Gogol Bordello – Solidaritine 2022****

Yesterday I went to Tilburg NL to see Gogol Bordello play live, for the 2nd time. The first time I saw the band play was  16 years ago, when I was still living in Athens Greece. I was swept away by their energy, and became an instant fan. Now, with half of the original members gone, and with a much bigger back catalogue to choose from, I wondered what I should expect. Well, I needn't worry: Eugene Hutz still is a charismatic and energetic frontman, and the band keeps up well: hyperkinetic rapper/percussionist Pedro Erazo riled up the crowd even more; of course Eugene's trusted lieutenant Sergey Ryabtsev on violin still cuts an impressive figure, while special mention must be made for new girl Erica Mancini on accordion. Filling up the stage even more, and adding to the party atmosphere with their backing vocals and dancing were the two ladies from young New York band Puzzled Panther. All in all a fantastic night, full of joyous energy. Eugene didn't resolve to preaching, letting his politically charged lyrics do the talking; there was the Solidaritine emblem with the fist painted in Ukrainian colors, and the moving song "Solidarity" -not included in the Solidaritine LP reviewed here- which was written for Ukraine together with other artists; that was enough. Interestingly, the setlist was heavily based on older material; about one-third came from Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike, only party anthem "Fire On Ice Floe" from Solidaritne, and nothing from the two albums that immediately preceded it. I guess this further signifies a return to their punk roots, something many reviewers noticed when their latest album first arrived. Also of note: support band Split Dogs was a good fit; these Bristolians sound very similar to Amyl And The Sniffers, and have a likewise dynamic singer/frontwoman. Originally the support band was to be Bob Vylan, but they are banned from Tilburg's 013 Poppodium for being too controversial. Now, let's proceed with the album presentation:

I've always loved to see bands combine the energy and politics of punk rock with the exuberance of folk music; I think The Pogues did it first, paving the way for many other Celtic punk bands (Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, The Mahones etc,). Joe Strummer added Latin elements to his records, followed by Mano Negra, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and others. And of course there are those who combine punk rock with Balkan music, like Kultur Shock and No Smoking Orchestra. The latter included award-winning director Emir Kusturica - their raucous concert on Lycabettus theater in Greece was my introduction to gypsy punk, but Gogol Bordello would become my favorite band in this style. Unlike all the previous, Gogol Bordello come from the USA - but really from all over the place. Their immigrant origins are an important part of their identity, together of course with their leader Eugene Hütz's Ukrainian Roma background. Apparently, his family left their village after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, relocating to Kiev first, then spending seven years in various refugee camps in Poland, Hungary, Austria and Italy, before arriving in Vermont USA in 1992 through a refugee resettlement program. Soon Eugene (born Yevhen Oleksandrovych Nikolaiev-Symonov) left for the great melting pot of New York where he would hook up with like-minded spirits; other members originally came from Russia, Israel, China, Ecuador, Brazil, and of course the US. Next to electric guitars, the band also make prominent use of the violin, accordion, sax and various percussive instruments. Their 8th album Solidaritine was recorded during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and although most of the songs were already written when the war broke out they seem to form a response it. Opener "Shot Of Solidaritine" introduces the central theme of the album, this mysterious essence that lies dormant in most people but is sorely needed in these difficult times. Gogol suggest that a therapeutic dose of this miracle drug could unite people in solidarity and help them cure the world from its ills. Starting with a strummed acoustic guitar, the song quickly works up a furious punk tempo; this is generally one of the band's fastest, punkiest albums. "Focus Coin" is a Rancid-like ska punk party tune, and "Blueprint" a cover of legendary Washington DC punks Fugazi, albeit with a ska rhythm, chanted vocals and violin. In another nod to his punk roots, Eugene invited H.R. (of Bad Brains) to guest on "The Era of the End of Eras", a fast rocker with sweeping violin. Ukrainian artists Serhiy Zhadan and Kazka guest on “Take Only What You Can Carry”  and “Forces of Victory”, two songs addressing the war in their homeland. The former is about the uprooting of people in wars. The lyrics can be heartbreaking, but there's nothing defeatist about it; along with the description of loss comes a small celebrational note in the form of the upbeat music and the hopeful conclusion "I'm not on the list of the dead". “Forces of Victory”, introduced with a swirling violin, is an older Gogol song, sung here in Ukrainian except for the chorus "I can't go on, I will go on". "I’m Coming Out" is a light-hearted, more rhythmic tune with snap-like instrumentation. Together with "Knack for Life" they slow the pace somewhat, while "The Great Hunt of Idiot Savant" and "My Imaginary Son" alternate mid-paced Balkan folk with punk. "Fire on Ice Floe" and "Gut Guidance" are upbeat party/ska tunes. The album closes with yet another punk-folk dynamite "Huckleberry Generation", Ramones-like both in pace and brevity. Reviewers commented that the Russian invasion of Eugene's homeland seems to have re-energized Gogol Bordello, resulting in a furiously paced return to their punk roots. I'd say their passion shows, though I'm not sure that the harder sound is directly connected to the war. I'd say that, after introducing Latin elements in Trans-Continental Hustle, which found the band living in Brazil, they sort of continued on auto-pilot: Pura Vida Conspiracy and Seekers and Finders, found the band in San Antonio Texas, still under Latin American influence. There was no lack of good tunes on those albums, but it probably was time to shake it up a bit. Solidaritine took them back to where they started, recording once again in New York and other East Coast places; probably their chosen music style here reflects their new surroundings as much as a more resolute political stance.

