In a music world where punk rock can be defined by Ashlee Simpson and the trendy girls who wear green/pink CBGB t-shirts, Gogol Bordello exists as the saving grace of the once noble musical genre. Led by their eclectically skilled front-man, Eugene Hütz , the members of Gogol Bordello fuse parts of punk, cabaret, and yes, Gypsy music for their latest release, Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike.
Hütz described the purpose of their music in an interview with Rolling Stone: "We create an insane party atmosphere to deliver messages of social and political commentary." He hits that mark perfectly in Gypsy Punks. The band manages to expertly fuse politically conscious lyrics with the foot-stomping beats that Hütz mastered from his years DJing in the New York City club circuit.
Album highlights begin with “Think Locally, Fuck Globally,” which can be seen as the album’s mantra. Another is “Trouble Friends,” a song that is equal parts rock and reggae with its impressive mix of piercing guitars and dub grooves. “Immigrant Punk” gives you much of the same but with a bit of Moroccan flavor splashed in while “Not a Crime” fulfills their punk-sing-a-long quota within the first thirty seconds--you can easily pick up the chorus and see yourself shouting out the words while pumping your fist in the air at their live show.
Gogol Bordello, like many others in the punk genre, sound their finest when teetering on the verge of absolute chaos and this is reflected best in the song “60 Revolutions (Per Minute).” Driven by the speed of an out-of-control polka-train led by accordion and fiddle, the song barely holds onto itself. It explodes like a musical orgasm, leaving the listener winded and gasping for air. The song is controlled musical chaos at its best.
Aside from writing unique music, Gogol Bordello has been gathering fans by the swarm due to their irrefutable mastery at live shows. Whether they are handing out copies of their latest CD to youths in Gypsy camps, promoting their cultural identity in a positive light or donating concert earnings to struggling tribe members, the band tries to give aid where it is most needed: The community itself.
Don’t be mistaken, Hütz and co. are not some zany group of guys who decided to dress up in ethnic clothes in order to make consumers laugh and be sold on a gimmick. Gogol Bordello’s members honor their true Gypsy heritage and play music which honors their Ukrainian homeland. Hütz himself had to evacuate the Ukraine after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and later moved to the U.S. in 1993 after living as a refugee in Poland, Italy, Hungary, and Austria.
The group will be gracing the Buffalo area music scene with a visit October 3 at Icon, so if you think it would be a good time seeing a band whose stage antics center around the story of Superhero Immigrant Gypsy Vampires, check them out now and make sure to beat all the trendy kids drawn to their success on this year’s Warped Tour. If you don’t you might be stuck with seeing Good Charlotte ripping off their in four to five years.
