All over the map (and admittedly more than a bit patchy), this Russian curio still seems like ripe fodder for savvy heads, though one can't help think that a familiarity with their language would go some way toward helping to clarify the point of this parade of bombast; the cavalcade of the amusingly dubious that ensues taking in Rocky Horror Picture Show camp, blaring Big band themes, Cop show orchestral funk, weepy baladeering, whizzing synths and varying shades of strident power folk over it's course, the garish composite perhaps coming closest to the Modry Efekt album opposite the Czech Radio Jazz Orchestra that I posted a while back. If your good taste in bad taste has reached an advanced stage, look no further for your node of the confounding to get cheerfully fingered.
You'd probably be interested to know that all this musical campiness is done to the lyrics by none the less than Sapho, Goethe, Shelley, Verlaine (in Russian translations) plus some good Russian poets (Akhmatova and Voloshin). Track 4 is still a staple on oldies FM stations here in Russia.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you are not aware of it but this one is a cult album for Soviet underground, and it is considered to be one of the first soviet rock albums ever, don't forget the "Iron Curtain" that the people were living in those days. It is not a bad art-rock after all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info inputs above. Easier now to know what to make of this album.
ReplyDeletehttp://rapidshare.com/files/262295628/NLO.zip.html
ReplyDeleteIt's the second album by Tukhmanov, with another band, originally released in 1980. It's more rock-oriented and, I have to warn you, incredibly cheesy. Sounds like a synth/vocoder heavy lost Spinal Tap recording;)
Hummmmm bad taste? good taste? If I learned something hearing music it's that those are slippery concepts...
ReplyDeleteI think this album is great. It could have perfectly recorded yesterday. It's creative, versatile, expressive... Of course it has its cheesy moments, but cheesy mood can also be stylish and experimental.
Imagine lyrics are in Japanese, and we are told it was made by some experimental genius in Tokyo instead of Soviet Union in the seventies... Would we hear it the same way?
btw: thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteAfter second thought, you're probably right. I understand the lyrics here (and, unlike on the "Wave", this is some mannered overwritten poetry of the era, in most songs), so my perception definitely differs. But if they sang in Japanese or French or Kobaian... -)
ReplyDeleteThen again, it's an LP from my Soviet childhood, and at the time being cool meant listening either to some underground rock (ie cassette releases by bands prohibited by the authorities) or to anything that was smuggled from the West. So this was definitely a lame record right from the start:)
btw: you're welcome! If interested, I can compile some sort of "mixtape" of Soviet era oddities I have in my collection. I've been reading this blog for more than 2 years now, feel like I gotta share smth too.
It would be wonderful...
ReplyDeleteHere you go
ReplyDeletehttp://rapidshare.com/files/264424061/VladsRuSelection.zip.html
it's a mixed bag of old vynil, tape releases and some CD reissues rips, so the quality differs. In case some particular track seems interesting enough to hear the whole album -- be my guest, just drop a line in this entry comments. And of course Mutant Sounds is much welcome to request and repost here.
Maybe(?) one of the first rock albums supported by government, but not one of the first soviet rock albums at all.
ReplyDeletei enjoyed this one very much, thanks MUTANT Sounds.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be very mutanted please post, if you can, DEARLY DEPARTED by ROMAN DUBINNIKOV. I had it on tape from a raidioshow but lost it. Its the 33.00 minutes jazz orientated strangeness.
greeting,
Stui
Hi Mutant Sound, is the first time i approach your blog, that seems almighty. I see many pages back then i stopped at some point for the stress. An ocean of albums, a collection of gems from the past but also some strange things that i don't have idea of what they are.
ReplyDeleteI don't find a place for requests and i place these here, in a space dedicated to russian artist David Tukhmanov. I find russian progressive (intend the global URSS scene) very magic and original and this Tukhmanov is a greater one.
i would like to ask some album that are impossible to find, sure that you can... but if not no problem
1. Maelstrom - Paradigms USA 1975
i see your post of the first album, well i have it on CD, but this second is an obscure mistery
2. MacArthur - MacArthur USA 1980 & MacArthur II 1982
3. Elka Atanasova - Winds Of The Rhodopes
4. Duncan Mackay - Visa UK 1980
5. Credemus - Auf Den Weg
a misterious german folk band, who have listen or reads rewiev on it?