***** for Take Only What You Can Carry, Fire On Ice Floe

**** for Shot Of Solidaritine, Focus Coin, Blueprint, I’m Coming Out, My Imaginary Son, Forces Of Victory, Gut Guidance

*** for The Era Of The End Of Eras, Knack For Life, The Great Hunt Of Idiot Savant, Huckleberry Generation

Madness "The Dangermen Sessions, Vol.1" 2005****

By now, almost every band that's been around for a while has recorded a cover album. These are rarely received with enthusiasm from fans or reviewers, so why bother? critics cite a lack of inspiration, but I think it's mostly a desire to return to the roots: every musician starts off as a fan, covering their favorite music, and finding joy in playing with like-minded comrades. By going back to the beginning, bands try to rekindle the original spark and have fun playing with each other. Whether the fans have fun listening to the result, is another matter. And yet another, whether they'll feel the urge to listen to the album repeatedly. I, for example, enjoyed listening to Deep Purple's Turning To Crime: classic tunes played with gusto by virtuoso musicians, what's not to like? But I haven't re-listened to the album since I reviewed it for this blog, and I probably won't for a long time. On the contrary, The Dangermen Sessions, vol.1 takes a trip to the (home or car) stereo rather often. Maybe because Madness bring their inherent exuberance to everything they do, and all they need is a bunch of good tunes, which in this case is a given. Most of these have been in the band's repertory from the early days when they were still known as the Invaders. Βefore recording this album they got together and performed a few secret gigs under the alias the Dangermen; the liner notes continue the charade: supposedly the (fictional) Dangermen formed in Havana in the 1960s, and have reformed after 35 years to record this album. Each member also gets a fictional identity and backstory - possibly the original idea was for the CD to be released under the Dangermen moniker but that was considered to be too uncommercial, so instead it became the 9th official LP by Madness. Although the original songs covered belong to a variety of styles, they are all performed in a rocksteady/reggae/ska beat. Because some of them, including The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On" and The Kinks' "Lola", had been reggaefied before, the band based their versions on previous covers rather than the originals. Barbara Lynn's 1962 R&B hit "You'll Lose a Good Thing" and José Feliciano ballad "Rain" also sound good in their reggae-ish arrangements, but it's the classic ska tunes that entertain the most. Some, like Max Romeo's "I Chase the Devil" or Desmond Dekker's "Israelites" are overtly familiar in their original versions; while Madness don't add a new dimension to them, their spirited performances maintain the fun factor. Then there are those old Jamaican tunes that were new to me: Prince Buster's "Girl Why Don't You?", Lord Tanamo's "Taller Than You Are", Rudy Mills's "John Jones" and Edwin Astley instrumental "Dangerman". These also stick close to the originals, and Madness do a great job of introducing them to us. Undoubtfully the most entertaining song here is Lord Melody's calypso classic "Shame & Scandal". It cracks me up every time I listen to it, and I heard it here first. Since then, I've heard countless other covers, including one in Dutch and a very bad Greek one - it's not the fault of 70's pop singer Dakis, it's just that the lyrics sound really daft translated in Greek. The album closes with a faithful roots reggae take on Bob Marley's "So Much Trouble in the World"; I guess Madness rightfully thought that a collection of (mostly) Jamaican tunes wouldn't be complete without a Marley tribute, but subject-wise it's somewhat of a downer. Not the perfect closure to a CD that's really fun to listen to. By now it's been 20 years since the release The Dangermen Sessions, Vol.1 and there hasn't been any talk of a Volume 2 follow-up. Maybe we have to wait until their inspiration dries up again (Dangermen bridged a 10-year gap between albums of original material). Lord knows, there are enough tunes that are just crying for the Madness treatment. Thinking back to all the bands that have released cover albums, it's hard to say that any of them are standouts of their respective discographies, and the same is true for this one. It nevertheless makes for a quite pleasurable listening experience, even more so than many of Madness' regular LPs. In two words: satisfaction guaranteed.

**** for Shame & Scandal, I Chase the Devil, Israelites, Rain

*** for This Is Where/ Girl Why Don't You?, Taller Than You Are, You Keep Me Hanging On, Dangerman (aka High Wire), John Jones, Lola, You'll Lose a Good Thing, So Much Trouble in the World

Locomondo "20" 2004-2023(rec) 2023(comp)****

About a month ago, I attended Locomondo's 20 year celebration concert in Athens. It was really more like a huge party - I've followed this band since early in their career (the first time was at a small Exarcheia bar on New Years Day in 2005) and always had a great time at their concert. This time, I had my young nieces with me; it was really nice to be together for their first rock concert, and they could hardly have had a better initiation.

This Limited Edition vinyl compilation was sold during the concert at a stand in Gazi, the former factory and current "cultural space" in the center of Athens where it all took place. It's called "20" (guess why), but for some reason contains 21 songs covering the whole length of their career. For someone like me, who already had most of their CDs, it was a great opportunity to not only own some of their best songs on vinyl, but also to get some of their popular hits that, for some reason, were never available in physical form before. I'll start my review with exactly these tracks, previously available only on streaming platforms: "80's" (rec.2017) is a tribute to this decade which is certain to appeal to those who, like me, lived through it as kids and teenagers. Singer Markos Koumaris speed-sings/raps about almost everything that constituted the 80's experience for us: music, TV shows, fashion, snacks, important sports events etc. There's some era-appropriate disco influence here, while "Goal" (2010), another nostalgic look at childhood, is typical fast-paced ska, and the latest single included here ("Filtragram", 2023) is closer to dancehall reggae. Of the other two tracks getting their first physical issue here, "Se Eida" (2014) has a reggae beat, while "La Mulatta" (feat. Tonino Carotone, 2017) is a Latin dance piece (sung in Spanish) augmented with a Greek demotic break and rembetiko-inspired baglama solo. For those not familiar with these terms, demotic is traditional Greek village music, while rembetiko is an urban style with oriental influences that appeared in the late 19th/early 20th Century. The Greek baglama is a sort of miniature bouzouki; it became popular when rembetiko was outlawed in the 30's, because the rembetes were able to smuggle it under their coats on the way to their clubs. Locomondo are one of few Greek rockers infusing their songs with traditional influences; it started with their reggae cover of classic rembetiko "Fragkosyriani" (2005) and became a permanent fixture of their program. Similar songs here include "Karapiperim" (2008) and island demotic "Το Plataniotiko Nero", here from their 2009 Live! album. This is reflected in the instrumentation which contains unusual instruments for a rock/reggae band, like the violin and the accordion. Another style they sometimes employ is that of a folk-ish ballad, which can be heard on "O Glaros" (2005), "Gelas Pio Dynata"(2007) and "Heria San Ki Auta" (Live, 2009). The rest of the songs here are in the band's signature style, a mix of ska, latin, and reggae, featuring mostly -but not exclusively- Greek lyrics. They're all fine, but I'll mention specifically the only song from their debut here "Trendy Litsa" (2004) and their first big hit, the everpopular "Den Kanei Kryo Stin Ellada (It's Never Cold In Greece)" (2005), as well as underground hit "Pro". The latter started off as a rough studio demo which slipped out on the internet and became viral in no time; it's written in first person about a guy who spends all his time smoking dope and playing Pro (-evolution soccer) on Playstation. The band, who have a conservative streak in them, didn't dare put it in any of their records, but it was their most-requested song, and became a staple of their live shows. Here we get a live version from 2009's Live! CD. It's done the way they play it in every show, starting off with a snippet of an 80's Greek pop hit meant to coax the audience into participation, and ending with the disclaimer "this is a description, not an incitement". In between, there's a hilarious rant about the joys of slacking and smoking marijuana, set to an infectious reggae beat. Now I know that the Greek language doesn't easily lend itself to this kind of music, and that by not understanding the words you miss a portion of the fun, but you should try Locomondo nevertheless; their music is perfect to put you in a good mood. It goes without saying you should go see them if they come your way; you're guaranteed to have a great time. And, of course, get your hands on this record if you can - not only it's the best primer for your introduction to this band; it's going to disappear from the market and become a collectors' item pretty soon.

