1. Sally

2. I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again

3. Not a Crime

4. Immigrant Punk

5. 60 Revolutions

6. Avenue B

7. Dogs Were Barking

8. Oh No

9. Start Wearing Purple

10. Think Locally Fuck Globally

11. Underdog World Strike

12. Illumination

13. Santa Marinella

14. Undestructable

15. Mishto!

If it is possible to imagine Russian gypsy music, complete with accordions and fiddles, mixed with frenetic punk-style guitar, bass, and drums, playing imaginative songs (most lyrics in English), seasoned with more than the odd dash of four-letter crudities, then one’s imagination would have created Gogol Bordello.

As it happens, leader and songwriter Eugene Hütz is not Russian, but hails from the Ukraine. After escaping from there in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster, he ended up in New York, where he formed Gogol Bordello in 1996. The band is multi-national, multi-cultural, and multi-talented.

Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike provides an explosive blend of Roma gypsy music and slash-guitar. There are flashes of ska, jazz, and hip-hop added for god measure, along with smashing drums and massive bass lines. But the music is never relentless, and the songs are filled with black and cunning humour.

Although this is loud and noisy music, keep it away from your dozing mother-in-law — she may wake up and be very offended!

©  Straight Words, 2006