Late as usual,I've just discovered And I Lie by Prata Vetra,and I think it's rather good.I can't say I like Baltic music much,and I think the main reason I love PV is that they're not your average Baltic band,and they've tried a few different genres in their time.And I Lie however,sounds to me quite like typical Latvian/Lithuanian pop-rock,but it's great.
Ja tikai uz mani tu paskatītos (If only you would look at me) is very funky too,and from the same album released this year.I could see an English version of this in the UK charts actually.
Oh,and there's a Russian version of it too- Tolko By Ty Menya Posmotrela.
Friday, 29 August 2008
Thursday, 28 August 2008
This is not my dream
I've missed out on so much with my lack of youtube.It seems Dima's done lots of new songs without me knowing about it!This is my favourite one so far- called Plohaya Novosti (Bad News).As usual,the lyrics aren't the happiest ones in the world,but the song is great.More towards the Get Up Get Down end of the spectrum than the Tsaryevna end.
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
WYM goes all cinematic Part 2
Vtoraya Seriya...
I think the best way of describing Kidnapping Caucasian Style is Soviet slapstick.It's a pretty ridiculous story about a guy called Shurik who goes to an unnamed region in the Caucasus,falls in love with a girl who's meant to marry some politician type guy although she knows nothing about it,he then gets unwittingly involved in her kidnap before helping her to escape.A highly comedic 77 minutes :/ Actually,it's not that bad.It's not the worst film I've seen,and there are some funny bits in it.One of the kidnappers (who's a little bit simple) reminds me a bit of Sergey Lazarev too,which amused me.Apparantly it was very popular indeed in the USSR back in the 60s,and it's the sequel to another film featuring Shurik.Think I might give that one a miss though.
Aah now here's a good film.Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears was the one film out of the three that I really wanted to see,probably partly because it's the coolest film name ever :) I've seen it described as a chick-flick,which I guess it could be really,but of course not your typical one- there are many Soviet and old-fashioned elements to it.The ending in particular I found slightly odd because of a few scenes and dialogues that came before it.Trying to not to give too much away,MDNBIT is about three girls who come to Moscow for various reasons,and live together in a dormitory (the beginning is set in the 1950s by the way).The action jumps forward 20 years or so in the second part,and we see how fate has treated the girls and how they deal with their past.Although there are three main characters,the second part focusses more on Katya,who I think seemed to be the most mature of the trio.Moscow may not believe in tears,but she certainly cries a lot.Despite this though,she's very strong,and you can't help but feel proud of her,the way she deals with her ex- a mummy's boy who treated her pretty badly 20 years previously.I would definitely recommend this film- it's funny,sad and positive (in its own way) in equal measure.And I never realised Soviet fashion was so fabulous :)
I think the best way of describing Kidnapping Caucasian Style is Soviet slapstick.It's a pretty ridiculous story about a guy called Shurik who goes to an unnamed region in the Caucasus,falls in love with a girl who's meant to marry some politician type guy although she knows nothing about it,he then gets unwittingly involved in her kidnap before helping her to escape.A highly comedic 77 minutes :/ Actually,it's not that bad.It's not the worst film I've seen,and there are some funny bits in it.One of the kidnappers (who's a little bit simple) reminds me a bit of Sergey Lazarev too,which amused me.Apparantly it was very popular indeed in the USSR back in the 60s,and it's the sequel to another film featuring Shurik.Think I might give that one a miss though.
Aah now here's a good film.Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears was the one film out of the three that I really wanted to see,probably partly because it's the coolest film name ever :) I've seen it described as a chick-flick,which I guess it could be really,but of course not your typical one- there are many Soviet and old-fashioned elements to it.The ending in particular I found slightly odd because of a few scenes and dialogues that came before it.Trying to not to give too much away,MDNBIT is about three girls who come to Moscow for various reasons,and live together in a dormitory (the beginning is set in the 1950s by the way).The action jumps forward 20 years or so in the second part,and we see how fate has treated the girls and how they deal with their past.Although there are three main characters,the second part focusses more on Katya,who I think seemed to be the most mature of the trio.Moscow may not believe in tears,but she certainly cries a lot.Despite this though,she's very strong,and you can't help but feel proud of her,the way she deals with her ex- a mummy's boy who treated her pretty badly 20 years previously.I would definitely recommend this film- it's funny,sad and positive (in its own way) in equal measure.And I never realised Soviet fashion was so fabulous :)
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
The world will be yours
Oh my God,it's a new Dima Koldun song!!!
OK,it's not that new.I have heard it before,I just forgot about it before I could post it.I know,I've been neglecting Mr K in favour of Aleksei Vorobyov these days.It's called Surrender,and it's...alright I suppose.Not as good as Nikagda or Reality of Dreams though.And I see he's gone down the Borodin-hair route.Cut it Dima!