***** for Den Kanei Kryo Stin Ellada (It's Never Cold In Greece, 2005), Fragkosyriani (2005), Odysseia (Odyssey, 2013), Ta Koritsia Ksenyhtane/ Pro (Girls Stay Up All Night/Pro, Live! 2009), 80's (2017)

**** for Magiko Hali (Magic Carpet, Live! 2009), Goal (2010), Den Prolavaino (I Can't Make It On Time, Live 2011?), Gamilio Party (Wedding Party, 2008), Sister Shine (Live! 2009), Trendy Litsa (2004), O Glaros (The Seagull, 2005), Me Wanna Dance (2007), Karapiperim (2008), La Mulatta (feat. Tonino Carotone, 2017)

*** for Se Eida (I Saw You, 2014), Star (2019), Filtragram (2023), Gelas Pio Dynata (You Laugh Louder, 2007), Heria San Ki Auta (Hands Like These, 2009), Το Plataniotiko Nero (Water Of The Sycamore, Live! 2009)

Madness "The Rise And Fall" 1982****

Last week I was at AFAS Live in Amsterdam for a Madness concert. I believe it's been 3 years since I bought my ticket for this event, but it got constantly postponed because of COVID. The time came at last, and I must say it was worth the wait. The band may not be their hyperkinetic former selves, but they certainly still know how to throw a party. I got to cross another classic act out of my list, too - and, as I did that,I realized I wasn't born too late after all. Sure, I never got to see Hendrix or Joplin live, but that's their fault for dying too young. I did get to see most of rock's pantheon up close, even those who started the whole thing: Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee, Bo Diddley - all R.I.P. now. I remember when I first saw Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, or The Rolling Stones, 20-30 year ago. I thought at the time "this is great, but imagine seeing them in their prime". Now I'm thinking what a privilege it's been to catch them live at all. Those legends are still touring, incidentally, and you should not miss your chance. Only a few years before they (or Roger Waters, or Robert Plant, or The Who) retire, and the last link to rock's golden age is severed. Don't kid yourself, we aren't about to see their likes again. The well is drying up; Sure, the punk/new wave generation produced its share of iconic figures, but few of them worthy of the "legend" tag. The 80's? Even less. The 90's? Kurt Cobain, at best half a dozen more. Anyway... Madness: what a band, and what an arsenal of hits they have amassed in the last 45 years! Legendary, or what?

The Rise And Fall isn't my favorite Madness LP in my collection; that distinction would go to their debut One Step Beyond... I mean that album's opening triplet is "One Step Beyond...", "My Girl" and "Night Boat To Cairo". Hard to beat or what? Also, in last week's concert, the band played 6 songs from One Step... and only 1 from Rise & Fall. Why then is the latter the one included in all the lists (e.g. 1001 albums you must listen before you die)? I get it, really: Where the debut was a collection of irresistible ska/pop singles, this is a much more ambitious affair: A sort-of-concept album, about childhood memories and growing up in England. I believe that each members contributes at least a song; this results to their first political song (anti-Falkland War "Blue Skinned Beast") as well as some of their trademark nutty moments like "Calling Card" and the cod-Indian voices at the end of "New Delhi" - one could interpret these, or the turbaned blackface snake charmer of the cover, as racist, but that's just The Madness' zany sense of humor: when they played set closer "Night Boat To Cairo" in the concert, Thompson donned a fez, and Suggs fashioned a towel into an Arab-style kerchief. Irreverent, maybe, but well-intended I'm sure. Musically, there's so much more than their usual reggae and ska: jazz, pop, music hall, rock and oriental music get thrown in the mix, and the outcome is more complex and diverse than ever before. A bit of English whimsy reminiscent of The Kinks and The Beatles circa 1967-68, too. In keeping with the nostalgic character of the lyrics, the tempo is mid-paced to fast, but never as frenetic as with some of their earlier works. The record doesn't contain any weak songs, but neither are there many stand-out tracks, other than the two singles: "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" and -above all- their biggest international hit, nostalgic feel-good evergreen "Our House". A classic album featuring solid songwriting, for sure, but newcomers should be directed to a greatest hits package, or the pinnacle of their nutty ska days, One Step Beyond.

