Floating Leaf

We had another power outage at the office today. It came completely out of the blue, since the weather was perfectly fine. It also happened in the morning, before 11 a.m. Initially we were told to stick around while they were waiting for ComEd to show up and fix the problem - so we did some cleaning around our desks, took early lunch etc. But by noon it was obvious that the power wasn't going to come back for the next 2-3 hours, so they let us go home. Which was really a godsend, since I needed a nap after staying up too late night.:P

Anyway... back to last night's topic. I almost forgot to mention another singer/songwriter I accidentally discovered last weekend. I was just checking out one of my customary feminist blogs, and there was a post about a gay music festival. Which included a video of this artist and a link to her download page. She is a cute little baby dyke with an endearingly young voice, as well as smart, funny and thoughtful lyrics. So, without futher ado, I introduce Mal Blum:

http://malblum.bandcamp.com/

Again, you can listen to the full album on the website, and the download is 8 bucks. My favorite song is called Wait Forever, Baby:

I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever - not for you

I won't wait forever, baby
I won't wait forever, baby...
But I guess there's nothing else to do

So cute.:) Not a musical or vocal masterpiece, perhaps, but a pleasure nonetheless.:P


Yeah... I think that covers all my latest discoveries. Now, back to Gogol Bordello. I just realized they have a few official videos on their website, and was wowed all over again. I mean, the first clip that plays when you open the video page (http://www.gogolbordello.com/us/official-videos) is this hilarious animated masterpiece that puts most other music videos to shame. I also checked the band member profiles, and found they are a wildly eclectic ethnic mix of like-minded people whose varied cultural backgrounds make the music such a truly explosive blend. There are Latin and reggae influences, particularly on the latest album (Trans-Continental Hustle), which is just fucking incredible, if you ask me. But the Slavic/Gypsy core of the sound is still very much there, to my utmost delight. See, I have always loved Gypsy music - it always sounded so vibrantly alive to me, so filled to bursting with joy and sorrow. Much like Greek music did. Or any Mediterranean/Southern/Eastern European music, really. I just never knew it was played by anyone other than obscure, traditional folk bands. I never knew there was "Gypsy punk" or alternative rock - until Gogol Bordello. I never knew of anyone else who writes their lyrics in English, Russian/Ukrainian, Spanish, Italian AND Romanes (the language of the Gypsies). Nearly all of the above within one song, sometimes. How frigging AWESOME is that? And they are hilarious, smart and touching lyrics, too. It helps if you understand more than one of the abovementioned languages - but I freely admit I am not getting nearly all of the cultural references. Possibly only another Ukrainian Gypsy immigrant in New York (like Eugene Hutz) can pick it all up.:) However, anyone with a free, joyful spirit can enjoy the music. Btw, I recommended the band to a coworker of mine (a Puertorican guy who plays the bass in a blues/funk band), and he went crazy over it (despite not understanding any of the colorful Russian obscenities ;P). He says the sound is very unique and refreshing from a musician's point of view. So it's not just clueless little me gushing over something obscure and incomprehensible to anyone else under the sun.:P Not that this never happens... but yeah. Not this time.:)

Anyway... it's getting late again, so let me conclude this post with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs - Alcohol from the album Super Taranta (2007):

yeah, oh yeah, you seen me walk on burning bridges
yeah, oh yeah, you seen me fall in love with witches
and you know my head is held inside by stitches
yet you know I did survive all of your lonely sieges

and you know that I'll pick up
every time you call
just to thank you one more time
alcohol

and you know that I'll survive
every time you call
just to thank you one more time
for everything you've done

I am sorry some of us have given you bad name
yeah, oh yeah, 'cause we love you, nothing is the same
yeah, oh yeah, I miss you so
every time we break up
just to hit a higher note
every time we make up

and you know that I'll pick up
every time you call
just to thank you one more time
alcohol

now forever reunite
alcohol
now you teach me how to rhyme
alcohol
screw a lightbulb in my head
alcohol
may the ceremony be happy or sad

and you know that I'll pick up
every time you call
just to thank you one more tiiiiiiime...
alcohol


Yeah. There's your Slavic spirit.;D And I totally feel it, despite the lack of extensive first-hand alcohol-related experience.;)

What more can be said after this? Let me just blissfully float away on a swelling tide of those nostalgic accordions, plaintive guitars and wildly careening violins... *hums a Gypsy tune and rocks herself to sleep*