Friday, December 30, 2011

Music Video: Lyapis Trubetskoy - Ogon'ki

When I look for new music in countries and languages that I don't already understand, oftentimes the best place to start looking is on Wikipedia.  I don't mean this to be a commercial for the site, but it continues to help me immensely when I am looking for broad themes like "Japanese Soul Music" or today's search, "Russian Alternative Rock".

Anyway, Wikipedia pointed me to Russia's A-One TV channel, which is essentially a music video channel that focuses on alternative rock.  It turns out that every year they have a "viewers choice" awards program called RAMP (Russian Alternative Music Prize), and today's video from Belorussian band Lyapis Trubeskoy, Ogon'ki, was RAMP's 2009 award winner for Best Music Video.

I have to admit, I am not always a huge fan of eastern European rock.  As with much of the popular music that comes out of places like France that have relatively inward looking cultural scenes, eastern European rock has particular regional idiosyncrasies that have great appeal to the local market, but doesn't really appeal to my personal tastes.  But in this case, the music and video combination is pretty amazing, and is well worth checking out.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Music Video: Züri West - Güggu

Some countries just aren't thought of as "musical" countries.  Switzerland is one of those countries.  You hunger for cheese?  Sure, Switzerland is great.  You need precision time pieces?  Again, look to Switzerland.  You've got hundreds of tons of gold bullion flown in the middle of the night from a darkened airstrip in the Congolese jungle that needs to "disappear" until the international tribunal goes into recess?  You can't beat Switzerland.  But music?  Really?

Yes, the Swiss can do that too!

Let's be honest, some of my favorite bands come from Switzerland.  For thrashing psychobilly, there's The Peacocks.  For quirky alt-guitar pop, there's Stahlberger.  For reggae, there's Phenomden.  For stripped down alternative rock, though, you can't do much better than Züri West.  This band has been around for longer than most of you have probably been alive (since 1984), but as demonstrated by their recent album "HomeRekords", they can still create interesting and enjoyable music.  The song Güggu, from this album is an excellent example of Züri West's moving forward by looking back sound.  And just in case you're wondering, they're singing in Bernese, a Swiss-German dialect.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Music Video: Paula - Es Kommt Immer Alles Anders

Ever since she was first able to make articulate sounds, my daughter has loved raucous music ("raucous" was one of her first words).  My wife and I knew we were in trouble when, at the age of 3, my daughter demanded that we take The Clash off the stereo because it wasn't raucous enough for her.  As she has gotten older, she has mellowed somewhat, and now at the ripe old age of 6 her musical interests have expanded to particularly enjoying raucous bands that have female singers.  Coupled with the fact that she has always expressed an interest in being a rock star herself when she grows up, I take this interest in female lead bands as being indicative of her search for musical role models.

That is why I was happy when my daughter told me the other day about how much she loves the song Es Kommt Immer Alles Anders by Paula (BTW, Paula is the name of the band, not the name of the singer).  I love this song too.  It has a bouncy, almost 80s girl band sound (think of early Go-Gos), but retains enough of an edge that it doesn't degrade into bubblegum pop.  Paula has been around for a reasonably long time, putting out five albums in over 14 years.  Each of these albums - or at least what I have heard of them so far - is chock full of great musical hooks, and is just raucous enough to keep a budding young rock star - and her father - interested.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Music Video: ZukunaSisters - Live

When I am bored, I try to think of odd combinations.  Today, the odd combination that popped into my head was "Japanese funk."  I don't know why that popped into my head.  It just did.  But boy, am I ever glad that it did!

You see, it turns out that there is a vibrant funk and soul scene going on right now in Japan.  And one of the notable bands in that scene is ZukunaSisters (aka Zukunasi in Japan).  This all female four-piece takes what many think to be a fundamentally American style of music, applies Japanese lyrics, and belts it out in one of the more compelling live acts I've seen in a long time.

Anybody who is a fan of soul, funk, or R&B, do yourself a big favor and check ZukunaSisters out.  I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Jan Delay on Sesamstraße

From it's very beginning, Sesame Street has attracted remarkable musical talents to its show.  Artists ranging from Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett to James Taylor and Stevie Wonder have contributed their musical talents to this show that appeals to both kids and their parents.  But in addition to the American version of the program, Sesame Street is also locally produced in 20 other countries around the world.  So the question is, do they also attract the latest and greatest musical talents?

You bet they do!

Open World Music favorite, Jan Delay, recently sang his German hit Klar with Bert and Ernie on the German show Sesamstraße.  Needless to say, this is now one of my all time favorite TV clips.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Music Video: Aquarium - Зум, зум, зум

A little over 25 years ago, as the Cold War was slowly sputtering to an end, a friend introduced me to an interesting compilation album called "Red Wave".  It consisted of recordings by around a dozen dissident rock bands from the Soviet Union.  Among the bands was one that I particularly liked: Aquarium.

As I got to thinking about something to post here today, I thought it might be fun to try to find that band again, and maybe even to find an old video for that song on the "Red Wave" album, to feature as a Blast From the Past.  Well, I couldn't find a video for that song.  However, I found something better.

After all of these years, much to my surprise and joy, Aquarium is still around.  Even better, they are still producing interesting and enjoyable music.  In Зум, зум, зум you get an almost Paul Simon "Rhythm of the Saints" vibe, with complex international rhythms punched up by a horn driven chorus.  It's toe tapping and finger snapping, and will probably eventually find its way into steady rotation on my iPod.