What should one make of a promotional sheet that tells you the music you are about to hear is by a band called “Ompa Twang”? Does that have something to do with Humppa? And what is Twang?
Mysterious!
The cover of the debut album also leaves one questioning. Beautiful black-and-white images, and on the back cover, there is a running dog. Animals are always good; after all, people love animals and children. At least that's what the marketing experts say.
So are we dealing with a strange indie band?
Or with a band that makes half hippie music and half Russian folklore? That would be a mix I’ve never heard before and perhaps should be played by a band someday. I can at least imagine the mixture being very entertaining.
VLADIWOODSTOK does something…well, peculiar.
It’s music that falls somewhere between Humppa, Polka, pop music, punk rock, folk, rock, ska, blues, southern rock, and who knows what else. They take what they need for their style and craft their songs from it.
Upon first listen, one might still be a bit doubtful about what this is supposed to be. It somehow sounds cool, but it’s also…different. This uniqueness contributes a lot to the fascination of VLADIWOODSTOK. The songs are all cleverly arranged, yet they are also very catchy and danceable. I can easily imagine the band’s live concerts as a cauldron of excitement. There will be dancing, drinking, and celebrating.
VLADIWOODSTOK creates their sound with guitar, accordion, bass, tuba, and drums. Just this combination hints at fire and an interesting sound.
With the second, third, and twentieth listen, the songs become more and more enjoyable, and one wonders why the album was received with skepticism upon first listen.
The band from Bavaria has released a debut album called “Blockfish” that packs a punch.
It’s a fantastic mixture that the band offers with this 12-track CD and will surely please all fans of Polka, Humppa, and somewhat quirky music.