***** for Tomorrow's (Just Another Day), Our House

**** for Rise and Fall, Mr. Speaker (Gets the Word), Sunday Morning, Tiptoes, That Face

*** for Blue Skinned Beast, Primrose Hill, New Delhi, Calling Cards, Are You Coming (With Me), Madness (Is All in the Mind)

Rancid "Time Won't Wait" 1998***

It must be a sign of old age, the fact that I'm surprised that an album like this one is over 20 years' old. In my mind it is a relatively new CD, and Rancid are still the new kids on the block trying to revive the good old days of punk rock - but in reality this record is closer to the days of the original punk rock explosion than it is to now, and Rancid are punk rock veterans. So as I write I can't help but ask myself who the hell is interested in a 20-year old album that revived what was then already a 20-year old trend? Well, maybe you are, since you're reading it, but why? It's not current, not what's happening now. And if you like punk rock, why listen to the copycats instead of the originators?

Of course this is a nonsense way of thinking: music is good or bad, it moves you or leaves you cold, regardless of whether it's innovative or derivative. Sure, at times Rancid sound uncannily like The Clash, even employing two lead singers (Frederiksen and Armstrong) to trade vocals like Jones and Strummer did. Then again, don't you wish The Clash had made more records? Well, Rancid are here to fill that void. Time Won't Wait is their 4th album, following on the heels of the super successful ...And Out Come the Wolves and continuing the band's evolution from hardcore towards ska-punk. The Jamaican influence is most evident on "Life Won't Wait" (recorded in Kingston, Jamaica) and closer "Coppers", both songs combining upbeat ska beats, rousing punk choruses, and toasting by Buju Banton and Dr. Israel, respectively. Other songs combining ska, latin and funk influences are "Hooligans", horns-heavy "Wrongful Suspicions", harmonica and Hammond-starring "Cocktails", the experimental-dub-funk "Crane Fist", and earnest love song "Corazón de Oro". Yes, I said love song - apparently punks fall in love, too! "Who Would've Thought" is another love song, with an upbeat/happy chorus. On the other hand, this may also be one of their most political albums, touching topics like disenfranchised youth, racism, the hardships of the working class, disillusionment with capitalism in Eastern Europe, etc. Unfortunately the lyrics aren't included in the 12-page CD booklet (it mostly consists of arty photos) and the singers aren't renowned for their clear elocution, so the words take second place to the music. Maybe that's how the band wanted it: focusing too much on the social commentary could diminish the enjoyment of what is at first glance a punk rawk party record. They may have thought it's better to let the message slowly seep in with repeated listens. Notwithstanding the Jamaican and rhythm & blues excursions, Time Won't Wait is essentially an old-school punk record, complete with Ramones-y hey ho's on lead single "Bloodclot", rockabilly-ish guitars on "Lady Liberty", and gang vocals everywhere. A certain sense of deja vu isn't a big drawback since it's all wild and rowdy fun. The only downside is that with 22 songs and a duration of 60+ minutes, it can get repetitive and even tiresome for those who aren't huge punk/ska fans. In smaller doses there's nothing wrong with it, it just falls short of being a 90's punk classic like its predecessor ...Out Come the Wolves, Green Day's Dookie or Offspring's Smash. Those were the essential albums of the era.

**** for Bloodclot, Hoover Street, Life Won't Wait, Hooligans, Crane Fist, Leicester Square, Who Would've Thought, Wrongful Suspicion, Corazón de Oro

*** for Black Lung, New Dress, Backslide, Cash, Culture and Violence, Cocktails, Lady Liberty, Turntable, Something in the World Today, Coppers

** for Intro, Warsaw, The Wolf, 1998

Ska-P "Eurosis" 1998 €€€€

The recent European Parliament election was, we were told, the most important ever: these elections could promote dangerous anti-European, populist, forces which could bring the United Europe experiment to an end. Brexit would either be our wake-up call or the start of the unraveling. It's true that the political vocabulary of these "populist" forces is mostly despicable: fearmongering, nationalism, xenophobia, islamophobia, isolationism. One cannot dispute that they represent a danger to what we've come to consider as European values of tolerance and progress. But what exactly is that European status quo we're supposed to fight to save? One where important financial decisions are taken behind closed-doors meetings by Eurozone ministers and a central bank not subject to any democratic control. A Union which has, post-Maastricht, integrated the neo-liberal dogma, whose financial rules were tailored to the German elite's needs, rigged into hoarding surpluses in the economically developed EU core while the periphery accumulates deficit and debt. So when inevitably countries like Greece and Spain got into trouble what did they get? loans that went directly into repaying German and French banks, tied to a program of brutal austerity that plunged them into recession and unemployment. While the people never saw a single cent of the loans they were saddled with for generations, all liquidity was squeezed from the economy to pay back the creditors who had the nerve to appear as saviors. Small businesses closed down, big ones moved to safer havens, wages were cut, taxes were raised, all in the name of the sacred euro. Meanwhile, the German people were made to believe that these billions did not go into saving the banks (again!) but into rescuing lazy and incompetent Southern Europeans. If this is the way the EU and the Euro currently work, why are we surprised when people turn to the likes of LePen and Salvini for an alternative?
Even though Eurosis was released 20 years ago, it suddenly struck me as relevant: its title is a mix of "euro" and "neurosis", and the cover depicts a euro-coin picturing some sort of baby demon - very aptly as the common currency was still in its design stage. Of course Ska-P couldn't possibly have foreseen how thoroughly Spain would be fucked over by the euro-system, so the euro-demon stands for the corrosive power of money in general, rather than for actual Eurozone economic policies. They more or less ignore the EU and attack everything they think is wrong with Spain and the world: their country's corrupt conservative government and financial elite ("Circo Ibérico", "España Va Bien", "Kacikes"), the Catholic Church ("Villancico"), the institution of monarchy ("Simpático Holgazán"), poverty and repression in Latin America ("Paramilitar", "Juan Sin Tierra", "América Latina Libre"), animal furs ("Kémalo"), the narco-police ("Al Turrón") etc. Far from being preachy, they approach their subjects with humor while the music is also, above all, fun: wild, joyous, fast, and very very loud. Their songs are so catchy that they've become very popular in their home country, even among those who do not share their radical ideology. Though I wouldn't call their albums samey, it's fair to say that they all present a similar mix of the same ingredients: Ska, Alternative, Latin, and Punk. "Paramilitar" adds a bit of rap metal a la Rage Against The Machine, while "Juan Sin Tierra" is based on a ballad by Chilean political troubadour Victor Jara and only transforms into Ska-P's familiar latin ska style halfway through. "España Va Bien" starts as a frantic country number to engulf mariachi music, ska, and even can can, while "Seguimos En Pie" sports a relatively slower reggae beat and "Poder pa'l pueblo" is the band's first instrumental. Incidentally, the band features two main vocalists, lead singer Pulpul and backing vocalist/toaster/entertainer Pipi fulfilling a role similar to Keith Flint's in Prodigy - one has to see them live to appreciate the combination. Video clips reveal the band to be at their best live, but all their CD's are worth buying: well produced, pure, infectious fun - with a message!  