6. Orange Power - same 1975 Austria
posted on another blog but the album is not the same
7. Karussell - Entweder Oder 1979 DDR
8. other ghosts from Germany. impossible to find a note on the net on these bands
Tantalus - Sitting in a dream 1979?
Traumwolf - Aussen 1982
Zarathustra - Also Spielt 1982
other comments will follow from me where i can
have the best
Hi Dairo,
ReplyDeleteI have Karussell's 1980, 1982 and 1984 albums (Das Einzige Leben,Schlaraffenberg and Was kann Ich tun respectively). The only Zarathustra album I know (and have) is the 1971's eponymous (great album btw). In case you need any of these, let me know.
Hi Vlad, very thanks for your answer. Much appreciated
ReplyDeletei never listened a Karussell album but i think the first albums are the best. The 1980's second album can be good. But, i don't want a link in the section or a private in the post, i will wait this on the blog, visible at all visitors.
The Zarathustra - Also Spielt 1982 has nothing to do the 1971's hard progressive cult or with the electronic-synthetic band Zara-Thustra. The code of "Also Spielt" is Private 1-682 TSM. Like "Crack In The Cosmic Egg" recite "this is a progressive rock band with a strong teutonic feel and much invention. Non historical information are available".
I put other names of band i'm in searching, perhaps some are more easy. It's not important that you comunicate me if you have these, in the comment section, i'm favorable to wait the posts on the blog.
Here is the list
Flame Dream-Travaganza 1983
Flame Dream-5 On 6 1986
Supply Demand & Curve-same Ireland 1976
Shwn-same Iceland 1977
Skaldowie-Skaldowie 1967
Profil-For You 1982 Germany
Anabis-Wer Will 1981
Indigo-Herbstwind 1980
Flight-same 1975 USA
Brégent-Poussiere Des Regrets 1973
Another Roadside Attraction-same 1976 Canada
Pso Pho-Sheer profundity Belgium
Malachi-Same 1972
Emmanuel Booz-Au Restaurant D'Alice 1970
Michael Mantler-No Answer 1974
Michael Mantler-13¾ 1975
Michael Mantler-More Movies 1981
Michael Mantler-Something There 1983
Kanzeon-Kanzeon Japan 1991
Kujakuon-Kujakuon Japan 1984
Popol Ace-Curly Sounds
Kong Lavring-Den 2den 1978
Seppo Tyni-Niin Aina
Seppo Tyni-Juhlat Suulissa
Jan Hammarlund & Turid & Lena Ekman-Igår, Idag, Imorgon
Turid-Selma Världserövrare
Turid-Tistlar Från Tundran
Thomas & Turid-Flow Soma
Folk och Rackare-Anno 1979
Folk och Rackare-Stjarnhasten 1981
David Tukhmanov-Photos Of Darlings Melodia 1980
I just find the single Le Mat - Waltz of the Fool, that is present in your want list, here:
http://nuzzprowlinwolf.blogspot.com/2007/09/le-mat-waltz-of-fool-bw-evry-dream-7.html
http://www.divshare.com/download/1967708-1ed
Grateful thanks for the attention
Very sorry, the link above is for the single
ReplyDeleteLe Mat - Waltz of the Fool LP is
http://www.mediafire.com/?4mjozwizzym
from
http://nuzzprowlinwolf.blogspot.com/
Vlad, can you please provide the full tags/names for the Compilation that you posted?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I didn't keep the playlist, but all the files are tagged in Latin and Cyrillic, if that's what you mean.
ReplyDeleteAs for the contents of the package: there's a very mixed bag of stuff mostly available in ru.net. Anything from Forum to Die Schwarze Katzen if that rings any bells.
Took a little while to grow on me, but once it did, I couldn't stop listening to it; a little overwrought in a few places, but hey, it was the mid seventies. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteA preferred and loved music composer David Tukhmanov is one of the most talented professional. The two most popular production from his kitty i.e. Den Pobedy and the Last Electrichka will always be remembered for grand success in music world. This Soviet Era artist is one of the most revered artists in Russia and other neighboring countries.
ReplyDelete