Amusing Music Video: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party For Everybody

The annual Eurovision Song Contest has become something of a punchline.  For those unfamiliar with the concept, competing European countries all nominate a song to represent them in competing against the songs of the others.  Over the decades, competitors have noticed that the songs that win are seldom the best songs.  Rather, the songs that win typically have some sort of a gimmick.  And the competitors in this year's Eurovision Song Contest continue to buy into that formula for success.

A case in point is Russia's entry, Buranovskiye Babushki and their song Party For Everybody.  The band is made up of eight grandmothers from the village of Buranovo, in the Ural Mountains region.  Don't let their advanced years, traditional dress, and the fact that they sing mostly in Udmurt  - an obscure regional dialect - fool you.  These ladies can put on a show, and even the most stoic Russians in the audience can't help but smile.  Buranovskiye Babushki will never win any songwriting awards, but if you can get points for entertainment value - and isn't that what Eurovision is all about - they may go far.

Oh, and by the way, that large object on the revolving platform at the back of the stage is a bread oven.  Don't ask.  Just accept it.

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.

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.

This Year's OWM Thanksgiving Disco Playlist

A few months ago, my step-sister made me a challenge that I couldn't resist: her new Belgian husband (another music lover, apparently) and I would go head-to-head on a Thanksgiving disco playlist.  Well, after going through a dozen permutations, I have come up with my list.  They're not all "disco" songs, but they're all danceable.  Enjoy!

1)  Baaba Maal: International (Senegal)
2)  Mexican Institute of Sound:  Bienvenidos a Mi Disco (Mexico)
3)  Timbuktu:  N.a.p.  (Sweden)
4)  Napoleon Solo:  Explota (Spain)
5)  Deichkind:  E.S.D.B. (Germany)
6)  Plasticines:  La règle du jeu (France)
7)  Madsen:  Mein Herz bleibt hier (Germany)
8)  BB Brunes:  Sixty Eight (France)
9)  Die Sterne:  Depressionen aus der Hölle (Germany)

10)  Model:  Şey. . . Belki! (Turkey)

11)  Movits!:  Sammy Davis Jr. (Sweden)

12)  Koalas Desperados:  All Night Long (Germany)

13)  Casino Royale:  Anno Zero (Italy)

14)  Nous Non Plus:  Catastrophe (USA)

15)  Jens Friebe:  Über den Weg (Germany)

16)  t.A.T.u.:  220 (Russia)

17)  Frida Gold:  Wovon Sollen Wir Träumen (Germany)

18)  Dodo:  Wett di hebä (Sweden)

19)  Mono & Nikitaman:  Komplizen (Austria)

20)  Ryo the Skywalker:  ****Japan (Japan)

21)  LaBrassBanda:  Bierzelt (Germany)

22)  Manu Chao:  Besoin De La Luna (France)