***** for Paramilitar

**** for Circo Ibérico, Villancico, España Va Bien, Simpático Holgazán, Juan Sin Tierra

*** for Kémalo, Poder Pa'l Pueblo, Kacikes, América Latina Libre, Al Turrón, Seguimos En Pie

Locomondo "New Day Rising" 2013****

Today just happens to be Greek Independence Day, so I felt I should present a Greek CD, albeit one with an international mix of sounds ranging from Greek folk to ska, reggae and hip hop. Tradition of course dictates celebrating this day with dimotika, the music of the kleftes and armatoloi rebels who won the country's freedom from the Ottoman Empire. But that's one step too far, so I'll just content myself with eating the traditional bakaliaro skordalia and presenting a band which embraces its Greek identity while being open to other cultures and absorving what they have to offer. I remember first seeing Locomondo live on New Years Day, 2005. It was at a small, packed, bar in Exarchia called "After Dark". I used to think that "good vibes" was a figure of speech, but on that gig one could really feel the club vibrating to their good-time reggae and ska rhythm, warmth and good humour emanating from the band to the festive crowd and back at them. The, virtually unknown at the time, band also treated us to their (then still unpublished) reggae version of classic rembetiko Fragkosyriani. This mix of folk elements with reggae and ska was at the time quite radical, though we'd later get used to it as it became a Locomondo specialty. Nowadays they are a household name in Greece thanks to their incessant touring and great performances, while another reason for their success was a novelty song that became a huge youtube hit: "Pino Mpafous Kai Pezo Pro" was about slacker youths smoking hash and playing Playstation all day. The band were worried they might be seen as endorsing this lifestyle and didn't officially release it until long after it became a party staple - and then only with a remark that the song is "a description, not an endorsement". Yeah, right... because whoever could have guessed that a reggae band (or their fans) may smoke marijuana? But Locomondo also have this conservative streak in them: next to the party anthems and the rebel songs crying for social justice, there are many yearning for a return to tradition, an idealised Greece of the past with honest hard working folk of the kind that feels uncomfortable with Internet and reality TV and would naturally be shocked by any reference to drugs.

Meanwhile, Locomondo also broke out of Greece as their version of "Fragkosyriani" was prominently featured in the German comedy "Soul Kitchen" and its popular soundtrack.  Which is how this CD came to be: It is published by a German company, discovered and bought by me while on a trip to Barcelona. About half of the album is the same with their concurrent Greek CD "Odysseia" but there are also a couple of older songs as well as some exclusive to this compilation. It kicks off with "Odysseia" a fast ska/rap/cumbia tune recounting all the stops of their tour around Greece - including, of course, the original Odysseus/Ulysses' homeland Ithaca. It is my favourite track here, along with the Manu Chao-like "Mala Onda" and the typical roots reggae songs: "Dromos Tis Kardias", "Athens City Nights", "New Day Rising" and "Crossroads". "Chthes" (χθες=yesterday, looks very weird in latin characters, doesn't it?) is a nostalgia themed tune mixing ska with the Balkan sounds popular in Greek mountain villages. Bouzouki instrumental "Diploreggies", "Marigoula Mantalena" and "San Apokliros Gyrizo" (a classic immigrant's lament) put a reggae beat behind quasi-oriental rembetiko melodies first heard a century ago in the taverns and opium dens of the cities' seediest neighboorhoods. To round up the virtual tour of Greece, there are two songs in the jaunty style popular in the islands: instrumental dance tune "Ikariotikos" and "To Tragoudi Den Xehno" featuring Greek folk singer Pantelis Thalassinos as a guest vocalist. "Ekei Pou 'Cho Taksidepsi" is a ballad with Andean pan pipes, "Edo" is 80's-sounding ska/new wave, and "Hände" a live German-language version of an older Locomondo ballad. The album ends with a ska instrumental based on children's song "Alle Vögel Sind Schon Da - Hänschen Klein". Though I don't recognise the German title, the melody was familiar from my kindergarten days (albeit with Greek lyrics), probably yours too. In any case, despite being sewn together from a variety of sources and missing most of the hits (you'd probably have to buy their "Best Of" for those), this CD makes for a good introduction to the feel-good world of Locomondo, displaying all their various sides and throwing in some rarities for those -like me- who already own their official Greek discography.

