Reviews by kuvien

More songs, more political defiance. The war might be over, but the effects of prejudice and oppression lives on. Remember, and march, even when they won't let you.

Sometimes with the sparse accompaniment of a mournful fiddle or a lonely flute, sometimes a cappella polyphonic chant, this recording brings to light yet another micro-genre of traditional folk of which I was completely unaware. In many ways this is very Russian, with the singsong poetic chanting propped up by an all-male deep-voice chorus, and in other ways it strangely reminds me of Irish music, with the nonsense refrains that form an underpinning the vocals can always return to, much like the "lay the bent to the bonny broom" of English folk. There are even festive moments where the percussion rolls and it feels like a bit of a party. No, a march. It's men marching, maybe on their way to a party. Maybe on their way to war.

These are the solemn songs sung by the scant survivors of genocide, but this short, unplanned album isn't merely a vehicle of protest; it's a moment of brave expression, drawing on the roots of this vocal tradition.

This album was released on the 21st of May, the Circassian Day of Mourning, a day on which the Circassian diaspora remembers the victims of the Russo-Circassian War--and this day was chosen for a specific reason. Those of Circassian heritage remember not only a war but a tragedy resulting in a loss of independence and a near genocide and displacement of a people. To the Circassians, this is not merely some political dispute of the past but a reality they are still dealing with. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular mourning procession in the city of Nalchik was canceled in 2020 and 2021, a move the Circassian public reasonably accepted due to the extraordinary circumstances. But when in 2022 the parade was cancelled again, this time without a clear explanation, the Circassian people grew suspicious and indignant. The Russian government said it had to do with the difficult times they're in, especially with the current war in Ukraine, so in response to Russian suppression of their traditional memorial ceremonies, Jrpjej decided to make the voice of their people heard anyway. They recorded this unplanned album, a 22-minute 5-track meditation on the tragedy of the Russo-Circassian War (only track 4 was previously recorded).

Jrpjej is a trio of vocalists who also play percussion, guitar, accordion, and shichepshin (a traditional bowed instrument and the Circassian national violin). Two guest singers fill out the vocal textures of these mourning songs.

A lone shichepshin opens this album, instantly establishing a mournful tone, and soon enough, a lone elegiac voice joins. A stanza later, tastefully muted background vocals join the lament. We are at a funeral service, and the chief mourner invites us to join him in an a cappella remembrance of deeds bravely done and of people slaughtered upon and scattered from their native soil by an aggressive colonial force. Pull your cowl across your face as you turn away from the weariness of war, and rejoice to hear the return of the shichepshin as it leads the vocalists into a fiery half-yelled tune. What follows is another chief mourner leading the gathered mourners in another lament, but this one is built upon a droning, repeated refrain, almost like a mantra, inviting the listener to lose himself in his grief, to experience release. The final track features, once again, the shichepshin, expounding long, melodious phrases that are abruptly cut short, like a life with so much promise that is suddenly destroyed by war. Even the vocalists--and especially the woman--end each utterance with almost a spat of disgust.

I feel like I shouldn't have to point this out, but a "hoe" is a gardening implement. And I'm pretty sure an inanimate object comprised of steel and wood is incapable of feeling fear.

Yeah if I want lush, smooth soul, I'll just spin Stevie. I guess this is all right, but it's just... too much like Stevie without being Stevie.

I hate myself for listening to this.

“One Good Man” is the actual voice of this young woman who sings like she’s twice her age and has seen some shit and knows what works and what doesn’t. This is the only song on the album she wrote by herself, so this is the heart and soul of her solo debut. The music isn’t as loose as Joplin’s vocals, but her gritty, passionate blues make up for any lack.

This is a poppier version of, mixing in the more playful sensibilities of in key spots. An amazing album!

Just listen to this instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWBjwgxEawo

The more I listen to American primitivism, the more I feel that the genre is analogous to brands of whiskey. There a lot of hidden work that goes into the making of both, and only a connoisseur can adequately describe what he hears or tastes. There are those of us who nod and say "yeah, it's smoky", but then the aficionado pipes up with "do I detect a touch of asphalt?"

Strangle the idiot yelling "more" repeatedly right next to the tape recorder.

He doesn't have to sing that way. ffs

Gold! Exactly what the genre of hip hop deserves. The greatest line in hip hop: "if yall don't mind for a sec, introduce that knife to my neck". lmao

A lot of grit and attitude, something Elton does well in small doses. A cocky piano player with something to prove. It’s all right, Elton. You don’t have to tell us about how much you miss your “lady”.

Well, the way I see it, there’s only two ways to escape the strictures / ennui of modern life: kill yourself, or go live on Mars. How else can we escape all these Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters? Oh my! How prescient this album is!

This one barely makes it into my collection. The harmonica-laced title track is so unlike later Elton that I cannot help but love its bluesy indulgence, but what saves this album for me is “Skyline Pigeon”. I simply cannot live without this beautiful song. This album was a UK-only release and not released in the States until after Elton had established his international fame. I really dig the harpsichord playing on several of the tracks here. Elton calls his debut naive, mostly because he thought at the time that it was better than it turned out to actually be, but I find it all a charming walk down his artistic memory lane.

This album holds its head up with the best of Elton's works. It's not his best, but it certainly deserves more love than it gets in the music nerd community. Elton simply doesn't get better than "Border Song".

There aren’t that many albums where I can sing every word, but this one of those rare ones. This one has been with me for decades, and it was an instant favorite when I heard it back in the mists of time. There are some rather corny songs peppered throughout, but that adds to the overall charm. And when Elton’s on, he’s on, like with “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”, the centerpiece of the album, and the boy knows how to close an album: “Curtains” is such a heartbreakingly beautiful song, and even the lum-dee-lums can’t mitigate against its beauty.

I choose to think that a big, beautiful Hollywood star had a crush on a fringe, brilliant musician and wanted to make a vanity project of her singing her crush's songs. How charming!

Classy, nuanced, simple jazz arrangements of Swedish folk songs. This is a giant album in its country of origin, and I can see why. It is extremely accessible, what with the fresh takes on familiar tunes, as well as the sparse accompaniment (piano and double bass). There's really not anything to object to here, whether you're a music nerd or a casual listener who puts this on during supper.