This video was put on youtube by the German Koldun Fan Club apparantly.Only a week to go then I can go and hunt them down and join!
OK,it's not that new.I have heard it before,I just forgot about it before I could post it.I know,I've been neglecting Mr K in favour of Aleksei Vorobyov these days.It's called Surrender,and it's...alright I suppose.Not as good as Nikagda or Reality of Dreams though.And I see he's gone down the Borodin-hair route.Cut it Dima!
This video was put on youtube by the German Koldun Fan Club apparantly.Only a week to go then I can go and hunt them down and join!
WYM goes all cinematic
See,I'm a bit bored with music these days- what with youtube not working properly,and loads of my favourite music sites and blogs not being updated much- so I've been watching a load of films.I wrote about Paris Je t'Aime over at Parlez-vous Europop a while ago (bloody good film),but possibly even better than that is the film I went to see last Friday.
Now I absolutely detest musicals.One Bank Holiday Monday in Guildford I had the misfortune of seeing 5 minutes of the Sound of Music,and I felt a compulsion to run at an oncoming bus.The thing about Mamma Mia though,is that you know what all the songs are,and you know that- because it's Abba- there's not going to be one bad song in the film.And even though the story isn't the greatest or most believable story in the world,it doesn't matter,because it's 2 hours of bloody good fun- even the bits where Pierce Brosnan sings.The characters are all really likeable,although I must say,I found Rosie quite annoying at the beginning,but I particularly loved Harry (I'm quite liking Colin Firth these days- his appeal in Pride and Prejudice was kind of lost on me) and Donna (I've never seen anything Meryl Streep has been in before,maybe I should have a look...).Musical highlights for me were Lay All Your Love On Me,Mamma Mia and The Winner Takes It All (my favourite Abba song ever).SOS was good too- another of my favourites.That song reminds me of two things- one that shall remain unmentioned,and the other being the brilliant Swedish film Tilsammans,where the song is used many times.In Mamma Mia terms,it might have been a bit better if Brosnan hadn't have sung it,but,well,he had to really.
Another thing I noticed that's not really anything to do with the film,was the abundance of fabulous textiles laying around Donna's hotel.Just thought I'd mention it :)
After scouring Amazon for good foreign films that preferably cost next to nothing,I found some old Soviet films that weren't available (why put them on Amazon then?!) but that I really wanted to see.Thankfully there's some nice people out there who put them on youtube and the likes,complete with subtitles and everything.
"Comedy" probably isn't the first word you'd associate with Soviet films,but it does exist :) Kin Dza Dza is billed as a sci-fi comedy.I hate sci-fi probably more than I hate musicals,but there was something about this that made me want to watch.Made in 1986,it's the most recent Soviet film I've seen.It is actually quite funny too,if you have a really silly sense of humour (which I do).It's about a Russian and a Georgian (how topical) who end up on an alien planet (Pluke),inhabited by two hierarchical classes of alien,who are obsessed with matches.Vova and Gedevan get into all sorts of bizarre situations,but eventually end up back on Earth,their time on Pluke still affecting them in some ways.There are some parallels between society on Pluke and the Soviet regime,but the whole point of the film I think is less a political message and more just silly,childish fun.The low-budget nature of Kin Dza Dza adds to its charm,but what I found most amusing was the Plukanian language.Over here,some people take their sci-fi love a bit too far by speaking Klingon et cetera- none of that rubbish in Kin Dza Dza though,their aliens have one word for practically everything,which leads to some comical situations!
Something I've noticed about Soviet films,is that they tend to be in 2 parts (good for me as I have a short attention span).I like that idea,so I'm going to stop writing now,and talk about the other 2 films I've seen later.So,in Soviet style...
Kanyets Pervoiy Seriy...
Now I absolutely detest musicals.One Bank Holiday Monday in Guildford I had the misfortune of seeing 5 minutes of the Sound of Music,and I felt a compulsion to run at an oncoming bus.The thing about Mamma Mia though,is that you know what all the songs are,and you know that- because it's Abba- there's not going to be one bad song in the film.And even though the story isn't the greatest or most believable story in the world,it doesn't matter,because it's 2 hours of bloody good fun- even the bits where Pierce Brosnan sings.The characters are all really likeable,although I must say,I found Rosie quite annoying at the beginning,but I particularly loved Harry (I'm quite liking Colin Firth these days- his appeal in Pride and Prejudice was kind of lost on me) and Donna (I've never seen anything Meryl Streep has been in before,maybe I should have a look...).Musical highlights for me were Lay All Your Love On Me,Mamma Mia and The Winner Takes It All (my favourite Abba song ever).SOS was good too- another of my favourites.That song reminds me of two things- one that shall remain unmentioned,and the other being the brilliant Swedish film Tilsammans,where the song is used many times.In Mamma Mia terms,it might have been a bit better if Brosnan hadn't have sung it,but,well,he had to really.
