As you may have noticed, I no longer have as much time to dedicate to Soviet Sam as I used to, but that doesn't mean I can't still publish content from time to time. To make my now sporadic posts more substantial, I'll be grouping multiple bands together.
On this occasion, I'll be featuring music acts from Lithuania for the first time. These are three bands that emerged around the mid-1980s.
Antis and Foje are closely connected, as both appeared in the film "Kažkas atsitiko" (1986), directed by Artūras Pozdniakovas.
Antis is led by singer and architect Algirdas Kaušpėdas, while Foje was fronted by singer and guitarist Andrius Mamontovas.
I represented Antis with their self-titled debut album, released in 1987. It is a masterpiece at the crossroads of new wave, post-punk, and art rock, with jazzy influences (it features a brass section, including tuba player and arranger Petras Ubartas, the second key creative force behind the record). Despite its satirical lyrics, which cast an unflattering light on the Soviet Union, the album was still distributed by the state label Melodiya.
The Foje album I've chosen, on the other hand, is quite different in sound. While the band initially embraced post-punk and new wave, my favorite work from their discography is "Kai perplauksi upę", which was recorded in 1994 and released in 1995, almost at the end of their career. Because of this, its sound leans more towards alternative rock, while still maintaining a very refined and intellectual approach. Soviet Sam will likely revisit Foje and Mamontovas in the future, as he is arguably the most talented and important figure in Lithuanian rock.
While Antis and Foje are true legends in Lithuania (since they are indissolubly linked to the country's struggle for independence), the same cannot be said for Šiaurės Kryptis. The band was only able to record their debut album, "Netiekto", in 1992 (it was then released in 1993). With its blend of post-punk and jangle pop, the album is considered a cult classic, though it never achieved mainstream success. Nevertheless, it is well worth listening to, as it showcases highly original songwriting and a remarkable level of artistry.
DOWNLOAD FOJE (kbps: 320)