***** for Odysseia, Mala Onda

**** for Dromos Tis Kardias, Chthes, Athens City Nights, San Apokliros Gyrizo, New Day Rising, Crossroads, Ekei Pou 'Cho Taksidepsi, Edo

*** for Diploreggies, Marigoula Mantalena, To Tragoudi Den Ksehno, Ikariotikos

** for Hände, Alle Vögel Sind Schon Da-Hänschen Klein

Danny Elfman "So Lo" 1984**

This is the only pop album to come out under the name of renowned film composer Danny Elfman. Of course in 1984 the Tim Burton collaborations and oscar nominations were still years away, while Elfman already had a career in pop as leader of the New Wave/Ska group Oingo Boingo. The band had started as a performing theater troupe and gradually morfed into a pop group, but still retained a strong theatrical element and fascination for everything macabre. Take a look at this album cover: does it surprise you that this guy wrote the songs to "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Corpse Bride"? Not to mention loaned his singing voice to those movies' bony characters, Jack Skellington and mr. Bonejangles. It's no wonder he and Tim Burton became inseparable; as the Greek saying goes "the pot rolled down and found the lid". Contrary to what the title (So Lo=solo) suggests, however, Elfman didn't exactly leave Oingo Boingo behind for this one. He pretty much used most of them on this album, which is why many reviewers still consider this as a part of their discography. Presumeably he decided to present it as a solo album because the overall sound is heavily influenced by synthpop, sounding like a cross between disco, proto-Depeche Mode and Talking Heads. It's not a good fit for the music; it ends up sounding hopelessly outdated despite having some good tunes. Opener "Gratitude" for example is a cool dance song merging new wave and world music, "Cool City" is another upbeat tune which reminds me of Big Audio Dynamite, while the mid-tempo "The Last Time" sounds more like David Byrne. "It Only Makes Me Laugh" exchanges synths for a more organic and bright ska sound with horns - an instant improvement. In general, if this wasn't Danny Elfman, I wouldn't have bothered with this album. As it is, there is some curio value - recognizing the Elfman we know and love from his soundtracks from time to time unexpectedely emerging from this typically 80's synthpop record. Tim Burton fans might want to check this out...

*** for Gratitude, Cool City, Go Away, It Only Makes Me Laugh, The Last Time

** for Sucker for Mystery, Tough as Nails, Lightning, Everybody Needs

Leningrad Cowboys "Go Wild" 1988-1997 (2000 comp)***

What do The Rutles, Spinal Tap, Blues Brothers and Leningrad Cowboys have in common? They were all fictional bands created for the needs of a musical comedy film, but they subsequently took on a life of their own, making records, touring the world and massing up TV appearances. Of all those bands, the Leningrad Cowboys carried the joke the furthest: They've recorded 10 albums in the space of 30 years - still going strong, 25 years after the city of Leningrad changed its name back to Saint Petersburg. Of course they never did come from Russia - they came from its icy Western neighbor, Finland. At least both countries make great vodka and, as we all know, vodka -much like rock'n'roll- connects people, enables communication beyond linguistic and political barriers and provides inspiration. Maybe it even inspired Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki to make a movie about a ridiculous-looking bunch of inept Siberian rockers seeking in the U.S. the success that eluded them at home. As stars of his movie, he chose the members of the Finnish rock band Sleepy Sleepers, who inhabited their roles so completely they transmogrified to the band they were supposed to parody. "Go Wild" is a German compilation culled from their first 4 albums, starting with the soundtrack of Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). A tongue-in-cheek but definitely rocking version of "Born To Be Wild" opens the CD, while we also get some more songs from the film in diverse styles: rockabilly on "That's Alright", salsa on "Desconsolado", Tex-Mex country on "Chasing The Light" and funk on "Rocky VI (Short Film)".

From their second effort We Cum from Brooklyn (1992), we get "Sally Is Something Else", "Fat Bob Dollop" and "I'm Gonna Roll", all decent punk-rockers with ska and soul touches. There are also two songs from Mongolian Barbeque (1997), a parody of the Eurythmics' "There Must Be An Angel" and a remix of their version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama". Too bad they didn't include the original from 1994's Happy Together album. Recorded together with The Alexandrov Red Army Choir in what proves to be a genius pairing, that album remains their finest hour. The Cowboys never slip into sheer parody, playing solid and enthusiastic garage soul versions of classic rock hits, using the world's most impressive all-male choir as mere back-up singers. This juxtaposition provides all the comedy you'll need, but above all some of the most buoyant feel-good music you're ever going to hear. In the case of the closing "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", even a genuinely emotive, almost transcendental, moment. More songs from this album include ZZTop's "Gimme All Your Lovin'", The Beach Boys' "California Girls", Motown classic "Dancing in the Street" and Wilbert Harrison's "Let's Work Together" as re-imagined by Brian Ferry. The two unlikely partners would reprise their collaboration for live CD's "Nokia Balalaika Show" and "Live In Helsinki". The latter was filmed by Aki Kaurismäki and released on DVD as "Total Balalaika Show". It really is something else, check out the clip below for a sample...

**** for Gimme All Your Lovin', California Girls, Dancing in the Street, Fat Bob Dollop, Happy Together, Let's Work Together, Knockin' On Heaven's Door

*** for Born To Be Wild, Sally Is Something Else, Desconsolado, Chasing The Light, That's Alright, I'm Gonna Roll 

** for There Must Be An Angel, Sweet Home Alabama (Stalker Mix), Rocky VI (Short Film)

The (English) Beat "You Just Can't Beat It. The Best Of..." 1979-1982(rec) 2008(comp)****

I recently caught The Beat (known in the U.S. as The English Beat) live at a festival in The Hague. These free festivals are held on 5/5 in many cities in commemoration of the country's liberation from Nazi occupation. They feature a number of local and international bands who are playing for an audience usually more interested in the beer and fries than the music. When The Beat (led by a super-fit Ranking Roger but missing vocalist/guitarist Dave Wakeling) went on stage, it was obvious that the crowd didn't know their songs or even who they were. So it's a testament to their prowess that they engaged the young crowd in non-stop dancing and hopping for the whole duration of their show. Well, if any of them was convinced to buy one of their albums, he could hardly do better than this budget compilation here. It manages to cram almost everything the band recorded in 2 CD's, starting with their debut 7' single from 1979, Tears Of A Clown b/w Ranking Full Stop. Smokey Robinson's soul ballad is unrecognisable played as a fast soul/ska party anthem. Perverse idea, to sing of broken hearts in such a happy manner. "Ranking Full Stop" though, was  the perfect dance number: fast beat, infectious chorus and enthousiastic vocals describing dance steps in a Jamaican accent by the (British-born) Jamaican Roger. It still is a highlight of their live set. The single was released by the Two Tone label and reached No.6 in the charts. 

