Rock music from the socialist European countries and their successors. Comments are welcome. Please tell me when you find an expired link! :)
UPDATE October 2, 2021: I decided to revive Soviet Sam after a long hiatus. I also fixed most of the links, but maybe there are still some inactive ones.
"Kombinat", "Sexy Doll", "Telefony", and "Biała flaga" are Republika's four most famous songs (they all reached the top of the Trójka chart), but they can't be found in any of their studio albums, because they were released as singles before "Nowe Sytuacje". In 1993 Sonic Records released this precious compilation. It collects all Republika's non-album tracks from the 1982-85 era (including my personal favourite "Moja Krew", a majestic electronic blues with ferocious anti-establishment lyrics). It is one of the most important releases in Republika's catlogue: it is considered by some to be superior even to their first two studio albums. Don't miss it!
Original band's name: Дурное Влияние Original title: Неподвижность Not all Russian new wave bands were as lucky as Kino or Nautilus Pompilius, that after a few years in the underground were accepted by the government bodies, and allowed to release records on Melodiya, the only official label during the Soviet era. Most of the bands remained in the underground, self-releasing their albums on cassette and magnetic tapes. Durnoe Vliyanie were even more ill-fated: they recorded material for no less than two albums between 1987 and 1991, never releasing anything before 2003, when "Nepodvizhnost'" finally came out on the small label Karma Mira. Recorded in 1989, it was intended to be their first album. For obvious reasons, the production is anything but brilliant (the last track in particular is ruined by a weak sound quality), but you can find some beautiful songs, dark and emotional. Some moments are reminiscent of British goth-rock, with chorused and distorted guitars, gloomy vocals and big basslines (i.e. the groove of the title-track). Even if they gained a loyal cult, expecially in their native Saint Petersburg, Durnoe Vliyanie are still an overlooked band. They reunited in 2011, with three of the original members: Dmitry Petrov (bass), Igor Mosin (drums), and Aleksandr Skvortsov (vocals).
Republika are back on Soviet Sam. This is their second album. If on one side it keeps their formula (Ciechowski's vocal attitude, which mixes cabaret with punk determination), on the other it shows some significant alterations (the sound of the piano becomes dominant, guitars are more atmospheric, and the flute that characterized "Nowe Sytuacje" disappears). The songwriting is maybe not as strong as in their debut, but this is still a great album and a required listening for those who love Polish rock music. Unfortunately, "Nieustanne tango" was released on a limited edition of 45.000 copies only, and the band entered an irreversible crisis soon after its release, due to contrasts between Ciechowski and the other members.
Republika was one of the classic bands of Nowa Fala. Founded in 1981 and guided by the genius of singer and piano player Grzegorz Ciechowski, the quartet released two albums and a bunch of singles before disbanding in 1986. A second, less interesting phase of their career begun in 1991 and lasted until 2001, when Ciechowski tragically died of aneurysm. Recorded in a difficult context (the band felt responsible because it was anticipated by two successful singles), this debut album contains all the elements that made Republika an important project: powerful and metaphorical anti-regime lyrics, Ciechowski's passionate vocal style, and reckless musical structures (their post-punk background is twisted by unexpected odd meters, wild flute solos, frantic guitars, and art-rock piano patterns). "Nowe sytuacje" was an instant classic, selling 360.000 copies in 1983 alone.
Idoli released just two albums, an EP and some singles, but those are enough to make them one of the greatest bands from the ex Yugoslavia music scene. Guitar player and singer Vlada Divljan was their leader, but keyboardist Srđan Šaper and percussionist Nebojša Krstić were also important, both writing and singing some songs. "Odbrana i poslednji dani" is their first full-lenght album, and their second studio work after the "VIS Idoli" EP. Due to his experimental nature and his provocative lyrics, inspired by a Borislav Pekić's novel about the life of a soldier, the record was not as succesful as expected (it sold 90.000 copies, while the previous EP exceeded the 200.000 mark). The band had also problems with the censors because one of the songs openly referred to marshal Tito, and Divljan was forced to change its title from "Maršal" to "Poslednji dani".
Musically, the album offers a wide spectrum of sounds: an energetic post-punk with big basslines, loud drums patterns (with a martial feeling on some tracks), electronic noises, plastic rhythm guitars, but also atmospheric breaks and occasional acoustic ornaments. It's really hard, if not impossible, to find an English-speaking new wave band to compare them with.
Second post dedicated to Lady Pank. In this anthology I collected ten songs released only as singles or compilation tracks during the new wave phase of Lady Pank's career, lasted from 1982 (the year of their debut single) to 1986.
These are ten of the best songs in Lady Pank's book and arguably in the history of Polish music.
1. Mała Lady Pank
2. Minus 10 w Rio
These two songs were released as Lady Pank's first single in summer 1982. Guitar player Jan Borysewicz is also the singer in "Mała Lady Pank", because Janusz Panisewicz was not in the band yet: he joined in for "Minus 10 w Rio", where he sing the chorus.
3. Tańcz głupia tańcz
Released as a single at the end of 1982, it is one of the band's key-songs: it was the first entirely sung by Panisewicz and it opened the historical Sopot 1985 concert.
4. Augustowskie noce
Released as a single in july 1984, this is a funny cover of Maria Koterbska's old pop-jazz hit.
5. Sztuka latania
This lyrical post-punk moment (the title means "The Theory of Flight") is possibly Lady Pank's most beautiful song. A no. 1 hit in april 1985, it also titled an important compilation album featuring Aya RL and other Nowa Fala projects.
6. Banalna rzecz, c'est la vie
Released as part of the "Sztuka latania" compilation album.
7. Raport z N.
8. Rysunkowa postać
This no. 1 single was released in the summer of 1985. "Rysunkowa postać" was the B-side, even though it was the most successful song.
9. Gwiazdkowe dzieci
Lady Pank's Christmas song, presented at the end of 1985.
10. Sly
This is not Lady Pank's first song in English, but while the others were all translations of their Polish hits, this is the first original one. It was released as a single in 1986.
