these guys have the same sort of outlook on life and that makes it work. Man, if you do have that sort of outlook on life and you're getting to do exactly what you want to do in life, it makes it real easy to live the life. Most every one of us wish we could attain that point in life.

But I do this to exercise to tell you about the music and I don't mean to point out that your boring existence is exactly what Gogol Bordello is not about. You don't need me to remind you of that. How's the music itself you ask? First and foremost, the musicianship is of the highest caliber. Most people hear the word punk and they think loud and sloppy. You should think loud and sloppy when you hear my imaginary band play. Make no mistake, Gogol Bordello is extremely tight. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the high energy level explodes every time you play it. Believe me, I've played it over and over and I still get pumped up every time I listen. I'll admit it's pretty much the same thing over and over, and yet I can't seem to get past the fact that I love pretty much every song on here. It also seems like I get something new every time I listen to it. Like right now for instance ... Dub the Frequencies of Love seemed like sort of a filler tune, but listening to it right now I realize the magnitude of the heavy dub sound and the complexity of the classical string progressions. And of course mixed in with the whole thing is the punk/ska vibe, reggae rhythm guitar, and the gypsy heart and soul. Basically a delicious stew of music.

I really do like just about every song on here, but for pure band 'aura', Wanderlust King pretty much captures it all. The Tribal Connection track shows off both the cabaret showmanship and the musical range of the band. Plus it's got the best chorus.

No can do this. No can do that.
What the hell can you do, my friend, in this place that you call your town?

American Wedding may be the funniest song on here. It definitely points out that Americans don't know how to celebrate anything with any sort of style. Make sure your wedding doesn't end up like this. But pound for pound, Alcohol is arguably the finest anthem ever written about that lovely elixir we all know and love. It's performed in a way that makes you feel like you've just woken up from a particularly nasty bender and the mere mention of Goldschlager makes you taste stomach bile in the back of your throat. Obviously, it's the same elixir that fuels a lot of the members of the band, most notably Eugene, and it's readily apparent when he sings the lyrics.

You know I'll pick up, every time you call. Just to thank you one more time. Alcohol. Alcohol. Alcohol.
And you know I'll survive, every time you come. Just to thank you one more time. For everything you've done.
Alcohol.

That, my friend, captures dysfunction about as perfectly as I've ever heard proclaimed. And we all know that dysfunction drives the best artists. If we're lucky, Gogol Bordello won't drink themselves into oblivion until they are well into their sixties.

I think I'm going to be listening to a lot more Ukrainian Gypsy Punk music.