Another thing I noticed that's not really anything to do with the film,was the abundance of fabulous textiles laying around Donna's hotel.Just thought I'd mention it :)
After scouring Amazon for good foreign films that preferably cost next to nothing,I found some old Soviet films that weren't available (why put them on Amazon then?!) but that I really wanted to see.Thankfully there's some nice people out there who put them on youtube and the likes,complete with subtitles and everything.
"Comedy" probably isn't the first word you'd associate with Soviet films,but it does exist :) Kin Dza Dza is billed as a sci-fi comedy.I hate sci-fi probably more than I hate musicals,but there was something about this that made me want to watch.Made in 1986,it's the most recent Soviet film I've seen.It is actually quite funny too,if you have a really silly sense of humour (which I do).It's about a Russian and a Georgian (how topical) who end up on an alien planet (Pluke),inhabited by two hierarchical classes of alien,who are obsessed with matches.Vova and Gedevan get into all sorts of bizarre situations,but eventually end up back on Earth,their time on Pluke still affecting them in some ways.There are some parallels between society on Pluke and the Soviet regime,but the whole point of the film I think is less a political message and more just silly,childish fun.The low-budget nature of Kin Dza Dza adds to its charm,but what I found most amusing was the Plukanian language.Over here,some people take their sci-fi love a bit too far by speaking Klingon et cetera- none of that rubbish in Kin Dza Dza though,their aliens have one word for practically everything,which leads to some comical situations!
Something I've noticed about Soviet films,is that they tend to be in 2 parts (good for me as I have a short attention span).I like that idea,so I'm going to stop writing now,and talk about the other 2 films I've seen later.So,in Soviet style...
Kanyets Pervoiy Seriy...
Sunday, 17 August 2008
Vintage Eurovision
So apparantly System of a Down want to represent Armenia at next year's ESC.And why not I ask?
Oh yeah,because they're shit.There's a place for grubby screeching rock people,and that place is far away from the chasteness of Eurovision! First Terry goes mad,then Jonathan Ross is favourite to take over from him,and now this! Doesn't it make you long for the good old days of cheesy wholesome pop? Cheesy wholesome pop such as...
this
and this
and this
and of course this
I wonder how many British girls can say that they had a picture of Tanel Padar on their wall when they were 14 and had Everybody as their ringtone?Oh OK,just me then.
Oh yeah,because they're shit.There's a place for grubby screeching rock people,and that place is far away from the chasteness of Eurovision! First Terry goes mad,then Jonathan Ross is favourite to take over from him,and now this! Doesn't it make you long for the good old days of cheesy wholesome pop? Cheesy wholesome pop such as...
this
and this
and this
and of course this
I wonder how many British girls can say that they had a picture of Tanel Padar on their wall when they were 14 and had Everybody as their ringtone?Oh OK,just me then.
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Oh no!
The Russian Posse is no more according to their youtube channel! How sad,first Fabrika,now the Russian Posse...How will I get my surreal Russian pop based entertainment now,I ask???
Now,I realise I haven't posted anything substantial for a while.This is mostly because I've been distracted by bunnies and the Olympics and ski jumping lately,and also because of the ridiculous biblical computer we have that refuses to let me use youtube,even though all the Russian equivalents that I know of work absolutely fine.Maybe it's youtube that's the problem and not my ridiculous biblical computer..? Anyway,I'm off to Germany in just under 2 weeks,so assuming my laptop arrives in one piece and the internet in my flat works,normal service shall be resumed.There will also be some incredibly exciting stuff coming up in the next week,including a review of one of the most amazing albums (by the world's most amazing singer) that's been released this year,probably a new regular feature that I can't believe I haven't thought of before,and some stuff that's not necessarily music-related at all.There,aren't you incredibly lucky people?!
Now,I realise I haven't posted anything substantial for a while.This is mostly because I've been distracted by bunnies and the Olympics and ski jumping lately,and also because of the ridiculous biblical computer we have that refuses to let me use youtube,even though all the Russian equivalents that I know of work absolutely fine.Maybe it's youtube that's the problem and not my ridiculous biblical computer..? Anyway,I'm off to Germany in just under 2 weeks,so assuming my laptop arrives in one piece and the internet in my flat works,normal service shall be resumed.There will also be some incredibly exciting stuff coming up in the next week,including a review of one of the most amazing albums (by the world's most amazing singer) that's been released this year,probably a new regular feature that I can't believe I haven't thought of before,and some stuff that's not necessarily music-related at all.There,aren't you incredibly lucky people?!
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
I'm supporting the Schlagerboys!
