Search - Gogol Bordello :: Gogol Bordello /Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike

Gypsy punks unite!

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 08/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love fusion bands, and I always have. When multiple styles click together and create a new, vivid hybrid, then there's no other sound like it in the world.



That's also a good description of Gogol Bordello's third full-length album, "Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike" -- a mad mixture of gypsy, punk, reggae, Latin and who knows what else. It's more than a little insane, as it spins without warning from one style to the next. But the energy and spirit make that a good kind of insanity.



It opens with staccato snarls and unpolished fiddle playing in "Sally," before exploding into a streak of frenetic punk music. Just when it seems that they have settled into a signature style, they kick into "Immigrant Punk," which is best described as rock played with fiddle and accordion.



Eugene Hutz has the right amount of punk sneer that you'd expect for such music, but he also doesn't seem to be taking himself seriously. He fits into metal-tinged rockers, gypsy dance music, and a bunch of other genre-straddling song styles.



In a nutshell, don't expect any of this to sound like... anything you've ever heard.



Frontman Hutz -- who stars in the much-anticipated "Everything Is Illuminated," adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer's novel -- seems to be spreading his colourful personality all over the music. Exhibit A: lyrics as wild and insane as the music. Example: "Start wearin' purple for me now/all your sanity and wits/they will all vanish/I promise!" Okay, Eugene, whatever you say!



Hutz also provides the frenetic percussion and some of that equally energetic guitar. And he's backed by Yuri Lemeshev's accordion and Sergey Ryabtzev's violin, which add a folksy flair. It's a very weird sound, but Gogol Bordello manages to balance it out between the gypsy-Slavic sound, and the punk energy.



The title of "Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike" pretty much describes the album itself -- a mad, wild, colourful patchwork of different sounds and styles. Refreshingly weird and original."

Insanely great

Z. D. Carter | Round Rock, TX United States | 11/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Take Clash/Sex Pistols punk-hard-rock energy, add a blend of crazy, slippery east european and latin rhythms, and gypsy instrumental virtuosity. Throw in a shovelful of amphetamines and enough vodka to make the whole thing flammable, then stand back and throw a match. Voila. Gogol Bordello. Probably no other band that's walked the earth, has ever been quite this frenetic, ferocious, or fun. This is music with angry eyes and a goofy grin."

Gypsy Punks says it all

Kid A | Boulder, CO | 05/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'd never heard of Gogol Bordello, but they were one of the opening bands when I went to see Cake a few months ago. We arrived in the middle of their set, and for a minute there I thought we had accidentally gone to the circus instead of a concert.



For the rest of their set, the four of us had a lot of laughs. In fact, my comment at one point was "This sounds like gypsy punk". Little did I know. Unfortunately, the sound was horrendous and the stage antics only lended themselves to some hardy laughter. It was certainly entertaining, there was no doubt.



A few weeks later, a co-worker of mine and I were on a business trip and we ran across this CD at a local record store. He bought it and we promptly threw it into the rental car's CD player. To our amazement, it not only sounded a lot like what we'd heard live, but it sounded much better.



I like fusions as much as the next guy, which I suppose is why I appreciate Gogol Bordello. Would I go out and buy more of their stuff? Probably not, but not because it's bad. It's a very interesting listen and I credit these guys for creating something genuinely unique. For that reason alone, I'd recommend this CD to anybody who thrives on different musical styles. If your tastes run along the lines of most FM radio, you may not appreciate this. If your tastes are more eclectic, you could do a lot worse than Gogol Bordello!



Viva la gypsys."