(Rankin Rogers') Beat live at The Hague 5/5/2016

It was followed by 1980 by the I Just Can't Stop It***** LP, which is included here in its entirety. "Hands Off...She's Mine", "Twist And Crawl", "Mirror In The Bathroom" are ska classics full of manic energy and fun. There are some mid-tempo reggae and rocksteady tracks like "Jackpot", the politically charged "Stand Down Margaret" (Thatcher, obviously), Prince Buster cover "Rough Rider" and soul ballad "Can't Get Used To Losing You". Then there's a third bunch of songs that veer close to The Buzzcock's punk-pop: "Two Swords", "Click Click" and "Noise In This World". "Big Shot" reminds me of the Stranglers and "Best  Friend" has a 60s garage/ Undertones feel. It's a fantastic debut, not a bad or average song in it. Unsurprisingly, it still forms the backbone of their live set.

***** for Ranking Full Stop, Mirror In The Bathroom, Twist And Crawl, Stand Down Margaret

**** for Tears Of A Clown. Hands Off...She's Mine, Two Swords, Click Click, Big Shot , Can't Get Used To Losing You,  Best Friend, Jackpot

*** for Rough Rider, Noise In This World

Their second LP entitled Wha'ppen?**** (1981) was as lyrically sharp and furious as their debut, albeit musically less aggressive, eschewing punk angst for more exotic musical landscapes. This compilation omits only the anti-nationalist "I Am Your Flag" but more than makes up for it by including the fantastic "Too Nice to Talk To" single with its funky bass and sax and sped-up dance rhythm. The album opened with "Doors of Your Heart", a feel-good call for love, peace and unity featuring some prime Ranking Roger toasting. Unlike other 2-Tone bands, The Beat were not content with being Ska revivalists: for example, "All Out to Get You", "The Limits We Set" and "Over and Over" are an edgy marriage of New Wave and World music similar to what the Talking Heads would try a few years later. "French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud)" is a francophone salsa piece, "Monkey Murders" is Latin ska introduced with a Spanish guitar part, "Drowning" and "Cheated" are sinister dub reggae, "Get-A-Job" a manic ska number, "Walk Away" sounds like Elvis Costello doing reggae and "Dream Home In N.Z." reminds me of Gang Of 4's punk/funk style. Here, The Beat certainly displayed a wider palette than ever. The only thing I miss here is a bit of "Click Click" aggressiveness.

***** for Too Nice To Talk To

**** for Doors of Your Heart, All Out to Get You, French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud), Dream Home In N.Z., Get A Job

*** for Monkey Murders, Drowning, Over and Over, Walk Away, Cheated, The Limits We Set

1982's Special Beat Service**** was The Beat's last LP. Ironically, their most overtly pop record had the lowest UK chart placing. "I Confess" and "End Of The Party" are pure pop, with stylish piano and hints of Brian Ferry at the vocal - presaging the direction that guitarist Andy Cox and bassist Dave Steele would go with their next group, the Fine Young Cannibals. "Jeanette" keeps on the adventurous path of the previous album, mixing ska and zydeco. "Sorry" and "Sole Salvation" are closer to soul, while "Spar Wid Me" and "Pato And Roger A Go Talk" provide the indispensable reggae vibes and "Save It For Later" is jangly guitar pop with another Brian Ferry-like vocal. "She's Going" and "Ackee 1 2 3" are party dance songs set to an African beat and "Sugar & Stress" a fast ska/New Wave number. Once more a song ("Rotating Head") from the album is omitted in favor of a single, this time a saccharine cover of 60's crooner Andy Williams' "Can't Get Used To Losing You". It was to be The Beat's last one. Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger continued as General Public and today lead different versions of The (English) Beat. The more political and pop-minded Wakeling is based in the U.S. while the band's party animal Rankin' Roger is leading the U.K. version which I saw last week in The Hague. Based on my experience of the one and youtube clips of the other, both are great. Don't miss them if they come your way...

**** for I Confess, Jeanette, Save It For Later, She's Going, Ackee 1 2 3
*** for Sorry, Sole Salvation, Spar Wid Me, Pato And Roger A Go Talk, Sugar & Stress, End Of The Party, Can't Get Used To Losing You

Célia Mara "Santa Rebeldia" 2008**

I got this album last summer completely by accident. I was driving daily from my brother's house to the beach and had nothing to listen to on the way, so I went into a Public store and bought the cheapest interesting looking CD's: this one and a celtic punk record I've already presented here. Surprisingly, the latter got played more often. My first impression of Célia Mara, from the pose on the cover to the music, was that she was trying to be the female Manu Chao. Reading up on her now, she seems to have paved her own way, from playing tropicalia as a young girl in Brazil to emigrating to Vienna during the early 1990s and creating the style she calls bastardista: A mix of traditional Latin, Brazilian, and Jamaican rhythms and electronica. Her defiant posing, dressed in garbage bags, on the cover is probably an illustration of the grab-bag nature of her music. The lyrics are (apparently) socially conscious and sung in a variety of languages (Portuguese, English, German, and Spanish). The best tracks here are the Manu Chao-like salsa/ska "Matriaméricas" (duet with Amparo Sanchez) and "Fábrica De Armas" and English language ska "AnaMaria". "Ilegal Na Geladeria" marries funk and bossanova, while "Brigada Rosa" and "Alma Reciclada" are among the more danceable tracks with their mix of samba rhythms and electronic beats. "A Flor do dendê" is a slow dub/samba piece and "Dá-Me Um Beijo" a bluesy ballad. The album closes with two of the poppier songs, German language reggae "Du Und Ich" and worldbeat "Nanâ Burukê". IMO, despite a few good tracks, the album as a whole is rather underwhelming, hence the overall rating is lower than individual ones.

