TheCellarTapes

Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike
(2005)



Tracks

1 Sally 3:02
2 I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again 3:46
3 Not a Crime 4:31
4 Immigrant Punk 3:45
5 60 Revolutions 2:58
6 Avenue B 3:07
7 Dogs Were Barking 4:53
8 Oh No 2:59
9 Start Wearing Purple 3:42
10 Think Locally **** Globally 4:23
11 Underdog World Strike 5:24
12 Illumination 3:52
13 Santa Marinella 5:28
14 Undestructable 4:53
15 Mishto! 6:51

A refugee of the Chernobyl disaster in the mid eighties, Ukranian Eugene Hütz finally settled in New York and its vibrant Slavik community in the early 90’s. Finding like minded people, he soon found himself as the leader of a motley group of gypsy musicians calling themselves Gogol Bordello. The band were a Gypsy Punk sensation in downtown Manhattan, with a debut album and a European tour soon taking place in the early 2000’s. However it really wasn’t until 2005 that the band really took off.

Gogol Bordello’s third album was released in the summer of 2005 on Side One Dummy records; Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike was nothing short of exceptional. Combining Western music with Eastern European influences, the album’s backbone is one of pounding rhythm and outstanding vocal content whilst celebrating Punk in its mildest forms with the accordion and the fiddle, all in all making this album one of the best albums of the century so far.

The album begins with Sally, fusing the fiddle with a beat and snarl that will have you wondering what on earth is going on here, well believe you me you haven’t heard anything yet. For track two I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again takes the previous track and injects it with steroids. A truly frantic number which like many tracks on this LP can only be described as truly unique to Gogol Bordello.

Not A Crime follows track two, the first proper sing-along on the album, an instant get out of your chair Grandma effort, it is almost hoedowny but mixed with Punk, Ska and Gypsy roots, like most of this album it borders on the indescribable.



With classic albums, you need a good set of songs one after the other right through the middle, and Gogol Bordello do not disappoint with regards to this record. With Immigrant Punk, Dogs Were Barking and Oh No following each other in close succession, there is no doubt that this album is quite an exceptional piece of work

Track nine, Start Wearing Purple, is probably the most accessible song on the record, a song which will more than likely have you singing it to yourself during the first few weeks after purchase. It’s a rather enjoyable number which was the first single released from this record (Double A Side with Sally), and no wonder, the ending isn’t bad either with Hütz bellowing from the back of the room, brilliant stuff.

Gogol Bordello with this album have brought to the table a special and incomparable album which not many bands from across the entire history of music could have ever produced. The term banded around to describe this album is “Gypsy Punk”, but I think that it is selling this album very short to even attempt to describe it in just two words. Even after writing this lengthy review I feel I haven’t done this album the remotest bit of justice.

With so many genres, themes and undercurrents running through it, Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike really is something you should get your hands on today.

jackhammer

Graet album but I usually find myself running out of patience with it by the end for some reason. I have three or four ' Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers' compilations that tread similar themes. Great upbeat music.

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4ZZZ

An interesting review as usual C/Tapes. I read about this album a while back but never followed it up. I like Beirut and A Hawk And A Hacksaw. Would I like this?

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TheCellarTapes

Its a lot harsher than Beirut, but I think any music lover would become slightly fond of this album after a couple of listens.

LoathsomePete

Love this album and this group, I was hoping GTA4 would get at least one of their tracks licensed but oh well.

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willfya

Loved it, this is the first band i properly saw live

metalheadmike

Great Review. Like this band. They where recommended to me by a friend. I got hooked on this release