Solidaritine

by Gogol Bordello

Overview

It's been five years since gypsy punk heroes Gogol Bordello released Seekers and Finders, their last studio album. In the interim, the world has endured natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic that killed millions, the U.S. Army's departure from Afghanistan, and the Russian invasion and continued occupation of Ukraine -- homeland of the band's singer, songwriter, and frontman Eugene Huetz. Though the 13 songs on Solidaritine were composed before the invasion, Gogol Bordello offer a poignant, raucous response through them. The set was produced by Lower East Side underground icon Walter Schreifels. Huetz and Russian violinist Sergey Ryabtsev -- the group's only original members -- are appended by Ecuadorian vocalist/percussionist Pedro Erazo-Segovia, Russian-born guitarist Boris Pelekh, French bassist Gill Alexandre, and North American vocalist Ashley Tobias and drummer Korey Kingston Horn. (The record hosts several guests too.) Although there are many different folk styles here, all are given utterance through punk and post-punk. Opener "Shot of Solidaritine" commences as a singalong but quickly erupts into an explosive punk anthem celebrating the collective strength of humanity with chanted choruses, blazing guitars, and galloping snares. Huetz's snarling growl is framed by sweeping violin. Fugazi's "Blueprint" is re-envisioned as a loose, ska-inflected tune that channels the Pogues while staggering dangerously close to polka. "The Era of the End of Eras" offers a shambolic meld of acoustic and electric guitars, furious violin, and drums in a duet by Huetz and Bad Brains' frontman H.R. The clattering punk shuffle/gutter Americana in "I'm Coming Out" is an indictment of social media, "zombie lifestyle magazines," and the politicization of everyday life. "The Great Hunt of Idiot Savant" weds drunken garage punk and blasting Romani dance music in celebrating love's possibilities. "Take Only What You Can Carry" is the set's highlight. Though not written directly in response to the Ukrainian conflict, Huetz and Tobias deliver an anthemic duet offering emotional support to those displaced by war, famine, natural disaster, etc. amid careening violin, power chords, detuned piano, and crashing drums. The reprised version of "Forces of Victory" (originally on 2007's Super Taranta! album) was included in direct response to the invasion of Ukraine. Following fleet guitar arpeggios in the intro, Ryabtsev's violin leads the band into a maelstrom of hardcore punk. With assistance from Ukrainian poet and novelist Serhiy Zhadan and electro-folk band KAZKA, Huetz recalls historic victories over fascist dictatorships. "Fire on Ice Floe" combines surf and spiky reggae, while closer "Huckleberry Generation" melds garage rock, screaming punk, and gypsy melody with American literary myth, the tragedy of Chernobyl, and the undying spirit of revolt among the working class and dispossessed. While not quite as intense and transformative as a Gogol Bordello live show, Solidaritine is close. Its canny songwriting and sophisticated musicianship combined with Schreifels' raw production make this album one of the band's finest to date. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	09/16/2022
Label:	Casa Gogol / Cooking Vinyl
UPC:	0711297533729

Tracks

1. Shot of Solidaritine
2. Focus Coin
3. Blueprint
4. The Era of the End of Eras
5. I'm Coming Out
6. Knack for Life
7. The Great Hunt of Idiot Savant
8. Take Only What You Can Carry
9. My Imaginary Son
10. Forces of Victory
11. Fire on Ice Floe
12. Gut Guidance
13. Huckleberry Generation

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Gogol Bordello   Primary Artist
Oliver Charles   Drums
Eugene Huetz   Vocals,Accordion,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Walter Schreifels   Guitar
Yuri Lemeshev   Accordion
Elizabeth Sun   Vocals
Sergey Ryabtsev   Violin,Vocals
Korey "Kingston" Horn   Drums
Fredo Ortiz   Drums
Pedro Erazo Segovia   Vocals,Percussion
Thomas Gobena   Bass
Boris Pelekh   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Pasha Newmer   Accordion
Ashley Tobias   Vocals
KAZKA   Featured Artist
Serhiy Zhadan   Vocals,Featured Artist
Gill Alexandre   Bass
Alik Ryaboy   Accordion
HR   Vocals,Featured Artist
Oleksandra Zaritska   Vocals

Technical Credits

Ian MacKaye   Translation
Don Zientara   Engineer
Eugene Huetz   Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Translation,Group Member
Walter Schreifels   Producer
Joe Lally   Translation
Tom Gardner   Mixing
Alan Douches   Mastering
Gogol Bordello   Composer
Sergey Ryabtsev   Group Member
Korey "Kingston" Horn   Group Member
Brendan Canty   Translation
Guy Picciotto   Translation
Rob O'Dea   Engineer
Wanda Phipps   Translation
Diko Shoturma   Mixing,Engineer
Lindsay Brown   Management
Ted Bowne   Engineer
Pedro Erazo Segovia   Group Member
Patrick Jordan   Management
Boris Pelekh   Group Member
Andre Kelman   Engineer
Sanjay Suchak   Photography
Ashley Tobias   Group Member
Serhiy Zhadan   Composer,Lyricist
Virlana Tkacz   Translation
Yevhenii Nedilko   Design,Artwork
Gill Alexandre   Group Member
Alejandro Neira   Photography
Alik Ryaboy   Engineer,Pre-Production
Mitzy Montoya   Management