**** for Matriaméricas, AnaMaria

*** for Ilegal Na Geladeria, Brigada Rosa, Alma Reciclada, Fábrica De Armas, Du Und Ich, Nanâ Burukê

** for A Flor Do Dendê, Dá-Me Um Beijo

The Strays "Le Futur Noir" 2006***

The Strays were complete unknowns to me when I bought their album, motivated by the cover and 1€ price. Maybe encountering a Greek name in the credits also played a role: Bassist Dimitris Koutsiouris is, like me, an expat Athenian - only he chose sunny Los Angeles instead of the Gothic and rainy Delft. They don't really sound American though, their style is very British and similar to the Libertines/King Blues. Not surprising, of course, when their lead guitarist/singer is a Brit: Toby Marriott, son of a legendary rocker, the Small Faces/Humble Pie's Steve Marriott. The music is an amalgam of styles: "Geneva Code" references Nirvana while "Let Down Girls" The Clash. "Block Alarm", "Future Primitives" and "Sirens" likewise remind The Clash's efforts to combine punk and reggae. "You Are the Evolution" is an almost Status Quo-like boogie with a football stadium chorus while "This Is Forever" and "Peach Acid" are more Brit-pop, the latter reminding me Blur's rockier moments. Similarly, "Start a Riot" sounds like Supergrass and "Life Support" like Manic Street Preachers (more Brit-pop for you). "Miracles" and "Kill" are rousing garage-punk and "Servant of the Gun" another Nirvana soundalike. The album closes with a good (unnamed) punky song. Interesting CD with commercial potential, but (apparently) it failed to get noticed. I suppose it's all about the right marketing. I wonder what these guys are doing now of if they even still exist as a band...

**** for You Are the Evolution, Let Down Girls,  Kill

*** for Geneva Code, Block Alarm, This Is Forever, Peach Acid, Miracles, Future Primitives, Start a Riot, Life Support,  Sirens, Untitled Track

** for Servant of the Gun

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis "The Third" 2015****

I spent last weekend in Brussels (which I'm going to be doing a lot from now on) and had the chance to catch Kitty, Daisy & Lewis live at the Ancienne Belgique. Great night and a powerful performance. I left the club with a smile and a copy of their brand new CD (it hit the shops less than a month ago) which I'll be presenting here. But first a few words about the concert: What is usually referred to as a "sibling trio" takes on tour the form of a fully fledged R&B revue. I swear sometimes they had more people on stage than the Blues Brothers! Besides the three siblings, constantly alternating between lead vocals, guitars, piano and drums (not to mention banjo and harmonica), there was another guitarist, a bassist, a Jamaican trombonist and the world's most useless string quartet (only really heard on a couple of numbers). Lewis looked like he just stepped out of "Boardwalk Empire" (or some other stylish 20's show) and the girls provided the necessary eye candy dressed in a gold skinsuit (Kitty) and a leather Batwoman/Suzy Quatro outfit (Daisy). Now, I was familiar with the trio's utterly enjoyable debut but hadn't listened to anything recent of theirs. I was pleasantly surprised to see them expand their aural palette beyond blues/rockabilly: "Turkish Delight" and "Ain't Always Better Your Way" are closer to Ska and "Feeling of Wonder" contains a funky nod to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and sports a contribution by The Clash's Mick Jones (who also made an excellent job producing the record). Daisy's "No Action" is another funky number somewhere between Chic and Amy Winehouse - surefire hit material! Opener "Whenever You See Me" has a Nancy Sinatra-meets-Holly Golightly vibe and first single "Baby Bye Bye" by Lewis is calypso jazz with some light and breezy piano. "Good Looking Woman" is a straight Chicago blues with horns and "It Ain't your business" jumpin' rockabilly (My, that Kitty sure blows a mean harp!). "Never Get Back" is a cinematic ballad with prominent strings and "Bitchin' In The Kitchen" sassy soul. The album closes with "Whiskey" (a country song given the R&B treatment) and "Developer's Disease", a Woody Guthrie-ish folk song lamenting the extinction of London's urban character by the intervention of greedy land developers. After listening to this album and witnessing Kitty, Daisy and Lewis's performance, I could almost declare that "A star is born"! Almost, because there's actually three of them... 

**** for Whenever You See Me, Baby Bye Bye, Feeling of Wonder, No Action, Bitchin' in the Kitchen

*** for Good Looking Woman, Turkish Delight, It Ain't Your Business, Ain't Always Better Your Way, Whiskey, Developer's Disease

** for Never Get Back

Left Alone "Lonely Starts and Broken Hearts"2005***

Left Alone is a punk band from Wilmington, California. They record on Tim Armstrong's Hellcat label and are as good as possible within the narrow punk genre. This album (their debut) sports catchy choruses, fierce but precise playing and ska injections for variety. The problem is that their labelmates Rancid have been doing the same thing for so long, it's easy to dismiss Left Alone as derivative. Sure, you have the Madness-meet-Green Day ska of "Another Feeling", Motorhead/Offspring hybrid of "My Whole Life" and rockabilly-ish "Heart Of Mine", but that's nothing new for the genre. Neither are the excursions towards ska ("By My Side","Dead Red Roses") and oi! ("Heart Riot","My Way") or Stiff Little Fingers-referencing "Would You Stay Now". So, this is my suggestion: buy it if you like Rancid or classic British punk & ska, go see them if they play your town (I'm sure these tunes sound best played live) but if you're not a serious punk fan, I can think of a couple dozen punk albums that are way more essential to your collection...

**** for Another Feeling, Would You Stay Now

*** for Lonely Starts & Broken Hearts, Broke My Heart, Monday Morning, By My Side, My '62, Heart Riot, Dead Red Roses, Heart Of Mine, Wasted Time

** for My Whole Life, My Way