Read this and be convinced :)
Now of course I was a bit of a fan of Mr Wogan and it's a bit of a shame he probably won't be commentating anymore,but still,when you come out with comments like...
...then maybe it is time to retire.
May I also just say that Dima didn't win this year just because he's Russian but because he's Dima Bilan and is known by so many people not just in Eastern Europe but the West too.Everyone knows Believe wasn't even one of the best songs this year,and if it had been sung by any other Russian,it wouldn't have won.
So there!In your face "I don't watch Eurovision,it's too political" sheep!
Oh,and P.S: For God's sake BBC,don't give the job to Fearne Cotton.She's goddamn awful.
Now of course I was a bit of a fan of Mr Wogan and it's a bit of a shame he probably won't be commentating anymore,but still,when you come out with comments like...
"Days before the show, I knew Russia would win. The fact is, Putin was getting nasty, which means the former satellite states were always going to vote for Russia in order to keep the oil coming."
...then maybe it is time to retire.
May I also just say that Dima didn't win this year just because he's Russian but because he's Dima Bilan and is known by so many people not just in Eastern Europe but the West too.Everyone knows Believe wasn't even one of the best songs this year,and if it had been sung by any other Russian,it wouldn't have won.
So there!In your face "I don't watch Eurovision,it's too political" sheep!
Oh,and P.S: For God's sake BBC,don't give the job to Fearne Cotton.She's goddamn awful.
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Great news!
Diana "Peace Will Come" Gurtskaya is working on a new English-language album- hurrah!*
Mmm,bit of a slow and boring week for music,I'm thinking.
*More than a hint of sarcasm there
Mmm,bit of a slow and boring week for music,I'm thinking.
*More than a hint of sarcasm there
Monday, 4 August 2008
In my mind a dream awakes,and my heart begins to break
What is it with Dima Bilan and Italy?He did O Sole Mio for the soundtrack to that film (Glyanyets was it?),and then he did an absolutely amazing version of Ave Maria (I'm not actually a massive fan of religious music by the way).Thanks to Google Analytics or one of those type efforts anyway,I discovered that Mr B dabbled a bit in opera songs a few years ago- one of these being the 
Neapolitan delight that is Torna a Surriento (Return to Sorrento).Now,again,I'm not a great fan of old Italian opera songs and the like,but this one is a bit special to me.Although inlaid wooden jewellery boxes are all the rage in Southern Italy,my one (exactly the same as the picture but cream instead) is my most favourite thing that I own.When you open it,it plays Torna a Surriento,which always makes me feel a bit sad,because I haven't had the chance to go back there since I got the box.
But anyway,enough of me lamenting my missing of Southern Italy's fabulous weather,and all the nice scenery and various members of my family- this (apparantly) is Dima singing Torna a Surriento.Although you can't see him.
Neapolitan delight that is Torna a Surriento (Return to Sorrento).Now,again,I'm not a great fan of old Italian opera songs and the like,but this one is a bit special to me.Although inlaid wooden jewellery boxes are all the rage in Southern Italy,my one (exactly the same as the picture but cream instead) is my most favourite thing that I own.When you open it,it plays Torna a Surriento,which always makes me feel a bit sad,because I haven't had the chance to go back there since I got the box.But anyway,enough of me lamenting my missing of Southern Italy's fabulous weather,and all the nice scenery and various members of my family- this (apparantly) is Dima singing Torna a Surriento.Although you can't see him.
Sunday, 3 August 2008
In the shadow of the love we left behind...
VH1 seems to have been taken over by a plague of power ballad programmes these days.Not that I'm complaining,but seriously,there's only so many times you can listen to the Robin Hood song and that bloody Armageddon one.Someone should send them this- it's clearly up there with the best power ballads and it's what the word "fabulous" was invented for.It also happens to be my song du jour- I can't even begin to work out how many times I've listened to it in the last 3 days...
Miracle is by Marie Picasso- Swedish Idol winner and former Big Brother contestant.If the vile,screeching,wastes of space from our Big Brother were as talented,it might be worth watching.Maybe.
Miracle is by Marie Picasso- Swedish Idol winner and former Big Brother contestant.If the vile,screeching,wastes of space from our Big Brother were as talented,it might be worth watching.Maybe.
Friday, 1 August 2008
He's got what I need...I believe it too!
He's a provocative little so-and-so is Aleksei Vorobyov.This is Desire/Etoi Nochyu,originally sung by some chap called Darin apparantly.Aleksei's version is miles better though,and this performance contains the most impressive jump I've seen since Ruslan jumped on his balls at Eurovision.
I do feel cheated though- this programme's called Star Striptease.Clearly stripteases are a lot more subdued in Russia.
I do feel cheated though- this programme's called Star Striptease.Clearly stripteases are a lot more subdued in Russia.
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